Cancer researchers at the University of Aberdeen thank long-term supporters
A recent donation from local charity CRANES of £210,000 to the University of Aberdeen has taken the amount they have raised for cancer research programmes in the North East of Scotland to over £2million.
Established in Aberdeen in 2003, CRANES has spent the last 12 years organising numerous events with the mission to raise funds locally in support of locally-based research into the causes of and treatments for all forms of cancer.
Chairman since the establishment of the charity, Gladys Sangster said “Thanks to the enormous generosity of the people in Aberdeen and North East Scotland we have been able to raise funds, not only from regular lunches and functions but through donations from birthdays, funerals and we have recently started receiving legacies. This really does dispel the myth of the ‘mean Aberdonian’.
“We are also very lucky to have an extremely hard-working committee who give so much of their time and energy to support the charity’s activities.”
Gladys and fellow CRANES board member Lorraine Hunter visited the University’s Foresterhill medical and life sciences campus in May. They were greeted and thanked by Professor Emad El-Omar, Professor Mark Vickers and Dr Ian Fleming and were also gave a tour of the facilities while being informed about how their generous funding will be used.
Professor Mike Greaves, Vice Principal and Head of the College of Life Sciences & Medicine said “The funds raised by CRANES over the past 12 years have contributed to vital research at the University of Aberdeen into a number of different forms of cancer. They are being used to support a range of intensive programmes which are looking at the causes of and the personalised treatments for different cancers and this is leading to important findings at the University which have the potential to benefit generations to come. We cannot thank the CRANES committee enough for their hugely generous support.”
Gladys, who has been involved in raising money for cancer research for almost 50 years including her time with CRANES, is looking to step down from her role as Chairman of the charity and is hoping that a committed successor can be found.
Fundraising income for the University’s cancer research programmes is channelled through the University of Aberdeen Development Trust which is a registered charity. The Trust raises essential funds to support much of the University’s activities such as vital medical research as well as supporting students through the provision of scholarships, bursaries and facilities. Funding from alumni, individuals, companies, organisations and the community is essential for the development of cancer research in Aberdeen as well as many other activities.