Fun, fundraising and thriving: 2020 really was a year of Hope!

Here at Hope Against Cancer, we have a very clear ambition – to prolong the lives of those living with Cancer in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

2020 was, without question, one of the most challenging years for many organisations but, despite this, we were still able to boast some amazing achievements and we are looking forward to continuing this success in 2021.

Raising close to £1.5 million allowed an impressive transformation and expansion of the recently renamed Hope Cancer Trials Centre at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, allowing the staff and specialists there to double their previous treatment capacity.

The facility has been able to double its capacity thanks to the fundraising of Hope supporters and Business Club members, meaning more cancer trials can take place in Leicester and even more patients can benefit from access to potential treatments not currently available on the NHS.

With the expansion complete there is more clinical space, including beds for overnight stays, so the Centre can offer more patients the opportunity to participate in trials as a treatment option, increase our portfolio of trials, and provide a more streamlined service for both patients and staff.

The Hope Trials Centre has earned an international reputation for recruiting patients to cancer studies and is fast becoming the ‘go-to’ site for the pharmaceutical companies who want to test some of the most advanced treatments in the world.

Throughout 2020 the pandemic presented us with some huge fundraising challenges, but we were determined not to stop funding our research. The entire team ploughed on with confidence and never lost sight of our ambitions and goals. Our supporters and volunteers have been outstanding, and I’m proud and honoured to be part of this community. Charities like Hope need support more than ever before so it’s vital that we don’t stop our efforts now

Hope’s community of supporters certainly had many fabulously successful and innovative fundraising ideas at a time when charities generally were feeling the strain. During the festive period alone, there were Santa fun runs, YouTube Christmas concerts, winter garden events – and even the launch of a Christmas charity single with a bit of help from Leicester’s own ‘Return of the Mac’ singer, Mark Morrison!

The Hope Through Business Club saw a plethora of local businesses organising and hosting events including quiz nights, curry nights, suits & vinyl nights, ‘jolly nights in’ at Steamin’ Billy pubs across the region, dress down days, marathon runs… an almost inexhaustible list of ways to ensure that we are seeing funds raised to continue research into new treatments to extend lives.

Whilst we can reflect proudly on our achievements in 2020, it’s now very much full steam ahead again. We already have a mix of popular and unique events in the calendar for 2021. There’s a Golf Day at Luffenham Heath, a Wild Atlantic cycle tour to name a few, with many other events in the pipeline – COVID permitting.