The Christie Charity
On Wednesday 17 July 2024, the Paterson Building officially re-opened. The new state-of-the-art building is part of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, a partnership between The Christie, Cancer Research UK and The University of Manchester.
At the opening event, Christie patient Adele Adams spoke about her personal experience with cancer, including how cancer research has shaped her life. Read her full speech from the event here.
“Thank you for inviting me to speak today. I have never felt so honoured. It’s a privilege to be part of this occasion. If it wasn’t for research, I wouldn’t be standing in front of you today. It’s as simple as that.
“I’m from Wallasey so my cancer journey started at The Royal Liverpool Hospital. If it wasn’t for Professor Amit Patel, who tragically died in October 2021, my story would have ended there, and I owe him my life and will never forget him.
“In 2016 I was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma and put on the first of 10 types of chemotherapy. By 2019, despite the best efforts of the doctors in Liverpool, who tried to keep my cancer at bay, it has spread to multiple places in my body and twice I was told there was nothing more they could do for me.
“But I’m not a quitter and I refused to let the cancer beat me.
“On New Year’s Eve 2020, I was admitted to The Christie for CAR-T therapy, and after 2 weeks went into remission, but sadly it only lasted a month before the cancer came back.
“I’d previously taken part in a couple of clinical trials, and in September 2022 I was then offered another lifeline by Dr Kim Linton – the chance to take part in an early phase clinical trial of a new drug with the catchy name NX-5948. And it made me so much better I was back playing golf and winning tournaments.
“Unfortunately, in August last year I picked up a chest infection and caught COVID. By October, I had become seriously ill and was admitted to a ward here at The Christie for 6 weeks, forcing me to interrupt my trial treatment. I became so unwell, and so reliant on oxygen, intensive care doctors were considering putting me in an induced coma, which they told me they didn’t expect me to wake up from. Despite losing 2 stone in weight and being too weak to walk, they got me back on my feet.
“Fast forward to May this year and I got the ‘all clear’. I’m in complete remission and fully recovered. I can’t believe that I’m finally rid of the disease. It’s a miracle. I should have died 4 times but thankfully I didn’t. It’s been very tough, and I really shouldn’t be here. But thanks to research I am.
“Unbelievably my dad had the same type of lymphoma as me for 13 years. He never got the chances I’ve had, and I lost him 2 years ago. He was my rock and I miss him every day. Fortunately, I’m still here, and I have to thank the exceptional care at The Christie for that. Research has changed my life and given me back my ‘tomorrows’.
“I was never scared of dying, just of not being able to take my next breath and worried about what would happen to my sausage dogs, Biscuit and Frankie.