Taking the stage: Leukaemia and lymphoma research

We are hoping to raise thousands for a charity which provided “stunning” treatment for the son of one of our consultant solicitors.

Staff at Birkett Long have chosen Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research to be its Charity of the Year.  The charity is close to staff members’ hearts following Rob George’s diagnosis of leukaemia last year.  Rob is the son of former Managing Partner, Philip George.

Rob, now 20, spent over five months last year undergoing chemotherapy at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge and is thankfully now in remission.  Philip, now a consultant with the firm, said: “When you are told that a member of your family has leukaemia, there is no notice period.  There is no time to sort yourself out or make any kind of plan. You are thrown into a world of fear and exhaustion.

“But my family, like thousands of others, is so grateful that the angels of the NHS and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research were there to support us.  They provided the most stunning treatment when we needed them most.”

He added: “I am touched and thrilled that Birkett Long should have chosen as their Charity of the Year an organisation which is so close to my heart.  I cannot think of a more worthy cause for the firm to be supporting.”

Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research’s vision is to beat blood cancer:
“One person is diagnosed with a blood cancer in the UK every year. We work with leading scientists and doctors in the UK to develop new treatments, understand the causes and save more lives from leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and related blood cancers.

Despite the advances in treatments, one person sadly dies from a blood cancer every hour. We need to raise £30 million this year to continue our life-saving research.  In London we are running 60 vital research projects and clinical trials to develop and test new drugs and treatments that are urgently needed by blood cancer patients.  Through this research we aim to understand the causes of blood cancer; improve survival and quality of life; implement early and more accurate diagnosis; develop more effective treatments and prevent patients from developing blood cancer.

In 2011 we launched a new initiative called the Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP) to ensure that the breakthroughs discovered in the laboratories reach patients. TAP links 13 leading treatment centres, three of which are in London, to deliver more clinical trials to make new treatments available to more blood cancer patients.
We won’t stop until we’ve beaten blood cancer.”

Staff at Birkett Long will support the charity until next June through in-house activities such as cake sales and dress-down days.  Last year, just under £3,550 was raised for the firm’s chosen good cause, the Christopher John Holmes Charitable Fund, which was set up by Birkett Long’s former Senior Partner Christopher Holmes.