Martin was grateful to be treated by the wonderful Professor Andrew Beggs and his wish was to support his work at Birmingham University Hospital. In lieu of flowers any donation no matter how small would be hugely appreciated and could help save lives.

Bowel cancer is difficult to diagnose, as many of the symptoms (nausea, abdominal pain, tiredness) can be part of less serious conditions. So we need to detect it earlier and then act quickly. Nine out of ten bowel cancer patients who are diagnosed early survive for at least five years. Yet with 2,500 possible drugs, doctors can't tell which one a specific patient needs. A cure for one patient could be useless for another.

With your help, Birmingham could develop a genetic test, to catch the early signs of bowel cancer before the patient themselves becomes aware of them. Then, if cancer is detected, a sample of the cancer can be taken out of the body and grown into a 3D model.

This new technique, developed by Professor Andrew Beggs, means doctors can test dozens of drugs on the sample to establish which one actually works, without patients losing critical time or having to endure nasty side effects.The team at Birmingham Medical School have a real chance of achieving a breakthrough.That’s why we are raising money to directly support research of the BRAF gene in bowel cancer at the University of Birmingham.

The University of Birmingham is an Exempt Charity, No. X7237)Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/birmingham-in-action/projects/bowel-cancer-research.aspx