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Press release posted 30 August 2024
Hamish Graham, 28 years old from Littleborough in Greater Manchester, has been under the care of The Christie hospital since he was 7 years old, after being diagnosed with a rare medulloblastoma brain tumour in 2003. He was successfully treated, but several years later, in May 2020, he faced another life-threatening challenge when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Thanks to the dedicated care from the teenage and young adult (TYA) team at The Christie hospital, Hamish has now completed his treatment and is hosting an extravagant charity ball to thank those who looked after him.
He says: “I was so well looked after by the wonderful teams at The Christie hospital and Pendlebury Children’s Hospital for my first cancer diagnosis, aged 7. Despite the tough battles and the challenges growing up, I lived life to the fullest and even landed my dream job in a cinema.
“The second diagnosis in 2020 came as a shock, but the support from the TYA team at The Christie during the pandemic was incredible. I finished four cycles of chemotherapy followed by maintenance chemotherapy for three years. As well as the usual side effects of losing more weight, losing my hair and generally feeling unwell, I also had some bad reactions to medication and several infections which meant more time in hospital. The treatment was really tough, but the TYA staff remembered me from my earlier treatment, which made things a bit easier.”
The Christie’s TYA service provides specialist care for teenagers and young adults (16 to 24 years of age) with a cancer diagnosis and related illnesses and the centre and many of the services are funded by The Christie Charity.
Sarah, Hamish’s mum, has got to know the team well over the years, as she explains: “The TYA service at The Christie felt like a home-from-home for us, and the support of the team has been invaluable. I am so proud of how Hamish has coped with being diagnosed with cancer twice, especially during the pandemic. His determination to give back to The Christie and the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) through fundraising has been inspiring.
"Hanna Simpson (the TYA Lead Nurse) kept both Hamish and me sane. She was the glue that kept everything together. Always available, always calm and Hamish's refers to her as his second mum. All the staff at the TYA unit treated Hamish like their own.
“Hamish is on quarterly check-ups at the moment after finishing chemo in December and he is starting back on growth hormone. Plus, he is on annual check-ups for his brain tumour. Had Hamish been treated like an adult the whole process would have been so much more traumatic. The Christie’s specialist TYA unit really does offer an invaluable service to teenagers and young adults.”
Sarah and Hamish wanted to give something back to the organisations that cared for Hamish over the years, so they decided to organise a charity ball on Saturday 28 September 2024, at The Edwardian Hotel in Manchester.
‘Hamish’s Marvellous Night Out’ will celebrate the end of Hamish’s cancer treatment and aims to raise £25,000, which will be shared between The Christie’s Teenage and Young Adult Unit (TYA) and the Teenage Cancer Trust. To date, Hamish and his supporters have raised over £38,000. The upcoming charity ball aims to continue this momentum.
Hosted by Hits Radio presenter Mike Toolan, Hamish’s Marvellous Night Out will feature a live band, a DJ set, a silent auction with ‘money can’t buy’ prizes, a drinks reception, a raffle, and more.
Auction prizes on the night include a weekend in a castle, a day in the Repair Shop, a Maserati pick up to Goodwood Race Day, signed football memorabilia, an Etihad stadium tour hosted by a former player, a day with a GMP trainer and even an audience with Pope Francis at The Vatican! To find out more about the event, please visit the Hamish's MARVELous Night Out website.
Adam George, community fundraising manager at The Christie Charity, commented: “We are incredibly grateful for Hamish’s fundraising efforts. He has courageously faced many challenges with his cancer diagnoses over the years and so we are honoured that he has chosen to fundraise for us. Events like the charity ball help us continue to provide exceptional care and support for our patients at the TYA unit. We hope everyone has a fantastic night out and that Hamish reaches his fundraising goal.”
To support the work of The Christie Charity, please go to Donate today or ring 0161 446 3988.
The Christie Charity supports the work of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust providing enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds. This includes money for care and treatment, research, education, and extra patient services. Gifts from the public make a huge difference to the care and treatment that The Christie is able to provide to patients and their families.