The Christie Impact Report 2023-24

GAME-CHANGING SUPPORT BOOSTS ACC RESEARCH The Syncona Foundation has been a huge supporter of The Christie Charity contributing £510,000 to The Ella Project to date. This has facilitated the funding of six research Fellows led by Dr Robert Metcalf.

The Ella Project is named after Ella Pinney, a Christie patient diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC). ACC is a type of cancer that forms in glandular tissues most commonly in the head and neck, but it can also start in other areas of the body. It is an extremely rare cancer and, as such, there has been limited research and funding, with few effective treatments. Ella’s incredible fundraising efforts launched The Ella Project in 2019 to create an innovative research programme dedicated to improving new treatments for the next generation of ACC patients.

The Christie is in the unique position of having the UK’s leading ACC specialist, Dr Robert Metcalf. This puts it at the forefront of global research in this field and means the world is now looking to The Christie for answers about how to successfully treat ACC. He explains: “My role is to match patients to trials. Currently there is no standard drug treatment for ACC, unlike other cancers such as breast cancer. Our research, as part of The Ella Project, will help prioritise which trials we can offer patients.” The Syncona Foundation, supports a range of charities focusing on patient care and treatment discovery and plays a vital role in ensuring The Ella Project can take significant steps toward finding more effective treatments for ACC.

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