'It gave me a purpose' - Praise heaped on Yorkshire Cancer charity scheme by Sheffield families

Kevin Fiander is a current Active Together patient, who was diagnosed with cancer just over a year ago after being rushed to hospital with Covid-19. He said: “I met the surgeon and his team and they said I needed to get fit or I would not survive the procedure.”

He was referred to the Active Together scheme who identified how they would exercise him, which proved crucial in his recovery. “If I hadn’t been on this scheme as soon as I was, I probably wouldn’t be in the same position I am in now,” Kevin said, “It gave me a purpose to do something and get out the house.”

The Active Together programme is funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research (YCR), through donations from their supporters, with assistance from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and Sheffield Hallam University (SHU). It provides physical activity, nutrition and psychological support to cancer patients undergoing pioneering treatment.

Karen Bond, aged 44, spends lots of time caring for her husband Steven, 49, who she is supporting after he was diagnosed with stage three kidney cancer. The couple have been battling secondary tumours in Steven’s chest since his kidney was removed and are in the midst of a number of rounds of chemotherapy.

“It’s been horrific,” said Karen, who has a six-year-old son named Edward with Steven.

“I’m an older mum and Steven’s an older dad and we just waited so long to find each other, but we did find each other, we had Edward and now we have this. It is just so unfair,” sahe said.

At current, Steven is not physically well enough to make use of the Active Together Programme, so the family have been dedicating time to fundraising for Yorkshire Cancer Research. Karen said: “It is massively important. They do their best to help you and make your body as strong as it can be.”

Dr Kathryn Scott is YCR’s Chief Executive and said: “We know that people are more likely to get cancer and more likely to die from cancer in Yorkshire than in most other parts of England. Programmes like Active Together... are really important to help prevent, diagnose and treat cancer in South Yorkshire.

“No matter where you live, everyone should have access to the highest quality of cancer treatment and people in Yorkshire should not be at a disadvantage when it comes to cancer survival.”

Professor Rob Copeland, director of the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre at SHU, said: “The service is designed to help people with cancer prepare for and recover from treatment. Since the service launched in February, we’ve helped over 200 patients by providing physical activity, nutrition and psychological support. This work wouldn’t be possible without the help of Yorkshire Cancer Research.”

YCR is currently running a Christmas campaign called ‘Yorkshire Stars’, which asks supporters to give recognition to someone who deserves it, whether that’s someone going through cancer directly, a loved one or a hospital worker. You can find out more about this campaign on the Yorkshire Cancer Research website.