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Life demands excellence
magazine – winter 2013
Theatre royal
HRH The Duke of Cambridge pays a unique visit
to The Royal Marsden’s surgical suite
Lung cancer focus:
improving outcomes
Our advances in
targeted treatment
Training tomorrow’s
clinical experts
RM17_PG01_Cover_desfin.indd 1
18/11/2013 10:47
At The Royal Marsden, we deal
with cancer every day, so we
understand how valuable life is.
And when people entrust their
lives to us, they have the right
to demand the very best. That’s
why the pursuit of excellence lies
at the heart of everything we do.
RM MAGAZINE
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Executive notes
Contents
12 Lung cancer focus
How one of the world’s most
common cancers is meeting its
match at The Royal Marsden
17 A royal visit
HRH The Duke of Cambridge
scrubs up for theatre at the
Chelsea hospital
20 Research matters
Paving the way for new
treatments with molecular
pathology breakthroughs
22 A day in the life
Meet Specialist Registrar
Hazel Lote, an expert
clinician of the future
Regulars
04 Hospital news
24 Fundraising
27 The Friends
28 Foundation news
30 Puzzles & prizes
Cover photograph: HRH The Duke
of Cambridge with Consultant
Urological Surgeons Mr Alan
Thompson and Mr Pardeep Kumar
Welcome
Welcome to the winter 2013 edition of RM, the magazine for
our staff, patients, carers and Foundation Trust members.
Our President, HRH The Duke of Cambridge, recently visited
the theatre suite and the CyberKnife machine at our Chelsea
hospital. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to show him
a glimpse of the complex and pioneering surgery that takes place
on a daily basis at the hospital. We are grateful for the Duke’s
support for our patients and the work of The Royal Marsden.
A key part of the success of The Royal Marsden is the
contribution made by our junior doctors. Our registrars spend
four years rotating around different units, working with some of
the world’s most respected oncologists. Their role is vital to the
high standard of treatment and care that we take such pride in
providing at The Royal Marsden. The fact that so many young
doctors in training stay with us demonstrates the commitment
they have to the Trust and our patients.
It has been a busy end to the year for The Royal Marsden
Cancer Charity. We were delighted to have the support of fashion
designer Ralph Lauren, whose sale of Pink Pony products
throughout the next 12 months will be donated to the charity.
Our charity golf day was, once again, a great success and we
were thrilled to welcome Tim Henman to the event, following
his support at Rally Against Cancer this summer.
I hope you enjoy reading this issue of RM.
Cally Palmer CBE, Chief Executive, The Royal Marsden
RM MAGAZINE 03
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HOSPITAL NEWS
THE ROYAL
MARSDEN PLAYS
PIVOTAL ROLE
IN QUEST FOR
PERSONALISED
MEDICINE
he Royal Marsden is
about to embark on
Phase II of the Stratified
Medicine Programme (SMP),
following the success of the
first phase of this pioneering
national project. Launched in
2011 by Cancer Research UK,
the SMP is the most ambitious
programme of its kind in the UK
and has achieved international
recognition as a significant step
towards individually tailored
molecular medicine for NHS
cancer patients.
The initial phase was a twoyear pilot study that recruited
9,000 patients with breast, bowel,
lung, prostate, ovary or melanoma
skin cancer. Each participant
had tissue samples taken from
their tumours and a wide range
of DNA tests performed quickly
and for a fixed cost, to assess
whether this strategy could be
implemented across the NHS.
As a leading centre for
molecular diagnostics – the area
of pathology concerned with
detecting genetic abnormalities,
such as mutations, that can help
with the diagnosis, treatment or
monitoring of a patient’s disease
– The Royal Marsden was
T
chosen as a Cancer Research
UK clinical hub (hospital) and
a technology hub (laboratory).
Phase II of the SMP will be led
by Dr David Gonzalez de Castro,
Head of Molecular Diagnostics
at The Royal Marsden. It will
focus on non-small-cell lung
cancer (NSCLC) patients as a
model where the molecular
stratification of NSCLC – which
has always been considered
as one disease when, in fact,
it encompasses multiple
molecular genetic subgroups –
can have great potential for
novel therapeutic interventions
that otherwise would not be
available to these patients.
In addition, thanks to the
Biomedical Research Centre
(BRC) funding and the facilities
Today, we can give
our patients access
to a wider array
of therapies and
clinical trials than
ever before
DR DAVID GONZALEZ DE CASTRO, HEAD OF
MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS AT THE ROYAL MARSDEN
in the NIHR Centre for
Molecular Pathology (CMP),
the team is now developing
molecular stratification of many
other cancer types, applying
translational research that can
have an effect on patients in
a short timeframe.
Dr Gonzalez de Castro said:
“The initial phase of the
programme has just finished
and we have been able to
achieve the main objective of
performing a whole panel of
molecular tests in the specified
time in more than 90 per cent
of patients. This is by far the
highest figure nationally, and we
have only been able to achieve it
thanks to the outstanding effort
and commitment that the
Molecular Diagnostics team
has put into this project.”
As one of only three
technology hubs within the
SMP, The Royal Marsden is
able, for the first time in the UK,
to routinely study a multitude
of molecular markers in cancer
patients. This means that we
can achieve stratified medicine
for cancer patients in the NHS,
improving patient outcomes
and making the UK an attractive
prospect for groundbreaking
clinical trials.
Dr Gonzalez de Castro said:
“This is revolutionary – only
three years ago, it was common
for cancer patients to have to
wait four weeks or more to
have one single molecular test
performed, and a significant
number of patients were missing
out on the huge potential of
targeted treatment. Today, we
can perform a panel of five or
more tests within 10 to 15 days
on the NHS, in time to inform
the clinical management of our
patients and giving them access
to a wider array of therapies and
clinical trials than ever before.”
15,000
The Molecular Diagnostics
team has performed more
than 15,000 molecular tests
in 3,000 cancer patients,
of which two-thirds were
patients of The Royal Marsden
90%
During Phase I of the
tratified Medicine
Programme, The Royal
Marsden performed molecular
tests on tumour samples
within the specified time in
more than 90% of patients
The Royal Marsden can
perform a panel of fi e or
more molecular tests within
10 to 15 days on the NHS
04 RM MAGAZINE
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Hospital news
International children’s
trial launches
Dr David Gonzalez
de Castro, Head of
Molecular Diagnostics
at The Royal Marsden
trial to find the best he othera y
re i en or hildren and youn adults
with re urrin or resistant
neuroblasto a has o ened at The Royal
Marsden Resear hers on the hase
neuroblasto a trial will also
in esti ate whether blo in the rowth
o new blood essels su lyin the
tu ours an enhan e this treat ent
euroblasto a is the ost o
on
hildhood tu our o urrin outside
the brain and there are around
hildren dia nosed with the an er ea h
year in the
es ite the nu ber o
hildren sur i in neuroblasto a
risin ro
er ent in
to
er
ent today the a ressi e or o the
disease is still hard to treat su ess ully
euroblasto a is de endent on
the reation o new blood essels and
this study will establish whether
be a i u ab
astin whi h inhibits
blood essel rowth an enhan e the
he othera y re i en
ro essor ndy earson who leads
the aediatri ru
e elo ent tea
at The Royal Marsden and is lead
resear her on the study said There s
an ur ent need to de elo new dru s
that an be ast tra ed into rontline
thera y The ai is to de elo treat ent
or ea h indi idual atient so that we
an tar et ea h tu our ore re isely
n total
atients will be treated at
si di erent
aediatri on olo y
sites in ludin The Royal Marsden
RM MAGAZINE 05
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Hospital news
Two former Royal Marsden
cancer specialists have been
awarded the 2013 Pride of
Britain Lifetime Achievement
Award. Professors Trevor and
Ray Powles, who are identical
twins, worked at The Royal
Marsden for more than 30
years before retiring in 2003.
Professor Trevor Powles was
Head of the Breast Unit, and
Professor Ray Powles, his
younger brother by 20 minutes,
was Head of the former
Leukaemia and Myeloma Unit.
The Lifetime Achievement
Award was awarded to the
professors for their work in
treating people with cancer
and in the international field
of cancer research.
The annual Pride of Britain
awards ceremony celebrates
the achievements of truly
remarkable people and is
the biggest national event of
its kind in the UK, with an
audience of around seven
million viewers.
ITV sent cameras to The
Royal Marsden to interview
Professor Ian Smith, Head
of the Breast Unit, who
worked closely with Professor
Trevor Powles. The interview
was shown before the
professors received their
award in October.
Professor Smith said: “I am
delighted that Trevor and Ray
have been given this national
award. During their careers
at The Royal Marsden, their
dedication, compassion and
focus to improve treatments
and find ures or their
patients, and their contribution
to research, was invaluable.”
PRIDE OF
BRITAIN TOP
AWARD FOR
CANCER
SPECIALIST
TWINS
Professor Ian Smith, Head of the
Breast Unit at The Royal Marsden,
being interviewed for the Pride of
Britain Awards 2013
The two professors receive their
awards from Prime Minister David
Cameron and host Carol Vorderman
This photograph: Professor Ian Smith,
Head of the Breast Unit at The Royal
Marsden, being interviewed for the
Pride of Britain Awards 2013. Below
left: Professors Trevor and Ray Powles
receive their awards from Prime
Minister David Cameron and host Carol
Vorderman.
Below:
the two
professors
Professors
Trevor
(left)
and Ray
Powles with
with the
the Prime
Prime Minister
Minister
06 RM MAGAZINE
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Hospital news
Dr Nicholas Gough, Specialist Registrar
in Palliative Medicine, in conversation
with a nurse on Bud Flanagan Ward
Training camp top spot for
Royal Marsden fellow
TRAINING THE DOCTORS
OF THE FUTURE
he Royal Marsden
delivers a
comprehensive
and supportive training
programme for its trainee
doctors, according to a
new survey.
The National Training
Survey, carried out by the
General Medical Council,
found that our junior doctors
working in departments
including anaesthetics and
palliative medicine received
T
Training
and inspiring
the future
generation of
consultants
is vital
DR ORLA LACEY, CLINICAL LEAD FOR
TRAINING AT THE ROYAL MARSDEN
good training in all areas.
Dr Orla Lacey, Clinical Lead
for Training at The Royal
Marsden, explained that
training our junior doctors
is a hugely important part
of The Royal Marsden’s
work as Europe’s leading
cancer centre.
She said: “We always
strive to ensure that doctors
training with us grow in
confidence so they can
provide efficient, safe and
compassionate care for
patients. I consider training
and inspiring the future
generation of consultants
to be vital.”
Dr Jayne Wood, Head
of Palliative Medicine, said:
“Our trainees are well
supported by the whole
team both in and out of
hours, and report a good
experience with regards to
intensity of work. As the
educational and clinical
supervisors, we ensure
that the trainees meet us
on a regular basis from a
training perspective and
also through twice-weekly
consultant-led ward rounds.
The training at The Royal
Marsden provides wide
clinical experience related to
cancer as well as managing
some of the most complex
palliative care patients.”
Dr Nicholas Gough, a
Specialist Registrar (SpR)
in Palliative Medicine, said:
“Trainees are well supported
by consultants who are
aware that we will be the
consultants of tomorrow. I
am in the third year of my
four years’ training and have
received a lot of time and
advice from consultants.
“I have also been offered
opportunities to get involved
with projects that will
support me when I become
a consultant.”
A Royal Marsden fellow was part of
the winning team at this summer’s
National Institute for Health
Research (NIHR) Experimental
Medicine Training Camp, which
focused on the skills needed for
developing a programme of research.
Dr Alexandra Pender, a clinical
research fellow for The Royal
Marsden and The Institute of Cancer
Research, was partnered with
multidisciplinary research trainees
to develop a hypothetical £5-million,
fi e year ro ra
e to set u a
Making People Healthier Research
Unit. The main theme of the bid was
identi yin
odifiable ris a tors to
personalise obesity treatment, and
included the following six themes into
different areas of obesity research:
metabolic characterisation;
paediatric health; nutrition;
community engagement; bariatric
surgery; and PROMS (Patient
Reported Outcome Measures).
Dr Pender’s team prepared
a ull written ro osal a yer and a
presentation for submission, and met
with experts to discuss their ideas.
Each group presented to a panel of
NIHR professors. Dr Pender’s team
came top at the end of the weekend.
Dr Pender said: “The proposal
partly focused on patient and public
engagement in health research, an
area in which I’ve had no previous
experience. The experience of writing
a successful proposal will be useful
when submitting future funding
applications for research at
The Royal Marsden.”
RM MAGAZINE 07
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Hospital news
Far left: Dr Francesco Sclafani of the
Gastrointestinal and Lymphoma Unit.
Left: Dr Naureen Starling, Associate
Director of Clinical Research
RESEARCH IDENTIFIES
GENE THAT DETERMINES
TREATMENT RESPONSE
he identification of
individual tumour
characteristics could be
used to predict how well patients
with early-stage rectal cancer
will respond to treatment,
according to new research.
The EXPERT-C trial,
developed and co-ordinated by
the Gastrointestinal (GI) and
Lymphoma Clinical Unit at
The Royal Marsden, recruited
165 patients from 15 European
centres to evaluate the addition
of the drug cetuximab to
chemotherapy and radiotherapy
for early-stage rectal cancer.
A retrospective analysis of
this trial discovered that a
tumour suppressor gene known
T
as TP53, also known as the
genome guardian, may have
a role in determining how well
patients respond to cetuximab.
TP53 is normally responsible
for controlling the rate of the
proliferation of a cell and should
ensure that the cell dies if it
becomes abnormal. TP53 is
known to be non-functioning
in about 50 per cent of colorectal
cancers, potentially leading to
a reduced response of tumour
cells to treatment.
The research demonstrated
that patients in the EXPERT-C
trial whose tumours had a
normally functioning TP53 gene
seemed to have a significantly
better survival when they were
treated with cetuximab, on top
of standard chemotherapy and
radiotherapy, than when treated
with chemotherapy and
radiotherapy alone.
Dr Francesco Sclafani of
the GI and Lymphoma Unit at
The Royal Marsden presented
the results of this research at
the 2013 ECCO Congress in
onfir ed these
findin s will ha e
i li ations or the
treat ent o other
ty es o an er
DR FRANCESCO SCLAFANI, GI AND LYMPHOMA UNIT,
THE ROYAL MARSDEN
Amsterdam. He said: “If
confirmed, these findings will
be of considerable relevance
to colorectal cancer treatment
and will have implications for
the treatment of other types
of cancer. This research will
likely trigger further research
to evaluate the previously
unexplored role of TP53 as
a mediator of response to
cetuximab in colorectal cancer.”
Cetuximab is used to treat
patients with metastatic colorectal
cancer whose tumour cells do
not harbour a mutation of the
KRAS gene. This new research
identifies that the positive effect
of cetuximab in patients with a
normally functioning TP53 gene
appears to be independent of
KRAS status.
Dr Naureen Starling, Associate
Director of Clinical Research at
The Royal Marsden, said: “This
research represents a valuable
contribution towards developing
personalised medicine in
gastrointestinal cancers. The
identification of biomarkers that
predict response or resistance
to targeted drugs is a really
important research avenue.
“The identification of TP53
gene status as a potential marker
of response to cetuximab therapy
in early-stage rectal cancer
represents a step forward in the
biomarker field of research and
one we hope will be confirmed
in future validation studies.”
Dr Sclafani’s research was
funded by the National Institute
for Health Research (NIHR)
Biomedical Research Centre
(BRC) at The Royal Marsden,
which is the only BRC dedicated
to cancer. Read about the BRC’s
pioneering work on page 20.
08 RM MAGAZINE
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19/11/2013 10:35
Hospital news
ROBERT TIFFANY
WARD DUE TO
RECEIVE REVAMP
for Private Care, said:
“The standard of care and
treatment we provide at
The Royal Marsden is world
class, and it is important our
ri ate are a ilities re e t
this. We want our patients to
feel comfortable and relaxed
in their surroundings. We
always appreciate feedback
and a lot of work has gone
into the plans to make sure
we are taking people’s
comments on board.”
Work on Robert Tiffany
Ward will begin before the
end of 2013 and is expected
to be complete by the end of
2014. It follows completion of
the extensive refurbishment
of the Private Care facilities
at the Chelsea site.
Robert Tiffany Ward,
The Royal Marsden’s private
patient ward in Sutton, is
to undergo a £2.9-million
refurbishment. The ward,
which includes the Private
Care Medical Day Unit
(MDU), has not been updated
since the 1990s, but plans are
in place to create a fantastic
modern facility, including 11
inpatient rooms with en-suite
facilities on the ward and 17
treatment chairs in the MDU.
The new facility will be
light and bright, and each
in atient roo will be fitted
with the latest entertainment
systems and will provide a
private space for patients to
receive treatment, recuperate
and see their visitors.
Louise McNamara,
Divisional Nurse Director
We want patients
to feel comfortable
and relaxed in their
surroundings
LOUISE MCNAMARA, DIVISIONAL NURSE DIRECTOR
FOR PRIVATE CARE AT THE ROYAL MARSDEN
ROYAL MARSDEN SCORES TOP MARKS IN HOSPITAL INSPECTIONS
Sutton
Chelsea
Sutton
Chelsea
Sutton
Chelsea
Sutton
Chelsea
100%
97%
99%
99%
97%
97%
97%
81%
The privacy, dignity and
wellbeing given to patients
he Royal Marsden has
scored highly in the
recent Patient-led
Assessments of the Care
Environment (PLACE), an
annual mandatory inspection.
Patient assessors are required
to inspect the care environment
and to score standards of
T
Cleanliness
The condition, appearance
and maintenance of buildings
cleanliness, food, privacy,
dignity and wellbeing, and the
condition, appearance and
maintenance of buildings.
PLACE inspections were
introduced in April 2013, with
results reported publicly to help
drive improvements in the care
environment and to show how
Food
hospitals are performing
nationally. Both Sutton and
Chelsea posted excellent results.
Dr Shelley Dolan, Chief
Nurse, said: “We pride ourselves
on our excellent care and
treatment, but it’s also crucial
that our patients are treated with
dignity, receive privacy and
good food, and that a high level
of cleanliness is maintained.”
The Trust’s catering facilities
also scored highly in mandatory
annual inspections carried out
by local environmental health
officers. Both the Sutton and
Chelsea sites scored a
maximum five stars under
the local authority Scores
on the Doors rating scheme.
Gary Burkill, Head of
Facilities, said: “Receiving the
high PLACE scores and five
stars for our annual catering
assessment is testament to
the hard work and dedication
of our staff.”
RM MAGAZINE 09
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13/11/2013 11:36
Hospital news
Chief Nurse
honoured with
EONS Award
Dr Shelley Dolan, Chief
Nurse at The Royal
Marsden, has been
honoured with the
European Oncology
Nursing Society (EONS)
Lifetime Achievement
Award at the 2013
European Cancer
Congress in Amsterdam.
r olan ualified
as a nurse in 1980 and
specialised in Intensive
Therapy Unit (ITU)
nursing, and moved into
specialist cancer ITU
at The Royal Marsden.
As Nurse Consultant
in Critical Care, Dr
Dolan worked on the
development, design and
opening of the largest
Critical Care Unit for
cancer patients in the UK.
She was appointed as
Chief Nurse in June 2007.
More recently, Dr Dolan
has taken on the role of
Associate Clinical Director
in the London Cancer
Alliance and is playing a
key part in transforming
cancer services in London
and the UK in the NHS.
Cally Palmer, The Royal
Marsden’s Chief Executive,
said: “This award marks
an outstanding personal
and professional
contribution made by Dr
helley olan to the field
of oncology nursing. It is
a si nifi ant a hie e ent
and one Shelley should
be proud of.”
REHABILITATION AND THERAPIES SERVICE
FOR PATIENTS IN THE COMMUNITY
atients can now benefit
from Royal Marsden
rehabilitation and therapy
services in the community.
While many patients receive
these services as an outpatient,
for some it is appropriate to be
seen by staff at home. Some
services, such as physiotherapy
and occupational therapy, can
be provided in the community,
usually for a period of six weeks
after discharge.
Patient Patricia Dickie was
diagnosed with cervical cancer
in 2001. Despite being
successfully treated at The
Royal Marsden, she developed
lymphoedema – swelling in the
tissues beneath the skin that
occurs when lymph fluid can’t
drain away – in both her legs
following radiotherapy.
Patricia said: “My legs were
very swollen and it really
affected my quality of life. I
was seen by staff in the
P
lymphoedema clinic but Jill
Cooper [Head Occupational
Therapist at The Royal
Marsden] also came to my
house. She was fantastic. I
was having problems with
my bathroom because of my
lymphoedema and following a
knee replacement operation.
She helped organise a special
bath lift for me.
“I think of The Royal Marsden
as a bit like a duvet. You get
wrapped up in this wonderful
care, where you get made to feel
like you are the only patient they
have, so to get this support – not
Royal Marsden
care goes beyond
our four walls
JILL COOPER, HEAD OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
AT THE ROYAL MARSDEN
only in the hospital but also at
home – was great. My quality of
life is much better now and I am
very grateful.”
Patricia has also had
physiotherapy at home and is
set to come to the hospital’s
lymphoedema clinic, where
therapists will help manage
her swelling with a special
bandage treatment.
Jill Cooper said: “We are very
proud of the service we provide
to patients. For some, coming
into the hospital is just not
possible. It’s vital that we can
provide some services in the
community, especially as
we are now seeing more and
more people living with cancer.
Royal Marsden care goes
beyond our four walls.”
For details of rehabilitation
and therapy services, call
020 7808 2830 (Chelsea),
020 8661 3090 (Sutton) or visit
www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk
10 RM MAGAZINE
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13/11/2013 10:30
Hospital news
Help us beat flu
The Royal Marsden has
launched its 2013 campaign
(see below) to encourage
sta to et the u ab
n uen a is a hi hly
contagious acute viral
infection that affects people
o all a es Most eo le
recover in a week or two,
but u an ause serious
illness, especially in the
very young, the elderly
and those with underlying
hroni health roble s
Flu epidemics occur
mainly in the winter and
can result in disruption to
health are ser i es t is
vital that Royal Marsden
staff are vaccinated in
order to protect staff, their
families and patients,
who can be particularly
ulnerable to u
The NHS also offers the
ab to e bers o the
ubli Those who an et
it free of charge include:
◆ pregnant women;
◆ anyone with a long-term
condition such as diabetes,
asthma, kidney disease or
heart or chest problems;
◆ anyone undergoing
medical treatment who
may have a compromised
immune system;
◆ anyone with a
neurological condition
such as multiple sclerosis
or cerebral palsy; and
◆ anyone o er the a e o
Staff wishing to receive the
ab should all
u ational
Health on 020 7808 2139
for Chelsea and 020 8661
or utton atients
should s ea to their
This Morning presenter
Phillip Schofield meets
Ward Sister Nikki
Holloway during filming
at The Royal Marsden
STAR TURNS AT THE
ROYAL MARSDEN
ollywood actor
Samuel L Jackson and
television presenter
Phillip Schofield filmed at The
Royal Marsden in September as
part of a week-long special for
ITV’s This Morning to promote
male cancer awareness.
This Morning has joined
forces with the male cancer
awareness campaign One For
The Boys, which Mr Jackson is
chairing to raise money for The
Royal Marsden Cancer Charity’s
scanner appeal. The series aims
to show the importance of
visiting your GP and early
diagnosis. As the country’s
leading cancer centre, The
Royal Marsden was delighted to
be involved to raise awareness
and highlight the work being
carried out at the hospital.
Filming took place on Burdett
Coutts Ward, where Mr Jackson
met two patients who are in
remission. Testicular cancer
patient Carl Taylor, 21, and
54-year-old Mark Etherton, who
is recovering from prostate
cancer, spoke about their
H
Be a flu fighter this year
and get the FLU JAB
Protect yourself, your family and vulnerable patients
Flu clinics start on
1 October 2013 in
Chelsea and Sutton
All staff can have the flu jab
for free this winter.
For more information
contact Occupational Health
on 020 7808 2139 for Chelsea
and 020 8661 3003 for Sutton.
experiences and the importance
of going to your GP if you notice
any unusual changes with your
body or any symptoms or signs.
Carl said: “It was incredible
being interviewed by him. We
had a good laugh and we even
ended up following each other
on Twitter. It was also good to
support The Royal Marsden.”
Mr Schofield interviewed
Brenda Shepperd, a volunteer
for The Royal Marsden Cancer
Charity. She spoke about her
husband Eric, who died from
bowel cancer after being reticent
to visit his GP when he developed
crippling stomach pains.
Both guests interviewed Ward
Sister Nikki Holloway about the
ward, the patients and her job,
before meeting two inpatients
who spoke about the excellent
care they had received and the
high quality of food provided.
The episodes were shown
on This Morning on 7 and 8
October, the first instalments
in a week-long series of
programmes on male cancer
awareness and early diagnosis.
RM MAGAZINE 11
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19/11/2013 12:19
LUNG CANCER SPECIAL
Treatment advances
with patients at heart
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK and can have a poor prognosis.
However, through a combination of collaborative working and innovative new treatments,
The Royal Marsden’s Lung Unit is improving outcomes for patients
Q&A LUNG CANCER
Dr Mary O’Brien, Head of the Lung Unit, explains the causes,
symptoms and treatments of lung cancer
How common is lung cancer?
Excluding non-melanoma skin cancer,
lung cancer is the second most common
cancer in the UK. Around 42,000 people
are diagnosed with the disease in the
UK each year.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms may include a persistent
cough, or a change in a cough a patient
has had for a long time; shortness of
breath; bringing up phlegm with signs
of blood in it; or an ache or pain when
breathing or coughing. Loss of appetite,
loss of weight and fatigue are also signs.
What can cause lung cancer?
The majority of cases in the UK – about
86 per cent – are caused by tobacco
smoke. Cases in non-smokers can be
attributed to risk factors such as a family
history of lung cancer; exposure to radon
gas in the environment; exposure to
materials such as asbestos in the
workplace; and air pollution, including
second-hand smoke.
How is it diagnosed?
A GP may refer a patient with suspected
lung cancer to a hospital, where they
will be diagnosed via X-ray or CT scan.
The diagnosis is confirmed via a biopsy,
usually performed by bronchoscopy
(a look inside the airways via the
insertion of a flexible tube known as a
bronchoscope), with the patient under
local anaesthetic. The earlier a cancer
is picked up, the easier it is to treat and
the more likely it is that the treatment
will be successful. Therefore, it is
important that you go to your GP as
soon as possible if you notice any
worrying symptoms.
What are the different types of
lung cancer?
The main types are small-cell lung
carcinoma (SCLC), which is also known
as oat-cell cancer, and non-small-cell
lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Mesothelioma,
which is a cancer affecting the outer
lining over the lung, is also treated by
lung cancer doctors.
How is it treated?
The most common treatments are
surgery, chemotherapy and
radiotherapy, used either alone or in
combination. Surgery is normally used
to treat NSCLC, while chemotherapy
or radiotherapy is preferred for SCLC.
A patient’s treatment and outcome will
depend on the stage (how advanced it is)
and type of the cancer.
Are we making any progress in the
treatment of lung cancer?
Yes. We have now learned that there are
many different types of lung cancer and
that some have particular targets that
are proving extremely responsive to new
drugs. Lung cancer is one of the best
examples of progress from personalised
medicine and treatment, where targets
have been found on the cancer cell.
Highly active drugs have now been
developed to treat these cancers.
What about in the earlier detection
of lung cancer?
Work is ongoing to help identify those
patients at the greatest risk of
developing lung cancer – particularly the
risk for smokers. Research is being done
that will enable smokers to document
their own exposure and measure their
own risks. Looking forward a few years,
strategies for screening patients who are
at high risk will be explored. Smokers
who have accumulated at least 40 ‘pack
years’ [a pack year is the equivalent of
one packet of 20 cigarettes per day for
one year] are in this group.
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Cancer focus
Dr Mary O’Brien, Head of The
Royal Marsden’s Lung Unit
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This photograph: Consultant Clinical
Oncologist Dr Merina Ahmed oversees
a patient’s treatment. Right: Dr Jaishree
Bhosle, Consultant Medical Oncologist
(right), chats with Clinical Nurse
Specialist Karon Payne
LUNG CANCER FACTS
42,000
people were diagnosed with
lung cancer in 2010 – about
115 new cases a day
86%
of lung cancer cases are
attributed to smoking
1 in 5
of UK cancer deaths is
caused by lung cancer
8 in 10
of lung cancer cases occur
in people aged 60 or over
9%
of lung cancer patients
sur i e or fi e or ore years
ADVANCES IN TREATMENT
How new radiotherapy techniques and
clinical trials at The Royal Marsden are
improving patient outcomes
The Royal Marsden has always taken a
different approach to lung cancer, aiming
for curative treatment plans for patients
wherever possible. Historically, patients who
presented with this disease often received
a poor prognosis, and treatments offered
would be palliative.
Surgery remains the main treatment
option for early-stage lung cancer, often
followed by chemotherapy. However,
a significant proportion of lung cancer
patients are not suitable for surgery – for
example, they may not be fit enough –
in which case, stereotactic radiotherapy,
including CyberKnife, is a viable alternative.
The Royal Marsden was one of the
first centres in the UK to offer stereotactic
radiotherapy treatment, pioneering it from
2009. It allows us to administer extremely
high doses of radiation to the tumour with
pinpoint accuracy. The advantage of
stereotactic radiotherapy is that even
patients with poor lung function – for
example, those with emphysema – can
be treated successfully in this way.
Stereotactic radiotherapy is delivered
via multiple radiation beams instead of just
a few. We are able to aim precisely at a
tumour from a number of different angles,
enabling us to give a high dose of radiation
to the tumour, but a much lower dose to
surrounding normal tissue.
“The difficulty for a clinical oncologist
treating lung cancer is that the lung is a
moving target,” says Dr Merina Ahmed,
Consultant Clinical Oncologist. “This
presents us with a challenge, but we have
methods for overcoming movement with the
use of breath-hold and tracking techniques.
On a linear accelerator, a patient will hold
their breath for about 20 seconds while we
administer treatment, which they do five
or six times per treatment cycle.
“This allows us to reduce toxicity to
the lung and, by combining it with new
radiotherapy techniques such as arc therapy,
we can reduce the side effects further.
“Over the past few years, for stage 3
lung cancers, we have moved towards
combination treatment consisting of
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Cancer focus
CASE STUDY:
George Hatton
or so e atients we an now dis uss
ore than one treat ent o tion
DR JAISHREE BHOSLE,
CONSULTANT MEDICAL ONCOLOGIST
chemotherapy and radiation simultaneously,
which has seen better cure rates. This form
of treatment is more toxic, however, and
patients need to be fit enough to tolerate
the intensity of treatment, and also require
careful monitoring from the team here.
“Looking to the future, I am really
excited to be setting up trials that aim to
increase longevity for people with metastatic
disease. The trials will look at stereotactic
radiotherapy in conjunction with new drug
treatments, with the hope that together
they will increase life expectancy.”
Dr Jaishree Bhosle, Consultant Medical
Oncologist, is also positive about recent
changes in the treatment for lung cancer.
“There has been a significant leap
forward in the treatment of advanced
non-small-cell lung cancer over the last few
years through revolutionary developments
in drug treatment,” she says. “The Royal
Marsden, as part of Cancer Research UK’s
Stratified Medicine Programme, is now able
to test for genetic mutations in a patient’s
lung cancer, allowing for targeted treatment
[see page 4 for more details]. We are one
of a handful of centres in the world that
can offer every lung patient a personalised
approach to treatment, thanks to these
successful research programmes. Through
our trials, patients with advanced disease
are living longer and often with fewer side
effects than in the past.
“It is great that, for some patients, we
can now discuss more than one treatment
option and have other treatments for when
they are needed. Some of the new drugs are
taken in tablet form, which allows patients
to have fewer appointments at the hospital
and has different side effects to conventional
chemotherapy. For some patients, this
means that they are able to continue
working, go on holiday and enjoy time
with their friends and family, rather than
spending time at the hospital.”
PARTNERSHIP WORKING
un an er atients benefit ro
double the expertise through our
ollaboration with The Royal ro
ton
Consultants and nurses in The Royal
Marsden’s Lung Unit are working hand
in hand with partner hospitals, particularly
The Royal Brompton in Chelsea, to
Mr Hatton has been
o in to The Royal
Marsden since July
or treat ent or
early-stage lung cancer.
He says: “It’s a really
si le ro edure to use
the breath-hold device.
t first thou ht it
i ht be uite tou h to
hold y breath on and
off throughout each
ourse o radiothera y
but it is a tually uite
easy to do – it doesn’t
hurt and it isn’t
un o ortable
“The type of
radiotherapy I need has
re uired e to o e in
every day for a few weeks
at a ti e but ea h session
of radiotherapy is only
about
inutes lon
a
ery leased with
the treat ent ha e
been receiving at The
Royal Marsden.”
r Merina h ed
the Consultant Clinical
Oncologist who is treating
Mr atton says Mr
Hatton is doing really
well with his stereotactic
radiothera y treat ent
and a
leased to say
that his prognosis for
the future looks good.”
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Cancer focus
Dr Sanjay Popat, Consultant Medical Oncologist
This streamlined approach to treatment and
care utilises the skills of two specialist trusts
or the a i u benefit o the atient
DR SANJAY POPAT, CONSULTANT MEDICAL ONCOLOGIST
provide the best possible expertise,
treatment and care to patients. Through this
partnership, patients benefit from the expert
care of two world-leading acute trusts.
The Royal Brompton specialises in treating
patients with lung disease and The Royal
Marsden specialises in cancer, and this
joined-up approach employs the skills and
knowledge of both sets of specialists.
“As part of the cross-site partnership
between the two hospitals, members of
The Royal Marsden Lung Unit attend the
various multidisciplinary team meetings
[MDTs],” says Dr Sanjay Popat, Consultant
Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden.
“During these sessions, the results of
patients who have been diagnosed with
lung cancer are discussed, and treatment
is agreed. If a patient requires surgery, as
many lung cancer patients do, that decision
is made during an MDT. At a further MDT
between the two hospitals, we discuss the
results of surgery and whether the patient
would benefit from more treatment. If further
treatment is required, such as radiotherapy,
chemotherapy or a combination of both, this
is administered and managed by our team.”
Joint clinics are held between clinical
oncologists and medical oncologists,
who look after The Royal Marsden’s
radiotherapy patients and chemotherapy
patients respectively. “This works extremely
well,” says Dr Popat. “If a patient in clinic
is being treated with chemotherapy, under
me for example, and I think radiotherapy
may be needed as well or instead, I have
direct access to one of our clinical
oncologists, such as Dr Fiona McDonald.
With the patient, we can map out the new
treatment plan during that clinic, rather
than the patient needing to come back
to a separate clinic.”
A key role within the MDT is that of
our nurses. Karon Payne, Clinical Nurse
Specialist (CNS) in the Lung Unit, says that
all parts of the team, across both trusts, are
in constant discussion to ensure that
patients are on the right track.
“I am in clinics almost every day, do
ward rounds to see patients who have been
admitted, attend our MDTs and liaise with
our medical colleagues in the community
to ensure that our patients continue to
have the best possible care outside of the
hospital,” she says. “We work really well
as a team; everyone is looking out for our
patients and has their best interests at heart.
We’re always discussing and exploring the
options of possible trials suitable for patients.
“The Royal Marsden is one of just a few
centres in the world that offers patients tests
for genetic mutations in their cancer, which
results in more targeted treatment. There is
huge progress being made in this area and,
due to treatments that are more appropriate
for an individual’s cancer, we are seeing
better outcomes for patients.”
Radiotherapy is also a treatment
option for lung cancer, with stereotactic
radiotherapy provided to many patients at
The Royal Marsden. “This type of treatment
is a great example of partnership working
between us and The Royal Brompton,”
says Dr Popat. “For a lung cancer patient to
receive stereotactic radiotherapy, a special
type of preparation needs to be done to the
lungs. At The Royal Brompton, a patient
will have tiny gold seeds, known as fiducial
markers, placed into their tumours, so that
radiographers and clinical oncologists at
The Royal Marsden know exactly where to
deliver this radiotherapy. This streamlined
approach to a patient’s treatment and care,
by utilising the skills of two specialist trusts,
provides the maximum benefit to the patient
and the best possible outcome.” rm
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Hospital
Royalnews
visit
IN THEATRE
Chelsea surgical unit
welcomes HRH
The Duke of Cambridge
The Royal Marsden’s President donned scrubs and witnessed the
pioneering surgery we perform during a unique visit to the hospital
HRH The Duke of Cambridge in the
Wolfson Surgical Suite with Consultant
Urological Surgeon Mr Pardeep Kumar
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s
urgery at The Royal Marsden
received a royal reception in
November as our President,
HRH The Duke of Cambridge, visited
the Chelsea hospital.
After being greeted by Chief Executive
Cally Palmer and Medical Director
Professor Martin Gore, The Duke
‘scrubbed up’ and was escorted into
the surgical unit by Dr Tim Wigmore,
Divisional Medical Director, and Clinical
Service Lead for Theatres Nick Bultitude.
During the visit, the Duke witnessed
two ongoing operations, something
he had never done before. He met
Consultant Plastic Surgeon Mr Stuart
James and his team to observe a
DIEP flap breast reconstruction, and
Consultant Urological Surgeon Mr
Pardeep Kumar and his team to
witness an open partial cystectomy
and ureteric reimplantation – the
removal of a tumour in the bladder.
Mr James said: “A DIEP flap breast
reconstruction is the gold standard
in breast reconstruction surgery, and
it was an honour to have the Duke
witness part of today’s operation.
The Duke showed great interest in
the procedure, and the benefits that
this surgery will have for our patient.”
Mr Kumar said: “The Royal
Marsden offers one of the most
comprehensive ranges of bladder
reconstruction surgeries in the
country. The Duke was fascinated
by the procedure and its intricacies.
It was a privilege to talk him through
the surgery and its benefits.”
The Duke also visited the hospital’s
CyberKnife radiotherapy machine.
Dr Nick Van As, Clinical Lead for
CyberKnife, said: “CyberKnife is an
exciting development in radiotherapy
and allows us to deliver high-dose
radiation while minimising dose to
normal tissue. The Duke was very
interested to learn about the benefits,
find out how the machine is operated,
and see the robotic arm in motion.”
Cally Palmer, said: “We were
delighted to welcome our President
back to the hospital in Chelsea this
afternoon, to see our theatre suite and
CyberKnife. We are very grateful for
the Duke’s support for our patients
and for the work that we do at The
Royal Marsden. It was a pleasure
to have the opportunity to show
him a glimpse of the complex and
pioneering surgery that takes place
on a daily basis at the hospital.” rm
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Hospital news
Opposite page, clockwise from top left: HRH
The Duke of Cambridge watches an operation;
The Duke meets Senior Staff Nurse Resurrection
Palomo, Operating Department Practitioner
Ricardo Bonocore and Nick Bultitude, Clinical
Service Lead for Theatres; observing bladder
surgery with surgeon Mr Pardeep Kumar; The
Duke and Dr Nick Van As in our CyberKnife suite
This page, clockwise from top left: viewing via a
surgical microscope; some of The Royal Marsden’s
surgical team at Chelsea; The Duke is greeted by
Medical Director Professor Martin Gore and Chief
Executive Cally Palmer; The Duke with Dr Tim
Wigmore; Dr Nick Van As and CyberKnife patient
Frederick Corbett with The Duke; Mr Stuart James
explains breast reconstruction surgery
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MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY
Research: the key
to future treatment
The Royal Marsden and The Institute of Cancer Research
Biomedical Research Centre receives NIHR funding to support our
pioneering work. Here, we find out how our Molecular Pathology
theme helps to provide targeted treatment for our patients
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Biomedical Research Centre
I look for research
that will ultimately
improve the outlook
for cancer patients
m
olecular pathology has
become a key factor in how
we treat our patients. The
Royal Marsden, together with The Institute
of Cancer Research (ICR), is the UK’s only
National Institute for Health Research
Specialist Biomedical Research Centre
(BRC) dedicated solely to cancer. Over the
past 10 years, research work on targeted
molecular diagnostics and the concept of
personalised medicine has helped us to
tailor treatment to individual patients, rather
than take a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.
Professor Mitch Dowsett is Head of
the Centre for Molecular Pathology and
Molecular Pathology Theme Lead for the
BRC. He says: “We test the molecular
characteristics of a tumour to identify
mutations in the DNA that are responsible
for the development of cancer. This is
irrespective of where the tumour originates,
so our work often crosses across all tumour
units within The Royal Marsden and
The Institute of Cancer Research.”
A total of £62 million in funding is shared
among the eight BRC research themes
over a five-year period. “As Theme Lead,
I have several opportunities a year to bid
for funding,” says Professor Dowsett. “In
IN FUTURE ISSUES...
We will highlight the work of six other
key Biomedical Research Centre themes
and the role of their leads:
CANCER THERAPEUTICS
Professor Johann de Bono
BREAST
Dr Nick Turner
PROSTATE
Professor David Dearnaley
CLINICAL STUDIES
Professor David Cunningham
CANCER GENETICS
Professor Nazneen Rahman
RADIOTHERAPY
Professor Kevin Harrington
PROFESSOR MITCH DOWSETT,
HEAD OF THE CENTRE
FOR MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY
Left: Professor Mitch Dowsett, Head of
the Centre for Molecular Pathology
(CMP). From top: Professor Dowsett
with CMP colleagues; with Dr David
Gonzalez de Castro, Head of Molecular
Diagnostics; outside the CMP building
the last meeting, four of my projects were
supported. These covered molecular
pathology work in gastrointestinal, breast,
prostate and paediatric cancers.
“The breadth and amount of work
we do in molecular pathology is growing
continuously as access to targeted
treatments becomes more widespread.
The BRC funding is essential to this work.
“As Theme Lead, I look for research that
will ultimately improve the outlook for cancer
patients. There is no point in us pushing
forward trials that will not have an impact
on improving the patient outcome.
“Even though I may be supporting a
prostate molecular study, the finding may
eventually be helping a patient with a
different type of cancer.”
FORMAT trial
The FORMAT trial was among the most
recent molecular pathology projects to
receive BRC funding. It opened in October
2013 to patients with gastrointestinal cancer
– specifically upper GI patients with gastric,
pancreatic and oesophageal tumours. Up to
200 patients will be recruited over two years.
Dr Naureen Starling, Consultant Medical
Oncologist, who is leading the trial, says:
“We have a pragmatic approach and will
only be testing for up to 20 gene mutations
and translocations [where genes combine].
This is to ensure that when patients test
positive for a mutation or translocation,
we can offer them a licensed drug or
drug-development trial.
“The trial is designed with the sole
purpose of improving the patient outcome.
We have no interest in the more exploratory
testing of a very large number of gene
mutations and then not offering a treatment
option for the patient.” rm
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Talking to
a patient
about their
prognosis
gets easier
with
experience
Specialist Registrar
Hazel Lote’s day includes
multidisciplinary
meetings to discuss
patients’ treatments; a
check on her lymphoma
patients; a clinic to see
up to 10 outpatients;
and meetings with
senior consultants in the
Gastrointestinal Unit
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ta
rofile
A DAY IN THE LIFE
a
r a el ote
e ialist Re istrar
s soon as I decided to specialise in
oncology, I knew I wanted to come
to The Royal Marsden. I’d done my
initial training at various London hospitals,
but as a trainee doctor here, I am working
with some of the most respected cancer
specialists in the country, if not the world.
The learning curve is incredible.
I am now in year two of my four-year
Specialist Registrar (SpR) training, and
rotate to a different tumour type every six
months. So far I have worked in the Lung
Unit under Dr O’Brien and Dr Bhosle, and
in the Urology, Skin and Gynaecology
units under Professor Gore, Dr Larkin,
Dr Pickering and Dr Banerjee. Rotating
every six months to different tumour types
has given me the foundation to work out
where I would like to specialise.
lini al e erien e
It’s also important to learn about more
than one malignancy as new therapies
and therapeutic targets are increasingly
applicable across tumour types. I have just
moved to lymphoma and gastrointestinal
(GI) malignancy, and am now working
under Professor David Cunningham, Dr
Chau, Dr Rao, Dr Watkins and Dr Starling.
My day generally starts early with the
multidisciplinary meeting (MDT), which
is attended by colleagues from the GI
team across all clinical disciplines. Clinical
and medical oncologists, surgeons and
radiologists all discuss the best way to
proceed with a patient’s treatment.
After MDT, I pop up to Bud Flanagan
Ward to check on my lymphoma patients.
The Senior House Officer on duty is
ward-based and gives me updates on my
patients throughout the day, but I still like
to check in first thing to see if all is well
and to ensure that the pharmacy knows
what drugs my patients require.
I generally start my clinic at 9.30am
and see around eight to 10 outpatients
who have come for their check-ups in a
morning. In the patient consultation, I
outline the next steps in their treatment
and answer any questions.
atient s ills
Talking to a patient about their prognosis
is a particular skill and it gets easier with
experience. If it is poor, for example, I make
sure a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and
a family member are present to give the
patient the support they need.
In the afternoon, I often attend meetings
with the GI unit’s senior consultants, clinical
fellows and research nurses. Here, we
outline the current and upcoming trials so
that we can offer the most effective and
latest treatments to patients. The senior
consultants are incredibly supportive and
really encouraging. As an SpR, I need to
get involved in research. Most SpRs take a
couple of years out before the end of the four
years’ training to do a PhD or master’s. I am
still exploring my options at the moment.
My day usually finishes at about 6pm.
I am on call three weekends every six
months in addition to being on call
overnight on many weeknights.
I love the patients and the variety of the
job. There is so much going on in research
and drug development, too, and I really
want to be a part of this future. rm
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THE ROYAL MARSDEN
CANCER CHARITY
Golfers putt on a show
at charity golf day
Pink Pony partnership
High fashion has come to The Royal
Marsden, with Ralph Lauren joining
forces with The Royal Marsden
Cancer Charity.
Mr Ralph Lauren has long been
recognised for his early leadership
in the fi ht a ainst breast an er
Since 2000, his eponymous luxury
brand, Ralph Lauren, has carried
a Pink Pony range of clothing, with
a percentage of proceeds going to
cancer charities in the US and the UK.
From October 2013, a year-long
Pink Pony partnership was formed
with The Royal Marsden Cancer
Charity. As a result, 25 per cent of
the retail price of Pink Pony products
sold in UK Ralph Lauren stores,
within Harrods and online at
www ral hlauren o u will benefit
The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Harper’s Bazaar magazine also
collaborated with Ralph Lauren for
The Royal Marsden s benefit hostin
an exclusive online handbag auction.
A unique Pink Pony Soft Ricky bag,
lined in a stunning one-off pink, was
auctioned for the charity. The bag
was presented to the highest bidder
at a glamorous event at the Ralph
Lauren New Bond Street store,
and the winning bid was donated to
The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
From left to right: Tony Lewis, Tim
Henman, Alasdair Haddon-Paton and
Walter Swinburn teed off in support
of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
ormer British tennis number one
Tim Henman joined leading
bankers and charity supporters
at the annual Royal Marsden Cancer
Charity City Challenge Golf Day at
Sunningdale Golf Club.
Tim, who took part in Rally Against
Cancer earlier this year at The Queen’s
Club, is a scratch-handicap golfer, so was
more than happy to lend his sporting
skills once again to the charitable cause.
On the day, Tim played with Tony
Lewis, a current patient at The Royal
Marsden, before joining the other teams
for lunch and prize-giving.
Delighted to continue his support of
The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, Tim
said: “Rally Against Cancer was a great
event and opportunity to raise money for
a fantastic cause. The Royal Marsden
makes such a difference to so many
people. I was pleased to support it once
more, particularly on the golf course!”
Tony, who has supported the City
Challenge Golf Day for the past 12 years,
F
was thrilled to be part of another
marvellous event, boosted by
the attendance of such a high-profile
celebrity golfer. “Tim was a fantastic
representative for Great Britain on the
tennis court,” said Tony. “He is also a
fantastic golfer, and put many of us to
shame with a spectacular round!
“With his help, we managed to raise
over £70,000 this year, and hope to
continue raising funds for such a
marvellous hospital.”
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Fundraising
“Doing a trek along
the Great Wall of
China was a great
way to raise money
for The Royal
Marsden and their
wonderful work”
Denise van Outen walks the Great Wall of China
Radio and television presenter Denise
van Outen has raised more than £16,000
for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
by walking the Great Wall of China.
Denise took on the challenge after
promising her best friend Tamara
Edwards, and Tamara’s family, that she
would walk with them to raise money for
The Royal Marsden, where Tamara’s
dad, Michael, was treated for leukaemia.
He sadly passed away last year.
The idea came to Denise when
Michael’s wife, Christine, revealed how
devastated she was that she and her
husband had never made their dream
trip together. The childhood sweethearts
had been saving all their lives to travel
in their retirement, so Christine was
heartbroken to have never had the
chance to walk along the Great Wall
with Michael. Denise pledged to do
it in memory of him.
“I felt it was something positive to do
and would give everyone a focus,” said
Denise. “Doing this trek along the Great
Wall of China was a great way to
raise money for The Royal Marsden
and their wonderful work.”
In September 2014, The Royal
Marsden Cancer Charity is organising
its first e lusi e tre alon the reat
Wall of China. For details on how to sign
up and follow in Denise’s footsteps,
visit www.royalmarsden.org/
great-wall-of-china-trek
◆
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THE ROYAL MARSDEN
CANCER CHARITY
Help us make our
next Marsden March
the biggest yet
ver the past three years,
more than £3 million has
been raised by 10,500
walkers by taking part in The
Marsden March. The 2014 event
will be the biggest one yet, as
5,000 walkers take to the streets
between Chelsea and Sutton.
Registration for The Marsden
March 2014 is now open and
will close on 17 January, unless
places fill up before then. With
only 4,000 places in the 14-mile
walk and 1,000 in the five-mile
option, space is limited, so sign
up early to avoid disappointment.
Amanda Heaton, Community
and Corporate Fundraising
Manager, said the event is a
great chance for everyone
connected to The Royal
Marsden to come together.
“For the past three years,
The Marsden March has
surpassed all expectations
and generated huge levels of
O
enthusiasm for the charity from
staff, patients, former patients,
and their friends and family.
“Last year, even the rain
didn’t dampen our spirits. I’m
really looking forward to an even
bigger, better event in 2014.”
There are two options for
those wishing to take part.
There is the 14-mile walk from
our Chelsea hospital to our
Sutton hospital, and the familyfriendly five-mile route between
King George’s Playing Fields in
Merton and The Royal Marsden
in Sutton. At the finish line,
there will be a party with live
music, children’s entertainment,
a barbecue, and various stalls
and activities.
All the funds raised go
directly to The Royal Marsden
Cancer Charity, which supports
the work of The Royal Marsden.
To take part, visit www.
royalmarsden.org/march
Katherine Jenkins joins Royal Marsden
runners in the Royal Parks half marathon
Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins joined more than 90
other runners raising money for The Royal Marsden Cancer
Charity in the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon. The
13-mile race took place in London’s four Royal Parks: Hyde
Park, Kensington Gardens, St James’s Park and Green Park.
Katherine said: “A friend of mine has a granddaughter
who’s been recently diagnosed with cancer and is being
looked after by the wonderful staff at The Royal Marsden.
Many families are touched by cancer, including my own,
and that is why I wanted to help. I’m proud to have taken
part in the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon with the
team from The Royal Marsden, and to help continue the
good work this truly outstanding hospital undertakes.”
26 RM MAGAZINE
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Hospital groups
THE FRIENDS
The Friends at Sutton celebrate 50 years of service
The Friends have recently
completed 50 years of
volunteering and fundraising
in our Sutton hospital.
They formally marked the
occasion by launching a range
of merchandise that went on
sale during a day of celebration
in September.
Records of expenditure only
date from 1974, but since then,
The Friends at Sutton have
provided almost £4.5 million for
amenities, equipment, furniture
and furnishings for the wards
and many departments.
The Friends comprise about
185 volunteers, providing
numerous services across the
hospital. A particular point of
pride is the number of years that
so many of the volunteers have
devoted to the hospital. For
example, Elizabeth Jayne is a
former Chairman of The Friends
and is the longest-serving
volunteer, having volunteered
at Sutton for almost 42 years.
Congratulating The Friends
on their 50th anniversary,
Elizabeth said: “The hospital
has grown enormously and
the work and support of The
Friends has expanded with it.
“The organisation is very
different now, and the size
of the funds and scope of the
contribution The Friends of
Sutton make is so important
to the hospital. I have enjoyed
helping and hope to continue
to be a volunteer.”
Dates for your diary
The Annual Carol
Concert at Holy Trinity
Church, Sloane Street, is
on Tuesday 3 December
at 6.45pm.
This year, The Friends
have also joined with
The Royal Marsden for the
Celebrate a Life event on
Thursday 12 December.
For details and to book
these events, visit the
Friends Office, Chelsea.
The Friends at Sutton’s
longest-serving volunteer,
Elizabeth Jayne (right),
with a colleague
The Friends at Chelsea shop update
Volunteers Olivia Deyong
and Naomi Dawson in The
Friends shop
The Friends shop has
recently undergone some
minor refurbishment, to
make it brighter and give
customers easier access to
the merchandise.
Olivia Deyong is one of
the many volunteers who
run the shop. She is
responsible for the buying
side of the business and has
a good eye for spotting great
new ideas for gifts and cards
for all occasions. The gifts
range from lavender bags
and toiletry bags to
chinaware, candles and
lots more. Olivia has also
introduced a selection of
new confectionery, while
making sure that the shop
is always stocked with the
old favourites.
“Time is so precious,” says
Olivia. “Why look elsewhere
when you an find it all
here? And the best thing is
that all the rofits o ite s
bought at The Friends shop
go to The Royal Marsden.”
Another volunteer, Naomi
Dawson, has been busy
selecting this year’s
Christmas card selection.
Her choice of cards can be
found in The Friends shop,
The Friends Café and at the
hospital, courtesy of The
Friends’ trolley service.
RM MAGAZINE 27
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19/11/2013 13:50
FOUNDATION NEWS
MEET THE GOVERNORS
Our Council of Governors has a pivotal role to play in
representing the interests of Members, the public and partner
organisations across the health community. Governors are
also important in providing feedback about the Trust, its vision
and its performance to the constituencies and the stakeholder
Dr Carol Joseph,
Public Governor
Carol is the Public Governor
for the Kensington and
Chelsea constituency, and
is now in her third year
of office.
As Lead Governor,
Carol’s main responsibility
is to contact Monitor, the
healthcare regulator of NHS
Foundation Trusts, in
exceptional circumstances
where concerns are expressed
by fellow Governors about
the way the Trust is
managed. However, given
the excellent ratings of
the Trust’s performance,
Carol does not think this
responsibility is likely
to be utilised in the
foreseeable future.
Carol also stated that
elected Governors all aim
to be as effective and
representative as possible
in their constituent roles
and in the activities they
carry out for the Trust.
She said: “We are all
totally committed to the
success of this hospital and
to supporting the excellent
work of the Board and
its Chairman.”
We are all
committed to the
hospital’s success
and to supporting
the excellent work
of the Board and
its Chairman
organisations that either elected or appointed them. We will be
featuring our Governors in RM so you can learn more about
them individually. We start with Dr Carol Joseph, our recently
appointed Lead Governor and Public Governor for Kensington
and Chelsea, and Carer Governor Lesley-Ann Gooden.
Lesley-Ann Gooden,
Carer Governor
Lesley-Ann is one of two
Carer Governors for The
Royal Marsden, and was
recently re-elected to serve
for another three years.
A qualified counsellor and
life coach, Lesley-Ann cares
for her husband, Malcolm,
who is a patient at The Royal
Marsden. Her mother also
received excellent treatment
at the hospital. “Being
surrounded by compassion
and empathy made it easy
for me to consider running
as Carer Governor,” she says.
“I wanted to give something
back and make a difference.”
Lesley-Ann is also on the
Trust’s Patient and Carers
Advice Group (PCAG), is a
volunteer assistant for the
Patient Advice and Liaison
Service (PALS), and belongs
to The Friends of The Royal
Marsden, Chelsea. “From my
roles in the Trust, I’ve a good
understanding of the hospital
and its community, which
helps me as a Governor,” she
said. “The Royal Marsden
is a place where people can
feel safe. It’s a pleasure to
represent my fellow carers.”
Being surrounded
by compassion
and empathy
made it easy for
me to consider
running as Carer
Governor
28 RM MAGAZINE
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Foundation news
What it means to be
a Foundation Trust
Annual General
Meeting update
This year’s Annual General
Meeting took place on 25
September in the Julian
Bloom Lecture Theatre in
Chelsea, and was a wellattended event.
After a welcome by
R. Ian Molson, The Royal
Marsden’s Chairman, Chief
Executive Cally Palmer
summarised the Trust’s
performance of the past
year, and particularly
noted how the hospital has
provided half a million
episodes of care, and that
there have been 20,000
new patient referrals.
The Chief Executive
also highlighted the excellent
results from the recently
implemented Friends and
Family Test and the Patient
Environment Action Team
inspections. The success of
running Sutton and Merton
Community Services,
opening the Centre for
Molecular Pathology (the
only Specialist Biomedical
Research Centre for cancer)
and the development of the
London Cancer Alliance
were also discussed.
Financial Director Alan
olds an onfir ed that
the Trust has met all of its
finan ial and uality tar ets
set by Monitor, before
Medical Director Professor
Martin Gore gave an
informative talk on ‘What is
important in cancer care?’.
Dr Theresa Wiseman, the
Trust’s Strategic Lead for
Health Service Research,
then gave a talk highlighting
two new pilot schemes run
by The Royal Marsden for
patients with prostate, breast,
colon and gynaecological
an ers who ha e finished
treatment and need support
in the community.
MEMBERS’ EVENT UPDATE
Dr Tim Wigmore,
Divisional Medical
Director and
Consultant in
Critical Care
and Anaesthesia
he Trust held its annual
Quality Account
Members’ event on
27 November in Sutton.
Hosted by Associate Chief
Nurse Susan Aitkenhead, the
event focused on establishing
our quality improvement
priorities for 2014/15.
Those who attended helped
shape the Trust’s local quality
improvement indicator as part
of the Quality Accounts process.
Discussion groups highlighted
T
the issues that matter most
to patients, carers and the
public we serve.
Members also heard from
Divisional Medical Director and
Consultant in Critical Care and
Anaesthesia Dr Tim Wigmore,
who presented on ‘First do no
harm: The Royal Marsden’s
Patient Safety Initiatives’.
Our next Members’ Event
will be held in February 2014 at
our Chelsea site. Details will be
sent to Members in due course.
Dates for your diary
Council of
Governors meeting
Tuesday 3 December 2013,
11am–1pm,
Board Room,
The Royal Marsden,
Fulham Road,
Chelsea
Members’ event
Late February 2014, The
Royal Marsden, Fulham
Road, Chelsea. For more
details, contact rebecca.
[email protected]
To attend these events,
please contact the
Foundation Trust Office.
The Royal Marsden was
one o the first hos itals in
the country to become a
Foundation Trust. While the
Trust is still part of the NHS,
it is independent from the
Department of Health and
is directly accountable to
its service users. One
re uire ent o bein a
Foundation Trust is to have
Members that consist of
patients, staff and the wider
ubli The benefit o
becoming a Member is
that you have greater
involvement in the
management of the hospital.
Members are also
represented by their elected
Governors, who have a duty
to hold the Board of Directors
to account and help shape
the strategic direction of
The Royal Marsden.
Membership is free,
and allows Members to:
◆ have a greater say in how
services are run;
◆ stand for Governor;
◆ elect others as
representatives on the
Council of Governors;
◆ receive regular updates
about The Royal Marsden
and its services;
◆ tell the Trust about the
needs and expectations of
the local community; and
◆ attend the AGM and
exclusive Members’ events.
Keep in touch
Become a Member and/or
contact your Governor:
Freephone 0800 587 7673,
telephone 020 7808 2844,
email foundation.trust
@rmh.nhs.uk or visit
www.royalmarsden.
nhs.uk/membership
RM MAGAZINE 29
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19/11/2013 16:06
PUZZLES & PRIZES
Test your wits
Win!
Complete our crossword and you could win £50 in John Lewis vouchers
SUDOKU
6 3
7 2 5
9
1 4
8 2
9
7
4 5
2
2 5
4
6 3 9
2
1
Star letter
Dear RM, Having read the recent issue of RM,
I thought I would let you know how interesting it
is to read about the research work carried out by
the various teams at the hospital. It’s fascinating
to see how research progresses to treatment, and
heartening to see the advances being made.
Even though I am not local to the area, I believe it
is important to see the inspiring work being carried
out at The Royal Marsden as this will benefit
patients throughout the country.
Yours faithfully,
Gillian Dastey, Lancashire
1
6
3 9
6
3 6
1 7
3
4
6
8
PRIZE CROSSWORD
55
7
10
9
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Fill in your details below when sending in your crossword
competition entry. See right for details of our address.
NAME
Across
1 Birds (5)
4 Ordinary (5)
6 American state (7)
8 Sharpen (4)
9 Done openly (5)
12 Beneath (5)
13 Urge (4)
15 Announce (7)
17 For transferring liquid (5)
18 Water in a desert (5)
Down
1 Dog (9)
2 Fastened (7)
3 Marine animal (4)
4 Vegetable container (3,3)
5 Cooker (3)
7 God’s little helpers (5,4)
10 Anticipates (7)
11 Bring into existence (6)
14 Nothing (4)
16 Bounder (3)
ADDRESS
CONTACT DETAILS
Congratulations to P Davidson, the
winner of last issue’s crossword prize.
The lucky winner
of our prize
crossword will
receive £50 in John
Lewis vouchers.
We also welcome
your thoughts on
RM magazine and
love to hear about
your experiences
at the hospital.
The Star Letter
wins £50 in John
Lewis vouchers.
Send your crossword or
letter with your name and
contact details to RM, Press
Office, The Royal Marsden,
Fulham Road, Chelsea,
London SW3 6JJ. The entry
closing date is Monday 20
January 2014. See below
for prize draw rules.
PRIZE DRAWS & STAR LETTER TERMS &
CONDITIONS: 1. The Prize Draws and Star Letter
are open to all readers of RM except employees
of the Press Office at The Royal Marsden and
Sunday, who produce RM magazine. 2. The closing
date for receipt of all entries is Monday 20
January 2014. Only one entry per person per
draw. 3. Responsibility cannot be accepted for
entries that are incomplete, illegible or not
received. Proof of posting is not proof of receipt.
No cash alternative is available and prizes are not
transferable. Value of prizes is correct at time of
going to press. 4. Winners will be notified by post
within 14 days of closing date. 5. The Promoter’s
decision on any aspect of the promotions is final
and binding. No correspondence will be entered
into. 6. The Promoter reserves the right to
substitute a prize of equal or greater value
should circumstances make this necessary.
7. Entry implies acceptance of rules. 8. The
winner of the Star Letter prize of £50 in John
Lewis vouchers is the sender of the best letter
selected by RM magazine. 9. The winner of the
crossword prize of £50 in John Lewis vouchers
will be the first correct entry drawn out of the
bag. 10. The Promoter is The Royal Marsden
Hospital, 203 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JJ.
30 RM MAGAZINE
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19/11/2013 13:59
IN THE NEXT ISSUE
RM brings you the latest hospital updates, research news, inspiring
stories and exclusive interviews. The spring 2014 issue is coming soon…
●
●
●
Research: the role
of patient input
School of Nursing:
training the cancer
nurses of tomorrow
taffAwards:this
S
year’s winners
FOR THE ROYAL MARSDEN
Rachael Reeve – Director of Marketing and Communications
Elaine Parr – Head of PR and Communications Naomi Owen – PR and Communications Manager
Belinda Lock – Senior Press Officer Catherine O’Mara – Senior Press Officer Sukhie Deol – Press Officer
FOR SUNDAY
Lucy Ryan – Editor Marc Grainger – Deputy Editor Ian Dutnall – Art Director
Bryony Bromfield – Senior Account Manager Matt Beaven – Creative Director
Toby Smeeton – Managing Director
RM magazine is published by The Royal Marsden in partnership with Sunday: sundaypublishing.com
© The Royal Marsden 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission of the Editor. The Royal Marsden
and Sunday accept no responsibility for the views expressed by contributors to the magazine. Repro by F1 Colour. Printed by Pureprint.
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19/11/2013 14:19
Registered Charity No. 1095197
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19/11/2013 15:19