Impact Report 2023

PUSHING RESEARCH BOUNDARIES Thanks to an incredibly kind donation from former Manchester University student Stewart McLaughlin, The Christie Charity will be able to fund a future project in relation to proton therapy research.

Proton beam therapy (PBT) is a type of particle therapy that uses a beam of protons to irradiate diseased tissue, most often to treat cancer. The PBT research room at The Christie works alongside the clinical service conducting a range of different experiments to benefit cancer patients and minimise side effects. Stewart studied Chemical Physics at Manchester University and after graduation set up a number of software businesses which he ran for nearly 40 years, employing 100 staff. During that time 12 members of staff contracted various forms of cancer and had to be treated - often at The Christie - and Stewart tried to support them all throughout the process. Over the years he lost several close friends and family to cancer and felt he wanted to help in whatever way he could.

During his studies, Stewart had many medical friends and always felt The Christie would be an ideal place to contribute to when he retired. When the time came in 2018, he decided to offer an incredibly generous donation of £100K to PBT research. This is not the first time Stewart has supported The Christie PBT research room and has contributed a substantial amount in total. He explains: “I have always been interested in particle physics, and had read about proton therapy, and thought it would be an ideal way I could help by contributing to this research. I believe I have made an excellent choice and I hope the team can move the boundaries of science forward in this area and end this terrible suffering from cancer once and for all.”

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