The most incredible people have ensured Sarcoma UK has evolved into an organisation fit for the challenges of the last decade and more. The charity and its journey is all about those many people who have their own stories and their own unique reasons, like those featured here. Thank you to all the people who have made Sarcoma UK so far.
Roger Wilson CBE
‘I am a sarcoma patient, and when I was diagnosed, there was no sarcoma patient organisation. Sarcoma UK started because I wanted to reach out to other organisations to raise awareness and fund research. Sarcoma UK is now a national charity and look at what has been achieved by our community. All of us. Working together. Working for each other.‘
Roger Wilson, founder of Sarcoma UK, who set up the Sarcoma Trust with his wife, Sheelagh, in the early part of the century.
Mel De Lacy
‘I believe that in time, there will be a cure for this and other rare cancers and that we should never give up hope of finding one.‘
Mel del Lacy, mum, physiotherapist and dedicated fundraiser with a passion for the outdoor life and a great friend to Sarcoma UK. Mel was diagnosed with advanced metastatic leiomyosarcoma (LMS) of the uterus and sadly died in 2019.
Richard Whitehead MBE
‘The community spirit of sarcoma lives on. All those stories of patients are important, even those who may not still be here, and it’s important to remember what we’ve done and the reason why we do it. We want to stop sarcoma and to have that positive impact.‘
Richard Whitehead, gold medal-winning athlete, longstanding supporter and first Patron of Sarcoma UK.
Ian Randall
‘I’m very optimistic about the future for people affected by sarcoma. The amount of awareness about sarcoma has grown and grown and it’s amazing to see.‘
A professional photographer and father of two sons, Ian Randall was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in 2010 when he was 18 years into a career as a Fire Officer.
Lindsey Bennister
‘I’ve seen such a huge move forward for the sarcoma community since 2010 and it’s been so wonderful to see the continued development of the charity, particularly around the area of policy and campaigns. I’m very optimistic about the future for research as well and I’m really excited to see the development of the genomics project. To now see that up and running is fantastic and it gives me great hope for the future.‘
Lindsey Bennister, Sarcoma UK Executive Director and CEO (2010 – 2018), who joined Sarcoma Trust as its very first member of staff.
Dr Karen Sisley
‘The support of Sarcoma UK was absolutely crucial in my research being able to generate further understanding about genetics and the potential for new treatments. It has been incredible to see how the charity’s ambitious research programme has gone from strength to strength.‘
Dr Karen Sisley was awarded one of Sarcoma UK’s first research grants in 2009 and is now a member of the charity’s Research Advisory Committee. She is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Oncology at the University of Sheffield
