Set up as a locally based charity to support research into this disease, Crawley Leukaemia Research has its roots as a branch of the charity that is now named Bloodwise.
Marc Calloway, group Secretary, explained, “We recently converted to a fundraising group, which means that we have the flexibility to specify where the funds raised are allocated, such as local research projects, say at the Royal Marsden or the University of Brighton. The group is run by a small committee of five people directed by Chairperson Jackie Bowers. Our main aim is to raise funds by running events, including collections and quizzes, at venues such as Haskins Garden Centre, Snowhill and St Edwards, Pound Hill both to whom we are very grateful for their support.”
The charity aims to transfer 100% of funds raised to research. A fundraising quiz is taking place at St Edwards on 16th September, which members of the public are invited to come along to.
Asked how the group was initially set up, Marc said, “As with most charitable groups, people become involved because they have been touched in some way. Within our group, this has been due to some of us having close relatives who have been struck down with the illness and have had to go through the existing gruelling treatment regime that involves chemotherapy, radiation treatment and bone marrow transplants, which are not always successful. The aim of the research is to find more successful and less invasive treatments.”
Leukaemia is a cancer of blood-forming cells. The origins of the word derive from a Greek word for ‘white blood’. With Leukemia, the cancerous cells in the bone marrow spill out into the bloodstream. There are many different types of leukaemia, and the treatment and prognosis vary for each different type. There are two main types of acute leukaemia, Acute Myeloid and Acute lymphoblastic. There are also three main types of chronic leukaemia, Chronic Myeloid, Chronic Lymphocytic and a rare type called Hairy Cell leukaemia. Generally speaking, chronic leukaemia’s are slowly developing, long-term conditions.
There are a number of ways you can help Crawley Leukaemia Research Group apart from joining the committee. They are always in need of helpers at collection days when they have a day or weekend of collecting at a venue and require several volunteers to fill the rota. Also, they sometimes help with other Leukaemia fundraising events like sponsored walks where they require help with registration and marshalling.
You can also help raise funds by getting together a team for the September Quiz or by just coming along yourself.
For tickets and more info, you can contact Jackie at jackiebowers@gmail.com or on 01293 883062.
By Rachel Whitlam
