When the abiraterone story broke in August last year, the general interest was overwhelming. Many people are excited by the changes happening in science and abiraterone is one example of how long years of work in labs by dedicated scientists could make a difference to the lives of thousands of people. There is however, so much more work to be done. Why does abiraterone stop working? Why does it not work in every prostate cancer patient? Can it work for other tumours? When we've answered these questions, we can then make even better drugs to use after or with abiraterone. And with your donations, we can get closer to answering these questions.

Seven years ago whilst I was working in A&E, my grandfather died of colon cancer. I then found myself increasingly drawn to working with cancer patients and two years later I'd moved to London to work at the Marsden. I think we may have reached the tipping point in cancer treatment and over the next few years, cancer will stop being the cruel killer its been. And this has only been made possible because we are beginning to understand the nuts and bolts of cancer and can switch off the genes that drive cancer by using clever, targeted drugs. Pharmaceutical companies will not pay for the basic research necessary and the government never has enough money. So sadly the money for this work can only come from charity donations. 

I'm paying for the cost of the skydive and all the money you donate, will be used for cancer research at The ICR. I admit that I did not believe this was an effective way of raising money when our press office talked me into doing this skydive. However, you've all proved me wrong. To read more about our work:

http://www.icr.ac.uk/press/profiles/gerhardt_attard/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7502238.stm

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2008/07July/Pages/Newprostatecancertreatment.aspx

Thanks a million

gert

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