Scimcon’s Geoff Parker and Joscelin Smith will be cycling an impressive 350 miles in just three days in early June – but this isn’t merely a fitness exercise. Scimcon is fundraising for Blood Cancer UK, a charity that provides vital services and support for all those affected by the disease. Through research, care and outreach, the charity is committed to the fight against leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and all other types of blood cancer.
This is a cause particularly close to Scimcon’s heart, as a member of the organisation has a personal connection to blood cancer – find out more about their story here. This link has made the team even more determined to raise as much money as possible for charity, even if it results in some sore legs!
The pair will be starting in Scotland, heading past Hadrian’s wall and into Cumbria, before cycling south-east through the Yorkshire Dales – we hope the weather co-operates and the two are treated to some picturesque views.
Both of our Scimcon cyclists have been putting themselves through their paces through various training sessions recently, and by the time they hit the midlands, we suspect they’ll be glad that they did! Once they have gone past Cambridge, however, they’ll know they are onto the final straight. Finally arriving at Scimcon HQ in Newmarket, the intrepid travellers will be grateful of a sit down.
Good luck to both, we hope the practice pays off!
Scimcon has committed to Blood Cancer UK as our company charity since 2021, to support the charity’s drive towards life-saving research.
Blood Cancer UK has been dedicated to beating blood cancer for the last 64 years, investing more than £500 million in research to transform treatments and save lives. And there is no doubt that the money raised has changed the world for those affected by blood cancer. In the early 2000’s, only 41% of people diagnosed with leukaemia survived five years – today, the figure stands at 52%. Even greater improvements have been recorded in survival rates for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma.
Scimcon has set up a Just Giving page to allow for contributions to Blood Cancer UK, with the aim of raising £5,000. If you would like to contribute and support a worthwhile charity, or if you would like more information about the bike ride, visit the page and make a donation today: https://www.justgiving.com/page/scimcon-1709028074656.
Scimcon commits to Blood Cancer UK charity?Scimcon, the decades-strong leader in scientific informatics for the lab, has announced in 2021 that it has made a company-wide commitment to support Blood Cancer UK. After years of ad hoc charitable donations, Scimcon has decided that from 2021 the company will support one charity, and going forward all its charitable donations will be related to fundraising in the cause of Blood Cancer UK.
Geoff Parker, our co-founder explains: “When we really thought about it, it makes sense to ensure that the entire company aligns behind one cause. A company’s charitable contributions are not insignificant over time, and that’s why we are determined that every dollar and penny of our charitable contributions going forward will all be donated to our charity of choice. This means that every member of staff in Scimcon understands that from this year, without fail, we will all support this charity.”
Blood Cancer UK is a community dedicated to beating blood cancer. They do this by funding research and supporting those affected. Since 1960, the charity has invested over £500 million in blood cancer research, transforming treatments and saving lives. Right now, the Blood Cancer UK community is funding 167 researchers and staff across the UK who are searching for the next breakthrough. The day we will beat blood cancer is now in sight, and the charity’s researchers are determined to finish the job.
The charity also campaigns for change, helping to make sure that people get the healthcare they deserve, and that new treatments that come from research breakthroughs are available on the NHS.
Geoff adds, “As scientists working with scientific companies, Scimcon is committed to investment in science – it is our lifeblood. The fact that Blood Cancer UK is funding lifesaving research appeals to our ethos as a business. You only have to read the most recent annual report from the charity to learn what their money is spent on: Survival rates have improved dramatically over the last few decades, and even over the last 10 years we have seen blood cancer survival rates increase faster than survival rates for other cancers.”
In 2020, investing in life-saving research remained at the heart of their work, with the announcement of £6.5 million of new research funding. This money was spread across 15 projects, supporting the work of 169 researchers at 30 research institutions. This included a series of projects focused on acute myeloid leukaemia, which has one of the poorest outcomes. The researchers will identify better treatment targets, test the potential for repurposing existing drugs, and develop new ways to predict which patients will respond to current treatments.
They are also funding research that will look at how a key gene drives cancer development in children with Down’s Syndrome. Two Lymphoma teams will look at the role of the Epstein Barr Virus in the development of lymphomas, focusing on lymphomas and other blood cancers that develop as a result of treatment in people who have had an organ transplant. Blood Cancer UK also funded new research in myeloma, that will look at how myeloma develops and how patients respond to immunotherapies.
Thanks to previously funded research, there were 117 papers published in scientific journals during 2019/20. These papers covered a wide range of science, from laboratory research to clinical trials, and covered the full range of blood cancers. Geoff explains “In our small way, Scimcon might be working with companies who contribute to this mammoth effort. Our customers in laboratories worldwide are part of this great community, and Scimcon believes that money is only part of the effort to save lives. We are proud to be associated with Blood Cancer UK as our charity of choice.”
To learn more about the life-saving work Blood Cancer UK does, visit www.bloodcancer.org.uk
