Breast cancer research at the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian has received a boost thanks to the generosity and community spirit of a north-east vintage vehicle group.
Enthusiasts who have taken part in the East-to-West Truck Run have raised £8,000 through their much-loved annual event, which sees historic commercial vehicles from the 1940’s through to the early 2000s take to the road every October for a cross-Scotland fundraising drive.
The event has been running for more than two decades, attracting around 80-100 participants each year and as many as 50 vehicles, including vintage Albion, ERF and Leyland trucks, AEC vehicles and even branded commercial motors in the livery of familiar old north-east businesses like Gibbs Transport.
They have travelled from Fraserburgh to a variety of locations such as Mallaig, Ullapool, the Isle of Skye and Carrbridge, collecting donations and selling commemorative calendars featuring highlights from the previous years’ run. The calendars have proved so popular they have even had interest from vintage enthusiasts as far afield as Australia.
Club member and event organiser James Gray OBE was at the University’s King’s College campus in his 1983 ERF to present the donation to Beatrix Elsberger, Consultant Breast Surgeon at NHS Grampian, and Zosia Miedzybrodzka, Professor of Medical Genetics at the University of Aberdeen and Service Clinical Director of Genetics at NHS Grampian. The funding will be used to support research developing breast cancer gene testing.
“It’s a fantastic event to be part of, with a real sense of community among the participants and members of the public who turn out to see the vehicles along the route,” he said. “That covers everything from the generosity of those taking part to keeping the older vehicles on the road.
“There’s always been an element of fundraising for local organisations and groups attached to the Truck Run, which is now affiliated to the Fraserburgh and District Motor Club. Many of the enthusiasts have family and close friends who have experienced a breast cancer diagnosis, so we wanted to support the research that’s happening on our doorstep.”
The donation, which has been raised from collections taken over the last number of years, also hits close to home for James as his wife has gone through two breast cancer diagnoses of her own.
“We’ve been one of the fortunate ones as she was able to undergo treatments and has been cancer-free for many years but for others the outcome is not as positive. The work being undertaken at the University is already helping to improve the quality of life for people living with cancer, our hope is that this donation and others like it will support researchers working towards discovering a cure or finding ways to improve cancer treatment for patients.”
The University of Aberdeen has a strong and interdisciplinary focus on cancer research, bringing together scientists, clinicians and population health experts to improve cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Its work spans fundamental studies of cancer biology and tumour microenvironments through to translational and clinical research, with particular strengths in precision medicine, immunology and imaging.
Researchers in Aberdeen have made important contributions to understanding how cancers develop and respond to treatment, advancing biomarkers for earlier detection and more personalised therapies. Through close partnerships with NHS Grampian and national research networks, the University has also played a key role in delivering clinical trials and translating discoveries into improved outcomes and quality of life for people affected by cancer.
Professor Miedzybrodzka said: “It’s very special to receive a donation from families where breast cancer has meant so much. It is very much a local donation as every penny is going to be used to improve care for people with breast cancer in the north of Scotland.”
NHS Grampian's award-winning clinical breast cancer research team received the National Institute for Health Research’s CREST Award in 2023, recognising the surgical team's huge contribution to clinical trials research across the UK. They are currently supporting tens of studies with hundreds of patients participating.
Miss Elsberger, Consultant Breast Surgeon at NHS Grampian, said: “In Aberdeen we are fortunate to have the close partnership between the NHS and the University. Research is such an integral part of understanding and treating breast cancer. Without research, we could not move forward finding better treatments, more accurate detection tests and cancer prevention methods. Without research we would be still in the dark ages, unable to improve patients’ cancer outcomes, so donations like this are incredibly important.”