Glasgow Royal Infirmary Consultant Dr Martha Quinn is stepping away from the operating theatre to run the TCS London Marathon, raising awareness for a rare cancer she treats regularly.
Dr Quinn isn’t your typical marathon runner. As one of Scotland’s leading sarcoma cancer surgeons, she’s more accustomed to precision incisions than pounding pavements. Yet this April, the 43-year-old consultant will trade her surgical scrubs for running gear as she takes on the London Marathon for a cause deeply personal to her professional life.
‘Sarcoma gets less attention because it is so rare,’ explains Dr Quinn, who has operated on many sarcoma patients during her eight years at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. ‘I treat sarcoma patients every day and recognise how hard it is for them to get accurate information and support for this rare cancer. It is much easier to find information on other cancers. A GP might only see one case of sarcoma in their career and if we can raise awareness of charities like Sarcoma UK then it may help patients get accurate information earlier in their cancer journey.’
Dr Quinn is keen to shine a spotlight on sarcoma, which she feels receives less attention than more well-known cancers. Sarcoma diagnoses make up about 1.3% of all cancer diagnoses in the UK.
‘I regularly see funding and attention for the common cancers. Sometimes I feel it leaves our patients a little lost. Sarcoma was described by an American surgeon at the Memorial Sloan Kettering cancer centre, New York, as the orphan tumour, it is quite fitting as it is so rare it gets so little attention.’
She particularly feels for young people with Ewing sarcoma – the second most common form of bone cancer in teenagers and young adults. ‘They often receive chemotherapy and then require surgery then more chemotherapy in a very short interval. It is a very intense treatment schedule for them.’
Dr Quinn is passionate about improving patient care. She says that advances in medicine and technology have allowed for increased complexity of surgery. Alongside her colleague Peter Chong and the wider surgical team, Dr Quinn works to deliver care for those with complex cancers.
‘At Glasgow Royal infirmary we have an extremely strong surgical team consisting of multiple consultants including anaesthetists, orthopaedic surgeons, plastic surgeons, urologists and cardiothoracic/vascular surgeons. Working within such a wonderful surgical team, along with the unwavering support of our theatre staff, specialist nurses and ward staff has allowed us to operate on even the most complex of tumours.’
Dr Quinn is a member of the council of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and uses her role to draw more attention to sarcoma among fellow health professionals.
A mother of two boys aged 10 and 13 who live in central Scotland, she is running the London Marathon on 27 April for the charity Sarcoma UK. Dr Quinn is very active in her spare time and enjoys CrossFit, kayaking and skiing – but this will be her first full marathon.
Her reason for taking part in the 26-mile race is two-fold. ‘I am running to help raise awareness of sarcoma and to raise money to help fund the ongoing work of Sarcoma UK in supporting my patients with their cancer journey. I am not a natural runner but I feel if my patients can go through all their cancer treatment and come out smiling, I can manage to run 26 miles to support them.’
Sarcoma UK’s Ambassador in Scotland and former colleague of Dr Quinn, Dr Jeff White, said: ‘It’s truly remarkable to have someone like Dr Quinn, who witnesses first-hand the challenges sarcoma patients face, taking on the London Marathon for our cause. Having a surgeon who treats sarcoma patients daily step into this role is incredibly powerful for raising awareness. Dr Quinn understands the journey from diagnosis to treatment better than most, and her dedication to not only treat patients in theatre but also champion their cause in such a public way is admirable. Her efforts will help shine a much-needed spotlight on sarcoma, a cancer that often goes unrecognised despite its significant impact on those affected.’
To donate to Dr Quinn, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/martha-quinn-1721650089478
