In an interview with Wessex FM, Sharon described her own journey through her diagnosis of CC, her surgery, and now as she waits for the results of further tests.

Many thanks go to Sharon for this massive boost to CC awareness and the work of AMMF.

The interview was broadcast throughout the day on 16^th February, and is available now by clicking here.

Initially, she didn’t feel particularly ill; the only indication that something might be awry were a “couple of strange symptoms which didn’t feel quite right.”  As we know, CC can be very difficult to detect and is often diagnosed too late for surgery, which is currently the only treatment available.  Helen’s CC was picked up in time for surgery and, knowing only five per cent of people are alive a year after their diagnosis says, “I know I am very lucky to be one of those five per cent.”

Many thanks go to Helen for giving a very full interview on her experience with CC to the North Devon Journal during Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Month.

To read Helen’s story in the article that appeared in the North Devon Journal on 16^th February, click here

Helen Tanner (holding AMMF collection box), Practice Manager at the Waterside GP Practice, with her colleagues

AMMF’s Helen Morement was interviewed by Etholle George on the Dave Monk morning programme – another great chance to raise the awareness of CC,  AMMF and its work, and to talk about the CChallenge.

To hear the interview, click here,  and go to the Dave Monk show 15.02.12 (interview begins 2hrs 33mins in)

To read this very moving tribute to her father, Charlie Allum, and the description of the journey CC took them on, please click here 

Nicola with her father, Charlie

“Liver transplantation for CC has been performed but resulted in poor outcomes with early cancer recurrence and high death rates and so is not performed by most centres worldwide. However, transplantation may become an option again in the future, as we have seen data from some centres in the USA who have performed liver transplants for a small minority of CC patients with very early stage disease and who have achieved good long-term survival.  However, transplantation for CC is unlikely to be used routinely in the UK or Europe until further studies on its effectiveness have been shown in other centres.”

This comment was made following Dr Khan’s visit to the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA, in the autumn of 2011, where he joined Dr Christopher Wadsworth, Specialist Registrar in the Liver Unit at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington and a Clinical Research Fellow at Imperial College London, who was there to study the Mayo’s liver transplantation practice.

Dr Wadsworth, who has clinical and research interests in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer of the liver and bile ducts, was awarded a St John Ambulance Air Wing Travelling Fellowship in Transplantation which enabled him to spend some time at the Mayo Clinic with Professor Gregory Gores, Professor Lewis Roberts and their team.

Dr Wadsworth has kindly shared his report on that visit with AMMF – it includes his impression of the Mayo Clinic, the transplant process used for CC, and his conclusions.  To read it, click here

Malcolm Robinson and Helen Morement were interviewed by Wes Butters on his morning programme that promises to “get West Yorkshire talking”.  Malcolm described his personal experience of CC, and both were able to mention AMMF and its work.  A great awareness raising opportunity – many thanks to Wes and BBC Radio Leeds.

To hear this, click here – the interview starts 1hr 34mins in to the programme.

Your message must include the code AMMF 12 followed by the amount you want to give (£1, £2, £3, £4, £5, or £10) – eg  AMMF 12 £10.

Then send the message to 70070, after which you will  receive a receipt and the chance to add Gift Aid.

For more details on how to donate to AMMF, click here

To hear the interview, click here – Marcella’s interview begins 2hrs 03 mins in to the programme and finishes with the charity’s web address after the announcement at the end.

Thank you so much, Marcella – awareness raising at its best!

AMMF supporter and campaigner, Malcolm Robinson, was interviewed by the Yorkshire Post, and it was a real boost to the campaign to have the article appear in that paper on 1st February.   Many thanks to Malcolm for sharing his inspirational story.

To read the story, click here

Malcolm, Susan and grandson Joseph

Yorkshire Post 01.02.12

AMMF's Press Release Jan 2012

AMMF press release_Jan12