Founded in late 1959, the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association is the longest continuously running Cancer Charity on the Island. Initially, we were the only Cancer Charity on the Island and we raised funds predominantly for research, seeking a better understanding of the disease, improved treatments and striving, ultimately, for the cure – the ‘C’ in our logo stands for ‘cure’. As new treatments have come along, IOM ACA has assisted the Department of Health and Social Care in introducing those treatments on the Island as well as in Hospitals in the North West of England where Manx Cancer patients are managed.
The Association evolved from the ‘Friends of the Liverpool Radium Institute’ on the Island which had been set up to support Manx residents who required radiotherapy treatment at the Institute in the centre of Liverpool – and we know that this precedes the introduction of the National Health Service in 1948 in the UK. All monies raised were placed into an ‘Endowment Fund’ and used to support the service. The Radium Institute was then renamed, the Liverpool Clinic and became the Regional Centre for Nuclear Medicine.
Also, a new Regional Radiotherapy Centre was opened in March 1958 at Clatterbridge on the Wirral. The Radium Institute refused to transfer the funds that had been raised in the island so the members resigned and re-formed overnight as the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association.
Since that day, the charity has raised and disbursed more than £22 million!
So, in 2021 we continue to raise money to fund vital research into cancer, raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer and provide support to Island Residents affected by cancer – still working with a variety of organisations both on and off the Isle of Man striving for better outcomes for Island Residents!
Our charity is managed by our Trustees who form the Executive Committee and who are elected at our Annual General Meeting, held in the Spring of each year.
Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association Trustees:
Christine Carter: President; Malcolm Clague: Chairman; Ken Mills: Vice Chairman; Richard Ellis: Treasurer
We welcomed Christine Carter BEM, earlier this year as our newly elected President. As Volunteer Chair & Secretary, Christine has been a part of the Lonan & Laxey Branch for 35 years, helping to raise over £200,00 for the charity with pop up shops, charity dinners and choral concerts.
It has to be said that the most important individuals within IOM ACA are our policy group members and the many volunteers who undertake fund-raising events and, in doing so, enhance the profile of the Association on the Isle of Man. We have six District Branches across the Island who work tirelessly for our charity for which we are eternally grateful! We used to have separate Branches in Castletown, Port Erin & Port St Mary but due to several reasons, they have joined forces to create a Southern Branch which has worked amazingly well and they endeavour to have an event every month. May I take this opportunity to thank all involved and also to all our fantastic supporters for always being there!
Our Biggest achievement is definitely the Staywell Clinic! Cervical Screening was introduced into the UK in 1964 as the first cancer screening programme. In the same year Dr Guy Pantin, a Consultant Pathologist at Noble’s Hospital, invited the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association to provide sessions at the Hospital in order to complement the service provided by the Doctors’ surgeries and to provide an alternative venue for Ladies wishing to attend cervical screening.
The Staywell Clinic has always been fully funded and managed by IOM ACA since its inception in 1964. The aim was, and still is, to give women the option of being able to attend cervical screening in a facility that is staffed entirely by female nurses and volunteers, outside of the usual working hours, in order to encourage more women to take up this important test.
Calling all Ladies! If you have received your cervical screening reminder letter then you can call us to make an appointment on 642638 on Mondays & Thursdays, 9am till 2pm.
We are also very proud that IOM ACA has had such a long association with Clatterbridge Hospital. As previously mentioned, it was the reason behind the rather dramatic establishment of the Charity back in 1959. Over the many years, we have assisted with the funding of facilities for patients and specialist equipment at the Centre. There are around 350 new diagnoses each year and, of that number, probably 200 or more will have to go off the island for at least part of their treatment! Recently, we awarded £400,000 to the new Clatterbridge Cancer Centre to fund three relatives’ rooms for relatives of very sick or dying patients from the Isle of Man and we’ve also funded a novel treatment for prostate cancer which delivers more focused radiotherapy.
Our aim for the future is to continue funding research into cancer with the hope that one day there will be a cure or at the very least, anyone diagnosed with cancer will live and they will live well!
As you are reading this article, there will be people recently diagnosed with cancer – One in two of us will develop cancer at some point in our lives!
Can you help? Whilst we are not one of the largest charities, what we lack in numbers we make up for in enthusiasm and support. Anyone, of any age can either organise or take part in fundraising. After all, cancer can affect anyone at any time so don’t wait until it strikes – we need funds now so that we can continue our work against cancer! Volunteers are always required to help with coffee mornings, bag packs, sponsored events and other events throughout the year. If you could just give us a few hours of your time, once a year we would love to hear from you.
So, if you would like any further information about the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association, would like to help or to donate then please contact:-
Sandy Denning
Executive Officer & Staywell Clinic Manager
Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association
Unit 6B, Middle River Industrial Estate, Pulrose Road, Douglas IM2 1AL
Email: iomanticancer@gmail.com
Mobile: 07624 252725
Website: www.iomaca.org.im
You can also find us on Facebook & Twitter
Thank you to all our wonderful Supporters – we couldn’t do what we do without you!