Judith, Christie patient and supporter

Judith is one of the many patients who is eternally grateful for The Christie’s clinical trials and the gifts that kind people have included in their Wills to help fund them.

Judith is receiving cutting-edge personalised medicine on a clinical trial overseen by Dr Matthew Krebs.

After receiving radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy to treat her advanced lung cancer, a clinical trial was one of Judith’s only treatment choices. And it was an opportunity Judith wanted to grab with both hands.

Though her cancer is advanced, she’s doing all she can to continue enjoying her life.

Judith’s trial began in February 2020 - just before the world turned upside down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At first, the trial of a drug combination that wasn’t personalised to Judith’s tumour went well. Until a scan revealed that her tumour was growing again. But there was good news: a genetic test had revealed a faulty gene in Judith’s cancer for which a specific personalised treatment was available in another trial.

Judith now visits The Christie every other week for treatment. This time, it’s a personalised medicine directed against the faulty gene in Judith’s cancer.

The treatment is designed to switch off that signal so the cancer cells can no longer survive. So far, the treatment is working well.

Though Judith knows that the trial won’t change her diagnosis, she wants her participation to act as part of her legacy to other people with cancer.

“I don’t have any huge ambitions; I’m not going to sit down and write a novel or an autobiography or anything like that, but I certainly love life still. I haven’t reached that stage in my life where it’s easy to say goodbye to it.
“I don’t think a day goes by without us saying what a miracle it is to live within 17 minutes’ walk of this hospital, this wonderful hospital.
“Gifts in Wills are extraordinary and generous. And particularly in an age where progress in medicine allows us all to live longer and to live longer purposefully. "I still love my work as a linguist, and the fact that this trial gave me the possibility to do it is extraordinary.
“My real hope is that whatever the outcome of the trial for me, it will change things for other people in the future and continue to offer hope.”

Judith, Christie patient