ABOUT ToC

Trustees

Patrons

Supporters

Topic of Cancer originated in 2009 when Nigel Lewis-Baker approached a long-term friend and cancer patient, John Blackburn, with the idea of starting up a movement to provide support for cancer patients and their families locally. Nigel was diagnosed with inoperable, incurable, local advanced prostate cancer in May 2004 and, after the usual treatments began to fail, he was referred to Professor Hardev Pandha who was conducting a 14 month vaccine trial. As it turned out, this was the first of three clinical trials he has been involved with under Professor Pandha. Sadly, John died in 2015 after many years living with multiple myeloma. Nigel and John set up successful support groups in Bookham, Edinburgh, Dorking and Guildford. Professor Pandha’s work on immunotherapy, then a barely recognised science, was increasingly successful and he asked Nigel if ToC could extend its brief to be a fundraiser for the research team at the University of Surrey. Topic of Cancer charity was registered in 2013 and funds equipment, annual maintenance, staff costs and some PhD students. Nigel was also involved with CRUK, Macmillan and Prostate Cancer UK as Campaigner and Ambassador and is an American Cancer Society ‘Global Hero of Hope’ which all helped to promote Topic of Cancer to a wider audience, and in 2014 was awarded an MBE by HM the Queen for his services to people with cancer. Nigel stood down himself in 2019 feeling it was time for new blood and new ideas but is proud to have been a co-founder of ToC with John.

Our Purpose

The principal aims and objectives of the charity are as follows:

To advance the health of the public on a worldwide basis in the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through cancer immunotherapy research;
To raise funds to support immunotherapy research into the causes, diagnosis and treatment of cancer in a world class clinical-based research centre at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey;
To increase awareness of immunotherapy as a better treatment and possible cure for cancer.
To provide cancer support groups for patients, survivors, carers and families offering opportunities for members to meet, socialise and share experiences and learn from each other and visiting guests.

Analysis of research funding shows that the majority of funds are spent on basic research and understanding the causes of disease. Much less is actually spent investigating prevention, diagnosis and treatment, which all define areas in which Immunology plays a huge role.

What sets us apart?

We are a patient led and totally volunteer run charity supporting a leading research team into immunotherapy as a treatment and cure for cancer and improving quality of life as against chemotherapy and other approaches. Based on site with the Royal Surrey County Hospital allows the scientist to work with live cultures direct from theatre, a unique arrangement. We also provide increasing numbers of local support groups across the UK. Unlike most cancer charities we have been able to keep our overheads to less than 2% ensuring that over 98% of monies raised goes directly to where donors and supporters intended.

It is hoped that advances in cancer immunotherapy research will provide multiple benefits, (such as extending and improving the lives of cancer patients), in the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of cancer on a worldwide basis. If you would like to beat cancer through immunotherapy research, then please help support us. Thank you.

Topic of Cancer is a very personal organisation. Unlike many larger charities and fundraisers, our donors and supporters know exactly where every penny is spent. Furthermore, immunotherapy research is so unique, the research centres so few in the UK, donors can become familiar with the names of those actually performing the research. The UK is considered one of the world’s leaders in this branch of cancer research, even with only a few research centres. Indeed, the centre, located at the University of Surrey, has one of the main immunotherapy research teams with expertise in conducting clinical trials within their dedicated facility. If you, like us, believe it is important that the UK and its immunotherapy research centres continue to be recognised as world leaders, maintain the pace of their vital research and advance the treatments of cancer, then we need your support.

The Trustees

ANNE POWELL-EVANS

Chair

Panagiotis Koliou

Breast and Melanoma Consultant Medical Oncologist

Panos Koliou is a Breast and Melanoma Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Royal Surrey Foundation Trust, joining the Trust in 2019. He trained in the School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Greece as a Research Fellow in the Surgery Department, then in 2009 as Research Fellow in Oncology Department at General Hospital Agios Georgios, Chania, Greece. He completed his training is the Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessalonki, Greece and

in 2016 he joined University College London Hospital as a Clinical Fellow in Medical Oncology. In 2019 he moved to the Royal Surrey in Guildford.

ALAN LORYMAN

Treasurer

Alan left school in 1974 and started his first full-time job on his 18th birthday, as a clerical officer in the former Greater London Council. He worked in different finance sections during his time there, primarily housing finance and audit, before joining The London Borough of Tower Hamlets in March 1985, as an executive officer in audit. Alan moved around the authority into more senior finance roles, finishing as an assistant business manager within the Community Services Directorate, where he supported managers working within libraries, arts, recreation, parks and open spaces and community languages. Alan took early retirement in December 2013 after working for a little over 39 years. In his spare time Alan is a member of the Dorking Camera Club and volunteer at the Oxfam Bookshop in Dorking on one afternoon per week. Alan and his wife both enjoy the theatre, cinema and enjoying the local countryside, especially now that they have a young puppy to entertain, and travelling. Since 2011, Alan has been trustee and treasurer for the Dorking and District Preservation Society and was involved in monitoring the costs of rebuilding Dorking Museum.

James Thurlow- Craig

Businessman

James is the founder of several successful businesses. During his study at Bournemouth University, he founded a web design and marketing agency in 2011. The business gained more traction than anticipated which resulting in several deferred final years, until ultimately the decision was made to continue running the business full time. Over a decade later and the agency continues to grow, alongside various other ventures - a few of which have generated over 7 figures in the first year of business. James joins ToC as a way to give back to Prof. Pandha and his team who played a major role in the care for his late father, Mark Richards over the course of 15 years

Dr Tony Dhillon

Senior Lecturer in Oncology, University of Surrey, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Royal Surrey County Hospital

Dr Dhillon obtained his Bachelor of science in 1994, qualified in medicine from University College London in 1997 and obtained his PhD on cancer cell signalling from Imperial College London in 2009 funded by a CR-UK clinical training fellowship.

He is also Consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Surrey County Hospital since 2014.

His main research interests are in liver cancers - primary and metastatic. His particular interests are in resistance mechanisms to anti-cancer treatments and biomarkers.

He has previously been a Wellcome Trust clinical fellow in the University of Oxford looking at gene regulation in varying chromosomal environments and senior lecturer in oncology at Imperial College London working on cell free DNA in lung cancer.

Prof Adam Frampton

Consultant General & Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) Surgeon

Consultant General & Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) Surgeon at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Associate Professor in Surgical Oncology and Head of Oncology at the University of Surrey. Adam has a strong interest in Molecular Oncology, and Translational Cancer Research with the aim to translate our findings into patient benefits.

BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD, MB BS, FRCS(Gen Surg), FRSB

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/people/adam-frampton

https://uk.linkedin.com › adam-frampton-ab5b8060

Anna Hunter

Gallery Owner

Anna graduated in Economics and Politics BSc, PGCE, MA in Country House Studies. She is the founder of an award winning art gallery, Belgravia Gallery and Seb's Project India , a charity reaching out to the rural poor and marginalised of India, striving to provide equal access to education, basic health and livelihoods for all. Anna has a wealth of experience in fund raising and some very high profile connections.

Our Founder

Nigel Lewis -Baker, MBE

In May 2004, Nigel was diagnosed with inoperable, incurable, local advanced prostate cancer. In 2009 he and a friend set up Topic of Cancer to offer cancer patients and their families support, and as a patient of Prof Pandha undergoing an immunotherapy clinical trial, he expanded the charity in 2013 to help fund cancer immunotherapy research at the University of Surrey. He later masterminded the addition of a choir and fitness groups for cancer patient and their families and continued the support group.

In 2014 was awarded an MBE by HM the Queen for his services to people with cancer. In March 2024, Nigel sadly died but the charity would not be what it is today without his commitment and energy.

Our Patrons

ALISON STEADMAN OBE

Actor

MICHAEL BUERK

Journalist, Broudcaster, Author

Michael was born in Solihull a few years ago. He wanted to join the Air Force but sadly failed the medical. His first job in journalism was at the Bromsgrove Messenger. He soon moved on to the national press and the TV work as a presenter. He was the BBC correspondent for South Africa for a number of years before he returned to the UK. In 1984 Michael made a documentary about the appalling famine in Ethiopia, which sparked the the whole “Live Aid” fundraising events. Michael has narrated many programmes and interviewed many politicians and celebrities. Michael also appeared in I'm a celebrity - get me out of here! Michael has also published an acclaimed autobiography called "The Road Taken"

MICHAEL ELWYN

Actor

THE EARL OF LIVERPOOL

Parliamentarian and Entrepreneur

GLYN POWELL-EVANS

Inventor Entrepreneur

YVONNE HALL

Journalist

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COLIN ROY

Entertainer

Our Corporate Supporters & Partners

Linked Business

Connect Surrey

Vantage Point

Kelly's Storage

Thrive Fit

Motivation by Music

Milford Golf Club

Accountancy Firm

Our 2022 rebrand

During the past decade, immunotherapy has permanently changed cancer treatment and it has become the standard of treatment in the NHS for many. When Topic of Cancer was launched in 2013, immunotherapy was still very much in its infancy, with Prof Pandha and his research team at the University of Surrey, one of the few centres spearheading research into this revolutionary type of cancer treatment. We have since witnessed its journey into the medical mainstream, as a powerful game-changing treatment for many cancer patients, improving quality and length of life.

We needed to make sure our charity brand, aims and vision reflected these seismic changes. During the pandemic lockdown the trustees had the opportunity to carry out some research with a range of people and reflect on the charity; where it is going, what functions well and where improvements could be made.

Our bold new refreshed brand is designed to be more accessible and modern, engaging with cancer patients and researchers, alongside reaching new audiences. Our aim is to support research into immunotherapies, so that new treatments for more cancers are developed, saving more lives and bringing hope for a better future.

We hope you like our new look. We are indebted to Ed Schofield, Creative Director at Yazaroo for his pro bono work in design and development. Our admin costs still remain at 1-2%, meaning nearly every penny donated goes directly to the point of need.