The Starlings (Naureen, Ed and teenage Oli) are climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to raise £20,000 for pioneering research into one of the most alarming trends in cancer today: the rapidly rising number of bowel, stomach, pancreatic, bile duct and other gut cancers in people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. These cancers now account for a quarter of all cancer deaths in young adults, disrupting lives at the very moment people are building careers, raising families and planning their futures. As a Consultant Medical Oncologist, Naureen sees first-hand the devastating impact cancer has on patients of all ages, but she is increasingly caring for younger adults facing a diagnosis that remains poorly understood and whose numbers continue to rise.

Our fundraising will support CLARITY, an ambitious research programme designed to uncover why these cancers are increasing, accelerate earlier diagnosis, and develop smarter, kinder and more effective treatments. Working with some of the brightest minds in science, medicine and epidemiology across the UK and beyond, we will follow 200 young adults with gut cancers treated at The Royal Marsden, combining detailed clinical information with cutting-edge biological research to create a richly characterised resource that will help drive new discoveries and future breakthroughs.

Every donation brings us one step closer to understanding this growing epidemic and giving hope to young people facing a life-changing diagnosis. Every step we take up Kilimanjaro is for all those affected by cancer, and especially for the young adults and families whose futures have been turned upside down by this emerging epidemic. While the physical and mental challenge of climbing Africa's highest mountain will test us in ways we have never experienced before, it is only a fraction of the challenge faced by people living with cancer every day. Their courage, resilience and determination will inspire us with every step towards the summit. Please help us turn this climb into life-saving progress and smash our £20,000 target.

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About RMCC

The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity raises money to improve the lives of people affected by cancer. We ensure The Royal Marsden’s world-leading nurses, doctors and research teams can provide the very best care and develop life-saving treatments, which are used across the UK and around the world.

From funding state-of-the-art equipment and groundbreaking research, to creating the very best patient environments, we will never stop looking for ways to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.