Charlotte Burkeman
Sarah Burkeman Memorial Fund
Fundraising for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
Story
In memory of the unforgettable Sarah Burkeman who passed away from Sarcoma on October 5th, 2016.
Sarah was diagnosed with a highly aggressive and conventionally-viewed untreatable Sarcoma in 2013. She survived 3 years – much longer than the 6 months average prognosis- thanks to the help of the excellent doctors at the Royal Marsden Hospital. We are raising money to fund research at the Royal Marsden and its research wing the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), to help give other patients the hope of survival that was denied Sarah.
Sarcoma is a rare and often deadly form of cancer. It can occur at any age, but whilst rare in adults (1% of all adult cancers) it is rather prevalent in children (about 20% of all childhood cancers).
Drug development and testing for such a rare cancer may not be commercially viable and as a result, progress in sarcoma research and treatment development has been much slower than in more common cancer types. This means there is a huge need for philanthropic funding for sarcoma research and also that a relatively small amount of money can have a big impact on patient survival.
The Royal Marsden and The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) form one of the world’s top centres for cancer research and treatment, with a focus on taking research findings rapidly from the laboratory the clinic, to improve outcomes for patients.
The Royal Marsden’s Sarcoma Unit is one of the largest soft-tissue sarcoma units in Europe, recognised worldwide for its strength in diagnosing and treating the disease. They work closely with the ICR to ensure that information flows between scientists at their laboratory benches and researchers at patient bedsides, so one constantly informs the other. This
‘bench-to-bedside’ philosophy places the benefits to patients firmly at the heart of all The Royal Marsden’s research and drives forward progress, not only for patients at our hospitals but nationally and internationally.
The Royal Marsden’s Sarcoma Research Fund was established to provide support for research into the treatment of sarcoma. All donations to the fund go 100% into research with no overhead attached.