Helen Rollason Cancer Charity
Encyclopedia
The Helen Rollason Cancer Charity is a cancer charity in the United Kingdom which funds cancer support centres and research into the disease. It was founded in 1999 and is the legacy of Helen Rollason
MBE, who died of cancer aged 43. Her vision was to provide support for cancer patients' emotional well-being as well as treating them medically.
, aromatherapy
, Bach flower remedies
, plus counselling, manual lymphatic drainage
and support groups. The centres are for patients with all types of cancer at all stages: whether newly diagnosed or longer term, throughout treatment and after treatment is completed.
One of the charity's cancer support centres is based in Chelmsford
, Essex, one in Sawbridgeworth
, Herts and one in Edmonton
, North Middlesex, London.
in Chelmsford, Essex.
Scientists at the laboratory are undertaking research into cancer, using tumour specimens and blood samples from cancer patients. In November 2009, Dr France Docquier and fellow scientists Dr Sushma Rai and Dr Christina Greenwood identified two different kinds of CTCF
, a protein involved in breast cancer and in insulator
activity.
The charity's aim is to gain a greater understanding of cancer from these research projects, potentially resulting in better treatment options for patients, better prognosis and higher survival rates.
in the last eight years. A team of research nurses provide care for cancer patients at the two research centres: Broomfield Hospital
in Essex, and North Middlesex University Hospital in London. In the last eight years the research nurses have been involved in trialling a total of 14 new agents which are now on the market and readily available.
The Helen Rollason research nurses provide cancer patients with access to treatments which may be licensed but are not yet available on the National Health Service
or are awaiting NICE
approval or are simply a novel new agent. There are currently 40 drug trials taking place at the two research centres in Essex and London.
, Braintree
, Burnham-on-Crouch
, Chingford
, Collier Row
, Danbury
, Ongar
, Sawbridgeworth
, South Woodford
, Wickford
and Witham
Helen Rollason
Helen Frances Rollason MBE was a British sports journalist and television presenter.-Early life:Born 11 March 1956, Helen Rollason was an adopted child. She was born in London, grew up in Bath and studied at Chelsea School of Physical Education, Eastbourne and Dalhousie University, in Canada...
MBE, who died of cancer aged 43. Her vision was to provide support for cancer patients' emotional well-being as well as treating them medically.
Cancer support
The charity operates a network of three cancer support centres in the south east England. The centres offer a range of complementary therapies to cancer patients in an environment of peace and tranquility, including reflexologyReflexology
Reflexology, or zone therapy, is an alternative medicine involving the physical act of applying pressure to the feet, hands, or ears with specific thumb, finger, and hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion...
, aromatherapy
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mind, mood, cognitive function or health....
, Bach flower remedies
Bach flower remedies
Bach flower remedies are dilutions of flower material developed by Edward Bach, an English bacteriologist, pathologist and homeopath, in the 1930s. Bach believed that dew found on flower petals retain healing properties of that plant...
, plus counselling, manual lymphatic drainage
Manual lymphatic drainage
Manual lymphatic drainage is a type of gentle massage which is intended by proponents to encourage the natural circulation of the lymph through the body...
and support groups. The centres are for patients with all types of cancer at all stages: whether newly diagnosed or longer term, throughout treatment and after treatment is completed.
One of the charity's cancer support centres is based in Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, Essex, one in Sawbridgeworth
Sawbridgeworth
Sawbridgeworth is a small, mainly residential, town and also a civil parish in Hertfordshire, England.- Location :Sawbridgeworth is four miles south of Bishop's Stortford, twelve miles east of Hertford and nine miles north of Epping. It lies on the A1184 and has a railway station that links to...
, Herts and one in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, North Middlesex, London.
Cancer research laboratory
The Helen Rollason Research Laboratory was opened in April 2003. It is located within and managed in collaboration with Anglia Ruskin UniversityAnglia Ruskin University
Anglia Ruskin University is one of the largest universities in Eastern England, United Kingdom, with a total student population of around 30,000.-History:...
in Chelmsford, Essex.
Scientists at the laboratory are undertaking research into cancer, using tumour specimens and blood samples from cancer patients. In November 2009, Dr France Docquier and fellow scientists Dr Sushma Rai and Dr Christina Greenwood identified two different kinds of CTCF
CTCF
Transcriptional repressor CTCF also known as 11-zinc finger protein or CCCTC-binding factor is a transcription factor that in humans is encoded by the CTCF gene...
, a protein involved in breast cancer and in insulator
Insulator (genetics)
An insulator is a genetic boundary element that plays two distinct roles in gene expression, either as an enhancer-blocking element, or more rarely as a barrier against condensed chromatin proteins spreading onto active chromatin...
activity.
The charity's aim is to gain a greater understanding of cancer from these research projects, potentially resulting in better treatment options for patients, better prognosis and higher survival rates.
Clinical drug trials
The Helen Rollason Cancer Charity has enabled around 2000 cancer patients to participate in clinical drug trialsClinical trial
Clinical trials are a set of procedures in medical research and drug development that are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions...
in the last eight years. A team of research nurses provide care for cancer patients at the two research centres: Broomfield Hospital
Broomfield Hospital
Broomfield Hospital is the general hospital for Chelmsford, England and the surrounding areas. It is the largest within the Mid Essex Hospitals Services Trust and is an 800-bed acute hospital which offers a vast range of services. The world renowned St...
in Essex, and North Middlesex University Hospital in London. In the last eight years the research nurses have been involved in trialling a total of 14 new agents which are now on the market and readily available.
The Helen Rollason research nurses provide cancer patients with access to treatments which may be licensed but are not yet available on the National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
or are awaiting NICE
NICE
NICE may refer to:* National Independent Cadres and Elites in Iraq* National Institute for Coordinated Experiments, a fictional organisation in C.S...
approval or are simply a novel new agent. There are currently 40 drug trials taking place at the two research centres in Essex and London.
Shops
The charity has a network of shops run by volunteers in the Herts, Essex and London areas. They provide funding for the cancer support centres and the research programme. Its 11 shops are in BarkingsideBarkingside
Barkingside is a district of Ilford in the London Borough of Redbridge, northeast London. It is a suburban development.It is also the place in which Barkingside FC play their home games at Oakside stadium in Station Road....
, Braintree
Braintree, Essex
Braintree is a town of about 42,000 people and the principal settlement of the Braintree district of Essex in the East of England. It is northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester on the River Blackwater, A120 road and a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line.Braintree has grown contiguous...
, Burnham-on-Crouch
Burnham-on-Crouch
Burnham-on-Crouch is a town in the Maldon district of Essex in the East of England. It lies on the north bank of the River Crouch.-History:Historically, it has benefited from its location on the coast - first as a ferry port, later as a fishing port known for its oyster beds, and most recently as a...
, Chingford
Chingford
Chingford is a district of north east London, bordering on Enfield and Edmonton to the west, Woodford to the east, Walthamstow and Stratford to the south and Essex to the north. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross and forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
, Collier Row
Collier Row
Collier Row is a place in north east London in the London Borough of Havering. It is a suburban development north of Romford, located north east of Charing Cross....
, Danbury
Danbury
Danbury is a city in Connecticut, U.S.Danbury may also refer to:*Danbury, Saskatchewan, Canada*Danbury, Essex, UK*Danbury, Iowa, U.S.*Danbury, Nebraska, U.S.*Danbury, New Hampshire, U.S.*Danbury, North Carolina, U.S.*Danbury, Texas, U.S....
, Ongar
Ongar
Ongar can refer toin England*High Ongar, Essex*Chipping Ongar, Essex **Ongar , an ancient administrative unit**Ongar railway stationin Ireland*Ongar, Dublinin Pakistan...
, Sawbridgeworth
Sawbridgeworth
Sawbridgeworth is a small, mainly residential, town and also a civil parish in Hertfordshire, England.- Location :Sawbridgeworth is four miles south of Bishop's Stortford, twelve miles east of Hertford and nine miles north of Epping. It lies on the A1184 and has a railway station that links to...
, South Woodford
South Woodford
South Woodford is a suburb of north-east London in the London Borough of Redbridge, situated north-east of Charing Cross. Together with Woodford Green, Woodford Bridge and Woodford Wells it forms the area known as Woodford, the origins of which date back at least to the Saxon period...
, Wickford
Wickford
Wickford is a town in the south of the English county of Essex, with a population of more than 32,500. Located approximately 30 miles east of London, it falls within the District of Basildon along with Basildon, Billericay, Laindon and Pitsea....
and Witham
Witham
Witham is a town in the county of Essex, in the south east of England with a population of 22,500. It is part of the District of Braintree and is twinned with the town of Waldbröl, Germany. Witham stands between the larger towns of Chelmsford and Colchester...