Our Causes

It has been nearly two and a half years since my diagnosis of incurable pancreatic and liver cancer and six months since I completed my eight month Lutathera treatment.  The three month scan was very positive and indicates that I will hopefully have another two years of life with limited additional medical requirements beyond my daily pills and monthly injections. For this I cannot thank the wonderful Doctors and Nurses of the NHS enough for giving me and my family a new hope.

However I could not have had or completed the course of treatment without the support of Active Against Cancer (AAC) who after each round built me back up to a level of fitness for the next dose. This support was invaluable and has helped me to continue with my recovery.

I will find out more at my six month scan but based on this positive news, I have decided to undertake a new challenge of walking the Yorkshire Three Peaks in aid of Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity (HHCC) to raise funds for AAC. Sadly this is impossible to complete in one go but I hope to do them one at a time within the next six months. I have started my training already and will be supported on the peaks by my family, staff from AAC and other friends living with cancer.

The aim is to raise another £10,000.00 so please give as much as you can to support this vital service.

Many thanks in anticipation of your generosity.

In place of traditional wedding gifts, Ruth and James are asking for donations for various charities close to their heart, one of which is Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity’s (HHCC) for the Active Against Cancer (AAC) Service. In January 2024, Ruth was diagnosed with breast cancer. During Ruth’s treatment, AAC were instrumental in her rehabilitation following breast cancer surgery, as well as keeping her active during chemotherapy in order to try to alleviate some of the side effects of the treatment.

AAC help to support patients with the physical and mental battle that comes with a cancer diagnosis, helping from pre-op preparation all the way through to post recovery follow-up.  As well as raising money for their wedding on Saturday 9 August 2025, Ruth and James will be undertaking other fundraising activities throughout the next year in order to raise money for this brilliant service. 

David is running in his first competitive 10K race at the Leeds Abbey Dash on Sunday 13 October 2024 and is aiming to cross the finish line in less than an hour. He is running to raise funds for the Active Against Cancer (AAC) service who have given him such tremendous support and encouragement since he was first diagnosed with Bowel Cancer.

David had never run before his illness but inspired by the AAC team, committed himself to being able to run 5K following the Couch to 5K programme. He remembers thinking in the early weeks how hard it was to run for 3 minutes! Now David continues to attend the weekly AAC Active Run Session and is a keen participant in the Harrogate Parkrun, especially valuing the opportunity to meet with and encourage fellow members of the scheme in the monthly 5K Your Way Parkrun.

Please support him in his efforts to raise funds and provide a huge thankyou to the AAC and 5K Your Way teams.

I am training to join my Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) colleagues on Sunday 15 September 2024 to complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks.  All the funds I raise will go towards Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity (HHCC) to enhance the environment, experiences and services provided across #teamHDFT for the benefits of patients, their families and staff at the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre.

Any donations would be gratefully received in support of my fundraising.

Woodlands Ward is a 16 bedded general paediatric ward which takes children ranging from 0-16 years of age. We see all children of any speciality such as surgery, ophthalmology, ear nose and throat etc. As the only acute paediatric unit within the Harrogate District Hospital, we want to make sure we are providing child friendly, individualised care. Recently most of our fundraised money has supported the completed artwork in the main bay areas within Woodlands Ward and within some of the side rooms. We would relish the opportunity to continue this artwork in our remaining side rooms, but do not currently have the funds to do this. The artwork creates a warmer, more inviting area for children to visit, hopefully alleviating some of their anxiety. The feedback received from the environmental changes to Woodlands Ward over the past few years has been palpable, families who visited prior to the artwork have commented on how much more relaxed their children were since the changes have been made. We are looking to continue this fundraising and make the ward a home away from home.

Harrogate Ladies’ College Charity of the Year. Every year we choose a local charity to support, and for 2023-2024, our school community voted for Active Against Cancer (AAC)!