Press Release
Signify's John Stewart 'Swims the Channel' for the Addenbrookes Charitable Trust (ACT)
24 November 2008
John Stewart, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in February, his wife Catherine and daughters Jessica (13) and Esme (9) have taken on the challenge to ‘Swim the Channel’ for the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) in aid of the Cancer Radiotherapy team at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
The challenge involves each family member swimming 22 miles within a 12 week period at their local swimming pool in Impington – the equivalent of 1,400 lengths apiece. The family aims to complete its challenge on 29th November.
“We have already completed 1,000 of the 1,400 lengths – so we are more than three quarters of the way across the Channel and we nearly have the coast of France in our sights! My daughters have been immensely impressive given their ages and are really plugging away to do the distance, which works out to be about 2 miles a week,” said John, who is a well-known Cambridge businessman and founder of Signify, the Histon-based ‘Secure Authentication Service’. “With just two weeks of treatment left, I have been pleased that the swimming has really helped to keep me energised and combat the side effects that come with radiation therapy.”
John is undergoing a new treatment called TomoTherapy at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, which uses daily CT imaging for a more customised approach to radiotherapy. The radiation is precisely targeted and therefore minimises radiation exposure to healthy tissues, as well as short and long term side effects.
“TomoTherapy is a great asset to the radiotherapy department at Addenbrooke’s, allowing us to offer more complex cancer treatments using higher doses of radiotherapy, while at the same time reducing treatment related side-effects,” said Helen Patterson, Oncologist at Addenbrooke’s. “Now we can offer treatments that were previously unachievable. Reducing side-effects can allow patients to live a near normal life through many weeks of treatment and John has certainly been a marvellous example of this.”
John adds “We are so lucky in Cambridge to have one of only two TomoTherapy machines in the UK (and the first in the NHS), it has made my treatment so much more bearable and has allowed me to stay strong throughout. Please do help us support ACT so they can keep Addenbrooke’s at the cutting edge of cancer therapy.”
The Stewarts’ Channel Swim can be sponsored at: http://www.justgiving.com/stewarts-of-girton-for-act
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About Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT)
Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) is the independent registered charity for Cambridge University Hospitals, which incorporates Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital. ACT raises money for all departments, wards and clinics.
Many hospitals in the UK rely on fundraising activities to supplement existing publicly funded services. Charitable donations help make a difference in almost every department at Addenbrooke’s. They have bought new high tech equipment, paid for additional specialist staff, and contributed to much-needed environmental enhancements.
Money is raised in a number of ways, namely major grants from charitable trusts, corporate sponsorship, community fundraising, individual donations and legacies. Most importantly, once people have kindly donated, ACT manages the funds effectively, and invests and spends the money only in those areas where it is needed or for which it is raised.
There are many ways to support ACT. For more information go to: www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk
Registered charity number: 1048868
