Deborah Johnston
Deborah's page
Fundraising for Cancer Research UK
Story
I AM RUNNING THE LONDON MARATHON!
HELP!!
Dear All,
Here we go again.... I have decided to run London Marathon in April so that we can all celebrate together at the finish line. (Any excuse for a party!)
As most of you know, having had Anal Cancer, I set up The Bottom Line for Cancer Research UK to raise funds in aid of the prevention of anal cancer, a little known form of the disease.
The amazing Farrah Fawcett died of Anal Cancer earlier this year, raising the profile of this ghastly disease. It has the potential to strike anybody, anywhere, any time, but unfortunately research into a cure does not receive anywhere near the level of funding of other more common cancers. Your help would be invaluable .......
Cancer of the anus is a potentially life threatening disease and accounts for 1.5% of digestive system cancers with about 500 new cases reported in the UK each year. Whilst not the commonest of malignancies, it is a cancer for which treatment has improved and changed greatly in recent years. For many years the condition was radically treated by surgical removal of the anus and rectum with formation of a permanent colostomy. Even with such radical surgery, cure was achieved in no more than 60% of cases. In recent years radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy has proved an effective alternative to radical surgery achieving cure and the avoidance of radical surgery in the majority of cases.
Current research efforts are aimed at:
defining the optimal radiotherapy and chemotherapy regime for treatment.
in trying to better understand the cause of disease.
early detection.
identifying patients at high risk of developing the condition who might benefit from screening.
Funding is however, very limited, and The Bottom Line hopes to significantly contribute to the acceleration of the research efforts. The Bottom Line will not only help to cure Anal Cancer, but will help provide patients with information and valuable knowledge that will allow an educated choice in the treatment of this disease.
If I hadn't had treatment, I would not be here to do this.
Yours sincerely,
Debbie Johnston
HELP!!
Dear All,
Here we go again.... I have decided to run London Marathon in April so that we can all celebrate together at the finish line. (Any excuse for a party!)
As most of you know, having had Anal Cancer, I set up The Bottom Line for Cancer Research UK to raise funds in aid of the prevention of anal cancer, a little known form of the disease.
The amazing Farrah Fawcett died of Anal Cancer earlier this year, raising the profile of this ghastly disease. It has the potential to strike anybody, anywhere, any time, but unfortunately research into a cure does not receive anywhere near the level of funding of other more common cancers. Your help would be invaluable .......
Cancer of the anus is a potentially life threatening disease and accounts for 1.5% of digestive system cancers with about 500 new cases reported in the UK each year. Whilst not the commonest of malignancies, it is a cancer for which treatment has improved and changed greatly in recent years. For many years the condition was radically treated by surgical removal of the anus and rectum with formation of a permanent colostomy. Even with such radical surgery, cure was achieved in no more than 60% of cases. In recent years radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy has proved an effective alternative to radical surgery achieving cure and the avoidance of radical surgery in the majority of cases.
Current research efforts are aimed at:
defining the optimal radiotherapy and chemotherapy regime for treatment.
in trying to better understand the cause of disease.
early detection.
identifying patients at high risk of developing the condition who might benefit from screening.
Funding is however, very limited, and The Bottom Line hopes to significantly contribute to the acceleration of the research efforts. The Bottom Line will not only help to cure Anal Cancer, but will help provide patients with information and valuable knowledge that will allow an educated choice in the treatment of this disease.
If I hadn't had treatment, I would not be here to do this.
Yours sincerely,
Debbie Johnston