NEWCASTLE UNITED SUPPORTERS TRUST BACK SIR BOBBY ROBSON INSTITUTE
Football supporters have backed our Foundation, part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity, since it was launched by Sir Bobby in 2008.
Professor Ruth Plummer with Lisa Mole and Felicity Thow
That support now includes an extremely generous donation from Newcastle United Supporters Trust, which is contributing £59,000 towards construction of the Sir Bobby Robson Institute.
The donation, which came from the Trust’s 1892 Pledge Fund, was one of the first offered to our Foundation specifically to fund the new institute, which will be a world leading cancer drug trials centre for the region.
Construction of the £30m Sir Bobby Robson Institute has just begun at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.
When completed, it will enable ground-breaking cancer treatment that will directly benefit around 3.5million people living in the North East, North Cumbria and North Yorkshire, as well as making a global impact.
Fundraising for the institute is ongoing and the new building will greatly expand the work currently being delivered at the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, also at the Freeman Hospital.
Lisa Mole and Felicity Thow, Chair and Vice Chair of Newcastle United Supporters Trust respectively, recently visited the Sir Bobby Robson Centre to find out more about the clinical trials work undertaken there.
Lisa says: “It’s really amazing to see the centre as it currently is. It’s allowed us to appreciate the in-depth knowledge held here, and to learn what’s happening in terms of trials and treatment in our region.
“We were interested to hear about Sir Bobby’s experiences on a clinical trial of a new cancer drug and to find out more about the people who have been helped since then.
“The scale of things is eye-opening and the fact that it will all increase when the new Institute opens, and that even more people will be helped with more trials, is so positive.
“As a collective, we’re really proud to play even a little part in that process and I know all our members are backing our decision to support making the Sir Bobby Robson Institute a reality.
“As a Trust, we’re really looking forward to seeing this donation from our members put into action. It’s exciting to know it will play a part in bringing the new institute to life and helping even more people through the work that will be done here.”
Newcastle United Supporters Trust has over 13,500 members across 35 countries. Its mission is to champion the interests and passion of Newcastle United’s supporters through a forward-thinking, democratically governed and legally constituted non-profit organisation.
Professor Ruth Plummer, Director of the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, says: “It was a pleasure to meet with Lisa and Felicity and to chat about the difference the new institute will make to cancer patients.
“I’m sure Sir Bobby would be extremely proud that we still have such amazing support from football fans and to know that members of Newcastle United Supporters Trust are backing this ambitious new project.”
Built by Newcastle Hospitals and funded by our Foundation, the Sir Bobby Robson Institute will be completed next year.
The building will provide much-needed additional capacity to increase the number of cancer clinical trials taking place in Newcastle, allowing a 50 per cent increase in activity, over five years.
For Sir Bobby Robson Institute fundraising enquiries please contact Kate Bradley Kate.bradley14@nhs.net or call 0191 213 7235.
