I Iniiin Oracle Cancer Trust Newsletter Dear Friends and Supporters, A warm welcome to our summer newsletter. We have been tremendously busy in the last few months, with two successful events held and much-needed funds raised. In April we hosted an inspirational musical evening to celebrate the life of Puccini, who died of throat cancer 90 years ago this year. This was followed in May by the City of London’s first ever Chessboxing gala, an Oracle black tie event with 230 guests from some of the City’s most high profile institutions. More on these fantastic events inside. Our important research work continues and we have a number of new projects which we are funding this year of which we will be able to tell you more in our autumn research round- up. Message from the Chairman As you know, as a direct result of the pioneering research work funded by Oracle Cancer Trust many more patients are now receiving successful treatment, living a better quality of life and experiencing significantly fewer side effects. Thanks to this work we are making huge strides in understanding the biology of head and neck cancer. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who raise money for this important cause; you are truly making a difference to our patient’s lives. With all best wishes for a wonderful summer Peter Rhys-Evans “We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who raise money for this important cause; you are truly making a difference to our patient’s lives.” Peter Rhys-Evans Founder and Executive Chairman of the Oracle Cancer Trust Inside • Oracle raises its profile in the City with Chessboxing event • The many faces of Puccini – an inspirational Oracle event to celebrate the life of the celebrated composer • Will Wells - young patient Will Wells tells his story • Barrie Dawson rides again for Oracle • Olivia and Azari cycle 34 miles for Oracle July 2014 www.oraclecancertrust.org 5 Devonshire Place, London W1G 6HL 0800 3277284 Three Cheers for Chessboxing! Oracle held the City’s first ever Chessboxing gala with competitors from all over the world. Text ORCT14 £5 to 70070 to donate Inside • Oracle raises City profile with Chessboxing • An event to celebrate the life of Puccini • Young patient Will Wells tells his story • Barrie Dawson rides again • Olivia and Azari cycle 34 miles for Oracle
Transcript
I Iniiin
Oracle Cancer Trust Newsletter
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Dear Friends and Supporters, A warm welcome to our summer newsletter. We have been tremendously busy in the last few months, with two successful events held and much-needed funds raised. In April we hosted an inspirational musical evening to celebrate the life of Puccini, who died of throat cancer 90 years ago this year. This was followed in May by the City of London’s first ever Chessboxing gala, an Oracle black tie event with 230 guests from some of the City’s most high profile institutions. More on these fantastic events inside. Our important research work continues and we have a number of new projects which we are funding this year of which we will be able to tell you more in our autumn research round-up.
Message from the Chairman
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As you know, as a direct result of the pioneering research work funded by Oracle Cancer Trust many more patients are now receiving successful treatment, living a better quality of life and experiencing significantly fewer side effects. Thanks to this work we are making huge strides in understanding the biology of head and neck cancer. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who raise money for this important cause; you are truly making a difference to our patient’s lives. With all best wishes for a wonderful summer Peter Rhys-Evans
“We would like to
extend our heartfelt
thanks to all those
who raise money for
this important cause;
you are truly making a
difference to our
patient’s lives.”
Peter Rhys-Evans Founder and Executive Chairman
of the Oracle Cancer Trust
Inside • Oracle raises its profile
in the City with Chessboxing event
• The many faces of Puccini – an inspirational Oracle event to celebrate the life of the celebrated composer
• Will Wells - young patient Will Wells tells his story
• Barrie Dawson rides again for Oracle
• Olivia and Azari cycle 34 miles for Oracle
July 2014 � www.oraclecancertrust.org �5 Devonshire Place, London W1G 6HL� 0800 3277284
Three Cheers for Chessboxing!
Oracle held the City’s first ever Chessboxing gala with
competitors from all over the world.
Text ORCT14 £5 to 70070 to donate
Inside • Oracle raises City
profile with Chessboxing
• An event to celebrate the life of Puccini
• Young patient Will Wells tells his story
• Barrie Dawson rides again
• Olivia and Azari cycle 34 miles for Oracle
2
cancer last year. The audience was left in no doubt as to why they were all there and they went on to give so generously at the auction. So what is Chessboxing? A bout of Chessboxing starts with a four minute round of speed chess, using noise-cancelling headphones, then the gloves go on and the boxing begins. Alternating rounds continue until a victory by checkmate, time out on the board or a knockout on the canvas – whichever comes first. Fighter Sean Mooney said “I am always happy to take a few punches if it helps raise some money for a great charity like Oracle Cancer Trust.” “A compelling event and a great cause. How can you not want to take three tables in 2015!” Chris Salt, CEO of Headland Consultancy. For more photos visit our website, Twitter and Facebook. Facebook/oraclecancertrust @oracle_cancer @LDNchessboxing www.londonchessboxing.com
Oracle Chessboxing takes City by storm
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Nothing could prepare you for this most quirky of sports which is fast becoming the City’s favourite pastime. A perfect combination of brain and brawn, hard-driving City workers love it as a unique training where you must keep cool and think fast and accurately under stressful conditions – a valuable skillset in many work situations. Oracle hosted the first ever City Chessboxing Gala in the five star surroundings of the St. Paul’s Grange hotel. City institutions, which attended included Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Espirito Santo, Deutsche Bank, SMBC, Citibank, BGC and Ignis Asset Management. After weeks of intense training six competitors took part, culminating in the most exciting finale featuring Citibank trader, Sean Mooney. As Sean so aptly puts it; “Why chessboxing? - the number one fighting sport with the number one thinking sport – why not?” As the first two bouts came to a close, 28 year old Oracle patient, Will Wells, took to the stage to explain in stark terms just what it meant for him to have come through the last 12 months having been diagnosed with Salivary Ductal
July 2014 � www.oraclecancertrust.org �5 Devonshire Place, London W1G 6HL� 0800 3277284
Fergus Beeley in training for the Fan Dance Challenge
At the first Oracle event of its kind, supporters enjoyed an enchanting evening in the magnificent Robert Adam home of Bob Boas who hosted the evening. Guests enjoyed an evening of Puccini arias and amusing anecdotes about the secret life of the composer from the celebrated conductor Gianluca Marciano, supported by the wonderful Ilona Domnich and Marco Panuccio. An array of surprises during the evening ranged from edible butterfly treats to piano and violin chocolates. A raffle and auction helped raise £7,500 to support Oracle. To set the seal on the occasion Gianluca relayed a personal message from Simonetta Puccini, his great granddaughter. The evening ended with the rousing ‘Nessun Dorma’ aria and each lady in true romantic Puccini style was presented with an exquisite posy of aqua roses, Astrantia and green bells.
The Secret Life of Puccini
July 2014 � www.oraclecancertrust.org �5 Devonshire Place, London W1G 6HL� 0800 3277284
Illona Domnich with her bouquet, Tenor Marco
Panuccio and conductor Gianluca Marciano
• Celebrity “Beat the Pundit” Football Evening – September 18th
• Walk the Rotary Club of Romsey Test Way – October 12th
• Fashionista Gala Dinner – November 22nd
• Glory of Christmas – December 8th
Coming Up
Will Wells describes the moment he was diagnosed with Salivary Ductal adenocarcinoma cancer as news, which “hit me like a train.” Will, in his twenties, had the world at his feet, a new girlfriend and a great job working as an investment fund manager in London. “It was the most shocking thing anybody had ever said to me. I was in the fight of my life. Head and neck cancer is very invasive. I had a full level neck dissection and had a total of 52 lymph nodes removed followed by months of radiotherapy. For me, getting back to five a side football was a significant moment – potentially I had beaten one of the worst things I would ever have to face.” Will is currently back at work and living life to the full.
Will’s Story
Ilona Domnich with her bouquet, Tenor Marco Panuccio and
conductor Gianluca Marciano
Check the website for more details
July 2014 � www.oraclecancertrust.org �5 Devonshire Place, London W1G 6HL� 0800 3277284
Friends Olivia Rodriguez and Azari completed an impressive 34 mile cycle ride from Ealing to Windsor and raised an amazing £570 for Oracle. Girls we salute you! Olivia says; “I always had the idea that mouth cancer was a disease that people in their 60s-70s would have after a life of heavy smoking and alcohol consumption. But through our studies we have discovered that it is becoming more common in younger people.”
Olivia and Azari cycle for Oracle
If you would like to fundraise for Oracle Cancer Trust, please get in touch with Nicola Ridges-Jones, our wonderful Volunteers Coordinator at:
Barrie Dawson is one of our star fund-raisers. Over the last 12 years he has raised an amazing £59,000 for Oracle Cancer Trust. Each year Barrie takes part in the Paris to Hayling bike ride. This means cycling a total of 400 miles, around 80 miles a day. He has been training hard, cycling over a hundred miles a week and gradually increasing his distance up and down the hills near his home in Hampshire. 14 years ago, Barrie was told that he had terminal Thyroid cancer but eventually after surgery from Oracle founder, Peter Rhys-Evans his life was saved.
Barrie says; “This is the reason why I whole-heartedly support Oracle and their work to research and find new treatments to beat head and neck cancer. Oracle relies totally on fund-raising activities to support this life-saving work.”
Thank you Barrie for being such a wonderful Oracle supporter!
