60 Years of Research at QUB
Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI celebrate 60 years of ‘Giving Hope’ and £14 million pounds of ground breaking research with Queens University.
Pictured: Dr Graeme Greenfield, Vice Chancellor & President Professor Sir Ian Greer, Professor Curly Morris, LLNI Patron Ken Reid, Dr Lisa Crawford, Professor Terry Lappin and LLNI Chairman Richard Buchanan.
Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI formerly known as the Northern Ireland Leukaemia Research Fund was founded by the McDowell family in 1964 following the death of their daughter Carole. In an effort to prevent other families suffering this loss, the McDowell’s started fundraising for blood cancer research and the Northern Ireland Leukaemia Research Fund was born.
The charity is the McDowell family legacy, their determination to do something for others when faced with terrible circumstances still drives much of the work the charity does today.
When things began 60 years ago and the charity had their first instalment of money to donate, there was only one man for the job, Professor John Bridges. Professor Bridges was working as Haematology Consultant in the Royal Victoria Hospital and would later become the Chair of Haematology at Queen’s University Belfast.
This relationship was the foundation of the LLNI’s long and very successful partnership with Queens University and their team of talented and dedicated scientists. 60 years and £14 million pounds of investment later, things have greatly evolved from supporting small projects in the university labs at Royal Victoria Hospital. LLNI now funds a number of research roles in the blood cancer research group and they provide core support for the haematological malignancy lab in the Patrick Johnson Cancer Research Centre.
This relationship also affirmed how vital it was to have clinicians involved with research, those who could see what was happening with patients in real time, those who could identify opportunities for change and those who could direct the charity on how to make the biggest impact to patients in Northern Ireland. Clinical involvement and support is still something the charity prioritises to this day. The input of Professor Curly Morris as a consultant, a researcher and a board member over the years has been integral to the work of LLNI.
None of this would be possible without the contribution of a few exceptional figures along the way that have forged the path for blood cancer research and provided guidance to the charity on how to use their funds to have the greatest impact both locally and globally.
Professor Terry Lappin took on the Chair of Haematology role in 1997 and continued the excellent work started by his predecessor. Professor Lappin had been involved with the work of LLNI from the early days and gone on to establish a very impressive career in scientific research for clinical problems, particularly leukaemia. Despite taking well deserved retirement fourteen years ago, Terry remains a fantastic asset to the LLNI to this day, sitting on the board and providing support and guidance for the research group where possible.
Professor Ken Mills stepped in the Chair of Experimental Haematology role in 2007 when the university had just opened the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research. The opening of the centre was a huge development for Queens University and LLNI, finally the facilities existed to support some major projects and talented researchers in NI. Professor Mills brought a wealth of experience from other universities throughout the UK, he established a clear strategy for charity investment where patient impact and education were priorities. Professor Mills retired in 2023 and also remains involved with the charity assisting with the Scientific and Medical Advisory Committee.
Pictured: Professor Curly Morris, Professor Terry Lappin, Professor Ken Mills & Professor John Bridges.
Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University, said: “The ground-breaking medical research at Queen’s changes lives across the world. Much of this research relies on the support of philanthropy, allowing our researchers to better understand the diseases that face our society. We greatly appreciate the support provided by Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI to carry out crucial research into blood cancers, positively impacting patient care and discovering new and better ways of diagnosing and treating blood cancer.”
The treatment landscape and patient outcomes have improved dramatically over the last 60 years with survival rates for blood cancer as a group now standing at 75%, but more work remains to be done particularly for vulnerable groups like children and the elderly. LLNI directs their funding to education, clinical support and laboratory research that helps us understand how this disease behaves and develops.
LLNI continues to fund world class research in the Patrick G Johnston Centre with £1.5 million pounds being committed this year alone. If you would like to find out more about the work of the charity or how you can support, please visit llni.co.uk
The charity recently announced a special programme of activities to mark the 60th year of the charity and raise funds for the fight against blood cancer, the programme will culminate with a Black Tie & Diamonds Gala Ball at Titanic Belfast, where the winner of an ongoing raffle for a diamond pendant necklace will be selected at random.
Alongside this, the charity is calling for those who have experienced Leukaemia, Lymphoma or Myeloma and their loved ones to share their experiences online via the LLNI website.
The photos and extended captions gathered will form part of a special online canvas presented online where members of the public can read the stories of people affected by blood cancer across the region.