The Mike Gooley Trailfinders Charity has today announced it will
be donating £200,000 to The Prostate Cancer Charity’s studentship
research programme. Two major research projects in the UK, both of
which will look at halting the spread of the disease, will receive
the funding.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Currently
10,000 men with prostate cancer die every year and more than 37,000
men are diagnosed every year in the UK. With so many men affected
by the disease, investment into the causes, testing and treatment
of prostate cancer is critical.
The first study led by Professor David Bates, at the University
of Bristol, is hoping to establish whether drugs could be developed
to cut off the blood supply to prostate cancer tumours, preventing
them from growing and spreading.
The second study at the Queen’s University Belfast and led by Dr
Helen McCarthy, is underway to determine whether a new gene therapy
system could stop advanced prostate cancer tumours, whilst sparing
healthy tissue. Both projects, which will take place over a three
year period, finishing in 2013, could potentially yield significant
improvements in the treatment of prostate cancer, a disease which
affects more than 250,000 men in the UK.
The funding is spearheaded by Mike Gooley, CBE and founder of
Trailfinders, the specialist tailormade travel company. Mike, who
is also a Patron of the Charity, has been an active supporter since
1997, donating more than £1 million to The Prostate Cancer Charity
over the last 13 years, through the Mike Gooley Trailfinders
Charity.
Since the Charity launched in 1996, it has invested £9.5 million
in prostate cancer research across the spectrum from laboratory
work, clinical research with patients, to survivorship research
into the physical, psychological and emotional issues affecting men
with prostate cancer and their families.
Mike Gooley CBE said: Although I have no direct experience of
prostate cancer, it was clear to me that research funding for this
form of cancer was very much lagging behind the investment that had
gone to other types of cancer. It also occurred to me that
the very low level of research and knowledge about the disease
presented an opportunity for rapid advancements. After finding out
about The Prostate Cancer Charity and learning more about this
disease I made up my mind straightaway to make a substantial
contribution to this vital work. Since then the Mike Gooley
Trailfinders Charity has made 12 donations including funding two
studentship programmes totalling over £1 million. I am very proud
to be a Patron and supporter of this truly worthwhile cause.”
Dr Kate Holmes, Research Manager at The Prostate Cancer Charity
said: “Medical research is vitally important if we are to stop men
dying of prostate cancer and improve the lives of men living with
the disease. Thanks to this generous funding, the Charity has been
able to commission this important research, which could potentially
have a significant impact for thousands of men. Only with continued
investment into research can we create a future where men’s lives
are no longer limited by prostate cancer.”