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10 Things Not To Say To Someone When They’re Ill

Serious Illness: The Things People Say

Every donation helps and will make a real different to people living with cancer.

For the latest news on the plans for the brand new integrated Cancer Services Centre at Guy’s hospital, including details of where you see the exhibition of plans click here.

Inspired by Bach’s Bist du bei mir, the aria found in Anna Magdalena Bach’s notebooks, on the 18th June 2012 at the Spitalfields Music Festival, Melvyn Tan gives the world premiere of Variations For Judith, eleven variations written by some of the biggest names in classical music today – including Richard Rodney Bennett, Michael Berkeley, Diana Burrell, Anthony Burton, Peter Maxwell Davies, Jonathan Dove, Stephen Johns, Thea Musgrave, Tarik O’Regan, Anthony Payne & Judith Weir.

Judith has kindly arranged for a percentage of the profits from the published music to be donated to Dimbleby Cancer Care in support of the work we do, having herself received treatment at the Dimbleby Cancer Care and Information Support Services at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in recent years.

For details of how to obtain tickets to the premiere, click here

And to see a sneak preview of this beautiful piece of music, click here

Margaret retired earlier this year, but was responsible for developing GSTT psycho-oncology services, and brings her psycho-oncology expertise to the Research Fund
Advisory Board.

Joanna Lumley, David Dimbleby, Sir Mike Richards and Jonathan Dimbleby

The two year, million pound collaborative project for research into improving end-of-life care needs for people with cancer and other life-limiting conditions that last night supported will be funding major research focused on all the unpaid carers – family members and friends – who are looking after someone who is terminally ill.  Many of them find themselves in this vital role, despite having no prior training in providing care.  They need to develop basic nursing skills to help them with the physical and medical practicalities of care.  We are researching the practical education needs of these informal caregivers, with a view to developing ways in which the necessary training can be delivered to them.

David Dimbleby opened the evening with a short welcome address outlining the evening’s events and was followed by Sir Mike Richards who spoke about his work with both charities over the years and went onto explain the importance of the work that the joint research fund does.

The food was provided by Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts – an amazing starter served on rustic planks of wood, followed by a mouth watering main of slow-cooked porchetta and finished off with an espresso cup of Valrhona chocolate with salted caramel, orange & polenta cookies. Delicious!

After the main course, the highlight of the evening: Jonathan Dimbleby ‘in conversation’ with the wonderful Joanna Lumley. Joanna took to the stage and spoke candidly with Jonathan about her life – and of course with great humour. A true performer throughout, she took us through her early years, to her discovery of London as a jobbing model and actress, the moment her career really took off, and her work campaigning for the Gurkhas. Joanna had the guests enthralled – both in stitches and yet also at times incredibly moving. At the end Joanna took questions from the floor. As Jonathan said, a true National Treasure.

Following dessert, it was time to move to the main focus of the evening: raising money, and the auction of 5 amazing lots. In the skillful hands of Sothebys’ Lord Harry Dalmeny, the lots – which included a month’s work experience at Vogue, a luxury holiday in Phuket and the chance to win your weight in wine – raised a staggering £22,5000.00. Harry Dalmeny worked the room with great energy and humour, creating a great atmostphere throughout – helped of course by the fact that cruising on the Thames there was no escape for anyone!

Before arriving back at the Savoy Pier, Marie Curie CEO Tom Hughes-Hallett led the pledge for donations, asking everything to dig deep in support of the charities’ work.

Jonathan drew the evening to a close with a list of thank yous before inviting Joanna back to the stage to draw the raffle.

Excluding the pledges still to be counted, the evening raised a total of £55,000.00, looking like we are on course to reach our fundraising total for the evening.

On behalf of both Marie Curie and Dimbleby Cancer Care we would like to thank everyone involved for making the evening such a success.

We are very proud to have been involved in the following piece of work carried out by the University of Surrey that has recently seen the launch of a short film, ‘Getting Down to Coping’, to help men who are experiencing difficulties following treatment for prostate cancer.

Professor Sara Faithfull, Dr Jane Cockle-Hearne and their colleagues are developing and trialling an intervention to help with the self-management of post-treatment symptoms.  Earlier pilot studies indicate that men who have received more support with self-management of symptoms – both emotional and physical – have shown reductions in emotional distress and improved symptom-related quality of life.  Once the planned intervention is fully developed and tested, it is hoped will be rolled out as a new model of post-treatment prostate cancer care.

The film was developed by patients and their clinicians.  To view it, click here.

The annual lecture, which was screened on BBC 1, was founded in memory of the well-known broadcaster and is delivered every year by an influential public figure.

Sir Paul delivered this, the 36th lecture, exploring the wonder of science and how it enhances our culture and civilisation. Sir Paul also discussed how science can not only help solve the world’s big problems, but also be harnessed to improve health, quality of life and the strength of the UK’s economy.

Introducing the lecture at the beginning of the evening, David Dimbleby referrenced the work that has been done by Dimbleby Cancer Care, set up in his father’s name after his death at 52 to research cancer issues including the setting up of the Richard Dimbleby labaratory at Kings College. Sir Paul’s work in the field of cell division won him his Nobel Prize in 2001, a subject very pertinent to cancer treatment and research.

Sir Paul summed up his belief in the vital importance that science must play in all our lives.

“I am passionate about science because it has shaped the world and made it a better place, and I want to see science placed more centre stage in our culture and economy.  Our present economic troubles have promoted a debate about the future of our economy, and that future must include a major role for science.  We need a new Enlightenment, an Enlightenment for the 21st century, and Britain is the place to do it with its history of freedom, rationality, and scientific achievement.”

For a full transcript of the lecture, please go to 2012 Richard Dimbleby Lecture

David and Jonathan Dimbleby will be hosting a fabulous evening aboard the Silver Sturgeon on the River Thames. With dinner by Jamie Oliver and his team at Fabulous Feasts, the highlight of the evening will be an interview with special guest Joanna Lumley on her life and times before she takes questions from the floor.  As one of the funniest and most loved performers in the land, the evening promises to be a real delight.

All money raised through the live auction, raffle and pledges on the night will support the joint Dimbleby Marie Curie Cancer Care palliative care research fund. This 2 year project has pledged £1,000,000 for research into aspects of care – the needs of carers and those they look after.  Last year, a similar event at Merchant Taylor’s Hall raised in excess of £50,000 towards the fund, and we hope that this year’s event will be an even greater success.

Tickets start at £180 per person.  All enquiries, including sponsorship and patron packages, please contact:

Special Events Department, Marie Curie Cancer Care, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP – 020 7599 7219