Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has already raised most of the money it targeted for a £400m major fundraising campaign launched in February 2024, the charity has revealed.
CRUK announced today that it has raised £229m as part of its More Research, Less Cancer fundraising drive as the largest-ever philanthropy campaign undertaken by a UK charity.
The campaign, which urges high-value donors and philanthropists to donate to “help accelerate a new golden age of cancer research”, has attracted donations from individuals, global trusts and foundations including the Chris Banton Foundation, Mark Foundation for Cancer Research and Garfield Weston Foundation.
It has also received several high-value legacy pledges from committed donors.
Meanwhile, the charity has appointed entrepreneur Sherry Coutu as co-chair of the campaign board and former chancellor Jeremy Hunt as a campaign ambassador.
‘There’s still further to go’
CRUK said donations were already helping it unlock discoveries about children’s and young people’s cancers and “translate these into new and better ways to diagnose and treat them”.
Chief executive Michelle Mitchell said: “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has donated to the campaign so far and are delighted to welcome Sherry and Jeremy onboard.
“Our philanthropic supporters share our vision of ensuring sustainable funding for world-class cancer research and translating these discoveries into tests and treatments so that more people, now and in the future, have more precious time with their loved ones. We’re limited only by finance, not good ideas.
“We’ve now surpassed the halfway mark, but there’s still further to go. With the support of those with the vision and means we can go further, faster - more support means more research, and more research means less cancer.”
On her appointment, Coutu said: “I’m incredibly proud to be co-chairing the More Research, Less Cancer campaign and support CRUK in raising £400m to help usher in the golden age of cancer research.”
Hunt said: “Few organisations in the world can rival the charity’s global impact on cancer – its pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
“That’s why I’m delighted to be an ambassador for the More Research, Less Cancer campaign.
“With support from philanthropic partners around the world, CRUK can keep accelerating progress for this generation and the next.”
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