Sarcoma UK ambassador Jake Quickenden took on on a daring challenge with a team of supporters to highlight the importance of early diagnosis for Sarcoma Awareness Month. The five-strong team abseiled down the iconic Lloyd’s Building in London, descending 4,000 inches (300ft) to represent the 4,000 hours it takes one in three people to receive a sarcoma diagnosis in the UK.
Jake, who lost his younger brother Oliver to sarcoma at the age of 19, said: “I have been campaigning for years now about sarcoma and trying to raise awareness as so many people, healthcare workers and doctors still aren’t keeping it front of mind when trying to assess or diagnose a potential lump.
Marty Munday on reaching the ground once more.
The abseil, organised with support from the Lloyd’s Foundation Global Community Engagement team, aimed to draw attention to this year’s Sarcoma Awareness Month theme: ‘Days to Diagnosis’.
“Almost one in three people with sarcoma in the UK have reported it took them over six months to receive a formal diagnosis,” Jake explained. “This is so dangerous, as the cancer can go from Stage One to Stage Four in that time, so it really is a life and death scenario.”
Jake was joined in the challenge by Aaron Hoctor, Tom Knight, Marty Munday and Kieran Vincett.
Marty Munday, 69, from Whitstable, Kent, who was raising money for her granddaughter Amber. Amber was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma at the age of 8 in 2018. “Amber, my granddaughter, and her experience of Synovial Sarcoma, aged 8, prompted me to take on the challenge along with Amber’s father and friends Tom and Kieran.”
Kerry Reeve-Kneip from Sarcoma UK, who witnessed the event, praised Jake’s dedication: “We absolutely adore having Jake as an ambassador and he is always going above and beyond in his role for us. Raising awareness of diagnosis times is really key for us to help reduce the amount of terminal patients we help — catching it early can mean the difference between it being a treatable illness and one that is not.”
This abseil is just one of Jake’s recent efforts for Sarcoma UK. In May, he completed a 100-mile continuous walk from Liverpool to Skipton, raising funds and awareness alongside Chris Metcalfe, who organised the walk in memory of his brother Rob.
This Sarcoma Awareness Month we’re reminded of the crucial message behind our ‘Days to Diagnosis’ campaign. Dr Sorrel Bickley, our Director of Research, Policy and Support, emphasises
“If you have a lump on your body which is growing, or is bigger than a golf ball, or if you have pain around a bone that doesn’t go away at night, you should go and see your GP. Most lumps and pains won’t be sarcomas, but it’s important to keep an eye on symptoms and to seek medical help if you are worried.”
Support Marty’s fundraiser here.
Read more about Sarcoma Awareness Month and how you can get involved.
