• Question: Do you think that major cancer charities' (Cancer Research UK, for example) work is truly benefiting the work towards finding a cure?

    Asked by anon-202046 to Sophia on 6 Mar 2019.
    • Photo: Sophia Pells

      Sophia Pells answered on 6 Mar 2019:

      I think Cancer Research UK is doing amazing work! The money they raise is used to fund clinical trials to get new cancer drugs into hospitals and to pay for scientific research. Nowadays in the UK, more than 50% of people who are diagnosed with cancer survive it, while in the 1990s that number was only about 35%.

Comments

  • Photo: Matthew

    Matthew commented on :

    @Sophia is gave a great answer.

    I work for Cancer Research UK and have been able to see the work they are doing first-hand. We really are making great progress but it is a very big challenge to cure cancer so we need patience but i firmly believe that one day in the future we will succeed.

    Another key aspect of the work CRUK and other cancer research agencies are doing is engaging the public. Whereas this may not be helping directly find a cure, it is helping people understand the work we do and where their money goes.

    Sorry for crashing your message board btw. It was just too interesting a question!

  • Photo: Andy

    Andy commented on :

    Yes, they are a major funder of research that really is progressing our understanding — from what my biomed friends say. The thing about cancer is that it isn’t one disease, but a whole suite of ways that our bodies fail: there isn’t going to be one cure, but understanding those failure mechanisms means that we can increasingly do something about it, or at least keep the symptoms at bay. (NOTE: NOT MY SPECIALITY!)