Parents to Raise £100k in Memory of Beloved Son for Cambridge Children’s Hospital
Eleven-year-old Elliott-James Heslop, or Elliott as he was known to family and friends, passed away from a rare, incurable disease called TTC7A deficiency last year, having been diagnosed with it at three months old. TTC7A deficiency is a condition that causes diarrhoea, inflammation of the intestines, bowel obstructions, immune dysfunction, and an inability to absorb nutrients. Now, his…
A cancer survivor who underwent complex ‘very major surgery’ has praised the robotic surgery that removed all traces of the disease from her body
Cancer survivor Stephanie Hemming, from Cambridge, underwent complex, major surgery in January - with a surgeon performing robotic surgery on her following her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Here, she talks about her diagnosis, her praise for both the surgeon who performed the surgery as well as the robotic surgery itself, and how lucky she feels to be living in Cambridge - to receive some of…
Top robotic surgeons at Addenbrooke’s say robots unlikely to ever fully replace them in theatre – but say they could ‘co-pilot’
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in the US have reported that a robot had performed realistic surgery on its own with 100% accuracy. Having trained on videos of surgeries, the robot was able to remove a gallbladder from a life-like patient, performing a total of 17 tasks within the surgery, performing with the expertise of a skilled human surgeon, even during unexpected scenarios…
Founding fundraiser says Addenbrooke’s would not be what it is today without financial support of hospital charity
This month, Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust celebrates its 30th birthday. As the official charity for Addenbrooke’s, it funds high-tech equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide. Here, one of the founding fundraisers, retired Professor of Radiology Adrian Dixon, talks about his early days of fundraising for the first whole body…
Ultra runner raises over £55,000 for pioneering new Cambridge Children’s Hospital after completing the ‘toughest foot race on earth
Sunday - 22nd June ACT's Amazing People on Cambridge Radio featured EXTREME FUNDRAISERS - fundraisers who have either raised a lot of money for Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust hospital charity - or who have taken on extreme challenges to boost funds.
Hospital charity launches first ever radio show to showcase its impact
Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust (ACT) has been funding state-of-the art equipment and groundbreaking research at Addenbrooke's for 30 years - having been born out of two existing charities dating back to the 1990s. Now celebrating its 30th year - the charity has launched its first ever radio show to showcase the impact of its work - talking to clinicians, researchers and fundraisers. ACT's Amazing…
Volunteer today for a leading hospital charity - celebrating Volunteers' Week 2025!
Volunteering makes you happy, gives you a community - and is easy to do. So if you've been thinking of giving back, why not use Volunteer's Week 2025 as a reason to sign up to be part of an amazing charity like Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust (ACT). ACT, a leading hospital charity, funds high-tech equipment, ground-breaking research and improvements to hospital environments for both staff and…
Fitzbillies leads the launch of 30th birthday celebrations of much-loved hospital charity
This year, Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust (ACT) celebrates its 30th birthday - with celebrations kicking off at Fitzbillies, at their shop and team rooms in Trumpington Street. Owners Alison Wright and Tim Hayward have created an ACT birthday cupcake - for the month of July - with £1 from every sale to go to ACT, which funds equipment and research above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide…
Team Addenbrooke's London Marathon runners raise more than £30,000 for Addenbrooke's
Runners in this year's London Marathon raised more than £30,000 for Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust, the official charity for Addenbrooke's and the Rosie. All 14 runners had their personal stories and reasons for running - describing the event as 'very emotional'. Some described it like being a Premiership footballer with all the crowds cheering them on and willing them to finish - and at least…
Patient with rare inflammatory disease of the nervous system turns to music to raise funds for Addenbrooke's
Fundraiser Ben Standing first noticed something was wrong when he started veering across pavements whilst on holiday and after an inconclusive scan halted his imminent chemo treatment, he discovered he had a rare condition called CLIPPERS...
Hospital charity encourages people who have lost loved ones to remember them with a special walking event in May
For those who have lost loved ones, whether it be a child, parent, grandparent, or friend, the weight of grief will be only too familiar. Even with support of those around you, it can still be really difficult to talk about someone close who has died. But now a special fundraising event for Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust (ACT) is encouraging those who have lost a loved one to walk 30 miles in…
Former cancer patient takes on latest challenge - a sixty miler from his home in Cambridgeshire to the grounds of Tottenham Hotspur to thank staff at Addenbrooke's for his cancer care
Former cancer patient Sean Papworth has been setting himself fundraising challenges ever since his recovery from Testicular Cancer more than 20 years ago. Sean, a father-of-three from Swavesey, says it is his way of thanking all the amazing staff at Addenbrooke's who cared for him, as well as dad who sadly died from bowel cancer when Sean was just 12 years old. Now Sean, and godson Max Rose, have…
Official launch of this year's exciting 2025 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival
Every year, Fen Ditton plays host to one of the most fun-filled, family-friendly events in the Cambridge calendar - the Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival. This year's event celebrates its 19th year - and marks the 30th birthday year of its host, Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust. With a bigger fundraising target than ever before - with all proceeds going towards the build of the Cambridge Cancer…
Inspiring mum-of-three who broke her neck in freak accident at event in memory of her husband to run London Marathon for Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust
Keen runner and mother-of-three Liza Putwain broke her neck in a freak accident in an event she was taking part in, in memory of her husband Ian who had died unexpectedly eight months earlier. Liza spent a month recovering in Addenbrooke's Hospital where she was cared for until her release. Since then, Liza has worked hard to get herself well enough to run the Cambridge Half Marathon earlier this…
Paediatric oncology nurse working in ward that treated her as a child to run Cambridge half to raise awareness of Addenbrooke’s hospital charity
22-year-old Molly Shelley works as a paediatric oncology nurse at Addenbrooke's - caring for young patients with cancer on the same ward that looked after her when she had leukaemia when she was three. Molly describes all of her memories as 'positive' because of the nursing staff that cared for her - and says it was her experiences as a child that made her want to become a nurse when she grew up…
Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival returns on September 13, 2025 – get ready to race for a cause!
The Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival pulls in teams from Cambridgeshire and further afield - raising money for an important cause: the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital. The event not only challenges teams and bonds them together but also provides family, fun-filled entertainment along the river bank in Fen Ditton. So if you fancy taking part, or coming along to watch this impressive festival in…
Addenbrooke's hospital charity celebrates its first corporate partner to raise over half a million
Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust is the official charity for Addenbrooke's and the Rosie and helps to fund cutting edge equipment and groundbreaking research, above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide. Examples include supporters raising an impressive £1.5 million to fund a surgical robot for the hospitals which is already helping to cut waiting lists and reduce patients' recovery time…
Robotic surgeon thanks Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust supporters for helping 'Surgery Super Sunday' break operation record
After raising a staggering £1.5 million to buy Addenbrooke's and the Rosie their newest surgical robot, ACT supporters have already heard how the robot has enabled patients to recover faster from surgery, allowing them to go home in hours or days rather than weeks. Now, though, a specially scheduled day of operations - known as 'Surgery Super Sunday' - has allowed robotic surgeons to carry out…
New care packs set to alleviate stress and pressure for families of children admitted to Addenbrooke's in an emergency
Families with children admitted to Addenbrooke's and the Rosie hospitals in Cambridge in an emergency often arrive having had no time to pack the bare essentials - such as toothbrushes, toiletries and a change of clothes. This adds even more pressure to families during what is already an incredibly stressful time for them. Now, thanks to Illumina, who have funded enough emergency care packs for…
Giving strength to the saying ‘it takes a village’ – an entire village in Norfolk that is fundraising for Addenbrooke’s described as ‘one of a kind’
An entire village in Norfolk is praised for its fundraising efforts - with everyone who lives there raising funds for Addenbrooke's by either volunteering and helping at events, taking part or donating money
Every patient in Addenbrooke's over Christmas to receive a gift thanks to Cambridgeshire firm's fundraiser
A Cambridgeshire firm's annual fundraising Christmas Ball is set to provide a present for every patient who is in hospital on Christmas Day - at both Addenbrooke's and the Rosie. Read more to find out how they do it - and how you too could help spread a little cheer for patients - not just at Christmas but all year round
Virtual reality helps to alleviate pain and anxiety in palliative patients at Addenbrooke's
Supporters of Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust have helped alleviate pain and anxiety in palliative patients being cared for at Addenbrooke's by funding the lease of a virtual reality headset. Now a past patient who used the virtual reality headset has left a donation in her will to fund the purchase of a headset which means many more palliative patients will be able to benefit from using virtual…
A brand-new centre for prosthetic and orthotic patients celebrates its official opening
The Cambridge Prosthetic and Orthotic Service has recently transferred from clinic nine in Addenbrooke's Hospital to a new base outside the City. Find out here what a difference the amazing new facilities and technology will make to patients
This year's Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival raises a staggering £35,000 for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital
Over 600 participants took part in this year's Addenbrooke Charitable Trust's 18th Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival - bringing sunshine, fun and a big boost to the £14 million public appeal to see the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital built on the City's Biomedical Campus by 2029
First MRI Wrapped Scanner in UK - at Addenbrooke's in Cambridge - will help save patients' lives and thousands of pounds in healthcare costs
Going for an MRI scan can be a daunting experience for some patients but the simple act of wrapping a scanner in nature-themed vinyl designs has had some far-reaching consequences. Read on to find out more...