Celebrity Supporters
CancerBACUP is delighted to have the support of a number of celebrities, people who gladly give up their precious time to help us raise the awareness and funds we need to keep our service going.
Read about who’s helping us out, how and why.
Sam Taylor-Wood
Renowned artist Sam Taylor-Wood is a patron of CancerBACUP. Her photography and film work range from the sublime to the spectacular, and feature some of the world’s most famous faces. Sam’s subjects include Kate Moss, Hayden Christiansen and Benicio Del Toro. Her famous film of David Beckham sleeping received much acclaim.
Sam has previously been treated for both breast cancer and colorectal cancer and says of CancerBACUP’s freephone helpline service:
“It’s important to talk about cancer. CancerBACUP is important to me because their helpline nurses are cancer experts and they’re available on the end of the phone if I need to talk. That sort of support is priceless.”
Sheila Hancock
Actress Sheila Hancock has starred in many film, television and stage productions. Her most recent television appearances include the BBC series Bedtime, Feather Boy and Grumpy Old Women, and she will shortly be seen in their new drama series Bleak House. She also recently appeared as Mum in West End production of The Anniversary.
She has also worked as a director, including being the first Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s tour, and she has written two books about her life: Ramblings of an Actress and The Two of Us for which she has just won an award as Author of the Year.
Sheila, a former breast cancer patient herself, lost her husband, Inspector Morse actor John Thaw, to cancer of the gullet (oesophagus). She says:
“I am proud to be a patron of CancerBACUP. I hope I can let more people know about its work to provide cancer patients and their families and friends with accurate information and excellent support. For so many people, CancerBACUP offers a lifeline at a difficult time. It also stands up for the rights of cancer patients, something I strongly support.”
Nigel Havers
Nigel Havers is one of CancerBACUP’s dedicated patrons. He is one of Britain’s most successful actors having appeared in numerous films, TV shows and stage productions. He first gained international recognition in the 1981 classic Chariots of Fire. Since then his film credits have gone on to include such highly acclaimed works as A Passage to India, Empire of the Sun, and most recently The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. He has scored some huge hits on the small screen too, having starred in LWT’s The Charmer and the BBC’s Manchild and Dangerfield to name but a few.
Nigel has supported CancerBACUP since his wife was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. He says:
"People with cancer aren’t sure if they are asking the right questions and don’t always know where to turn for advice. CancerBACUP’s specialist nurse-run helpline, publications and website offer clear and concise information and are an incredible support for anyone affected by cancer. I am always more than happy to lend my support to the charity in every way I can."
Ian Dury
Ian Dury and The Blockheads first burst onto the scene in the late seventies, enjoying a string of hits including the UK number one single Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick. Even after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer Ian continued to work at a prolific rate, including releasing a successful album and embarking on a sell-out UK tour in 1998.
Thanks to Ian, two successful dogs’ nights in aid of CancerBACUP were held at Walthamstow Greyhound Stadium. Ian hosted one in March 1999 and Madness hosted another in November 1999, raising thousands of pounds for the charity.
Ian Dury died in March 2000. He was a committed supporter and friend of CancerBACUP. His own experience of cancer convinced him that support and information should be widely available to everyone diagnosed with cancer. He said:
"Being told that you’ve got cancer is hard to deal with, but there are people like CancerBACUP who can help you through it"
Ian’s family, friends and bandmates continue to give us their support. Read about what happened when we returned to Walthamstow in 2004 to commemorate him at the Ian Dury Memorial Night in aid of CancerBACUP.
Iain Balshaw
The World Cup-winning rugby star Iain Balshaw supported CancerBACUP’s runners in this year’s London Marathon and was the face of our fundraising parachute jump promotion ‘English Rugby’s Big Jump‘. He says he backs us because:
“CancerBACUP is a lifeline for many people. The charity runs a helpline staffed by specialist nurses who are able to answer questions on all types of cancer. This is incredibly useful for people who are going through a difficult time.”
Delta Goodrem
Australian singer/songwriter and actress Delta Goodrem was signed to Sony Music at the age of 15. Unlike others before her, she then went on to play in the soap opera Neighbours as Nina Tucker. In 2003 she had two UK top 10 hits with Born To Try and Lost Without You, and her successful album Innocent Eyes debuted at number 2 on the UK charts. She has won numerous record industry awards.
Delta was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in early July 2003, when she was 18, and underwent extensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Her latest album, Mistaken Identity, contains songs about the day she was diagnosed with lymphoma, about the soul-searching that went on during her illness and the positive energy she got when she felt she had finally beaten the disease. In May 2005, Delta attended the launch of TIC (Teen Info on Cancer) , CancerBACUP’s new website for teenagers with cancer. She said of the site:
“It’s full of brilliant information and advice and teenagers can share their experiences online. I know it would have helped me to know how other people my own age were coping. And because it’s been produced by the cancer information experts CancerBACUP, you know the site is up to date, reliable and trustworthy.
Claire Rayner
Claire was a leading ‘agony aunt’ for many years and medical correspondent for many popular magazines. She believes passionately in standing up for the rights of patients, drawing regularly on her professional background in nursing and journalism, as well as her personal experiences as a patient and carer. She says of CancerBACUP:
“When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer I coped well, since I am both a trained nurse and a well informed up to date medical journalist, but most people find themselves bewildered and unable to take it all in. Fortunately for them and their families the nurses on CancerBACUP’s helpline can answer your questions, however big or small. They offer crucial emotional support and all the information you may need.”
Brian Turner
Restaurateur and celebrity chef Brian Turner CBE is well-known for his regular appearances on television programmes such as Ready Steady Cook and This Morning. He runs two highly acclaimed restaurants at the moment and he has written recipes for CancerBACUP’s unique booklet, CancerBACUP recipes. Brian says:
“My mother and father both died of cancer and, at the end of the day, we are all affected by this dreadful disease in one way or another. I support CancerBACUP because it’s my way of doing what I can to help."
Laura Michelle Kelly
The award-winning star of the West End musical Mary Poppins recently helped us to launch TIC (Teen Info on Cancer) , our new website for young people with cancer.
Helping people affected by cancer has been a cause close to her heart since her mother died of breast cancer. Laura says of CancerBACUP:
“The support and information services that the charity offers to those affected by cancer are both comforting and vital and I want to do as much as I can to raise awareness of the charity.”
Faye Tozer
Singer Faye, formerly one-fifth of the hugely successful pop band Steps, has been helping to raise vital funds for CancerBACUP by opening our Christmas Shopping Morning at Hamleys Toystore. She says:
“Like myself, everyone knows someone affected by cancer. It’s just so important that people know that CancerBACUP is there to support them. That’s why I decided to get involved with the charity.”
Mark Rhodes & Sam Nixon
Mark and Sam were finalists on Pop Idol 2, only losing out to Michelle McManus in the final week. They went on to form a duet and in February 2004 they beat Ronan Keating to the top of the charts with their debut single, a cover of the Beatles’ song With A Little Help From My Friends.
In May 2005 they both helped us to launch TIC (Teen Info on Cancer) , our new website for teenagers with cancer. Sam says of TIC:
"This website is fantastic. The information is so easy to read and the animations are brilliant. It’s the perfect place for young people with cancer to go and get the facts in a way they can relate to."
Having lost his mother to lung cancer, Mark understands the need for information and support for people affected by cancer and says:
“It is so important that everyone knows help is just a free phone call away. CancerBACUP’s helpline and their website offer confidential and up-to-date medical information, advice and support for anyone affected by cancer.”
Gaby Roslin
TV presenter Gaby Roslin has graced our screens in so many successful shows it would be impossible to list them all! She’s also demonstrated the breadth of her formidable talents by taking to the stage in the West End production of Chicago, and playing the lead in a stage version of When Harry Met Sally.
Gaby has deeply personal reasons for supporting CancerBACUP, having lost her mother to lung cancer and seen her father battle against bowel cancer. She says:
“Like most people, I have been touched by cancer through the experiences of friends, colleagues and family. It is a disease that no one can afford to ignore, as one in three of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in our lives. CancerBACUP provides the information, support and practical advice that is so desperately needed by anyone affected by cancer. Please give the charity your fullest support.”
Judi Shekoni
The former Eastenders actress and Celebrity Love Island contestant gives CancerBACUP her backing. She says:
“I’m a great supporter of CancerBACUP. Their specialist nurse-run helpline is an incredible support for anyone living with the effects of cancer.”
