INTERNATIONAL CLINICAL TRIALS DAY 2023

International Clinical Trials Day (20 May) is an opportunity for everyone working in clinical research to celebrate the accomplishments and progress made in improving health and well-being, as well as taking a moment to reflect on the importance of the work underway now.

Sir Bobby Robson Centre staff

Thanks to the people delivering and taking part in clinical trials, we are making significant progress in finding more effective ways to detect and treat cancer.

At the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle there are currently 30 drug trials ongoing. Officially opened by Sir Bobby in February 2009, who was one of the first patients to receive treatment at the centre, around 400 patients with non-curative cancer are referred to it each year.

For the last 14 years, our Foundation has funded a research nurse and a junior doctor post in the centre and, in 2021, funded two new pilot roles – Selina Richards, an occupational therapist and Robynne Penny, a dietician.

A great team, the pair have worked together at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care for five years and are relishing their roles at the Sir Bobby Robson Centre.

Selina Richards

Selina, from North Tyneside, has worked at Newcastle Hospitals for 14 years, the last 10 of them within Oncology.

She says: “My role is to work directly with patients on clinical trials to help them manage cancer related fatigue, anxiety and some of the physical and emotional issues that are associated with cancer and its treatment.

“Ultimately, my goal is to bring as much quality of life as I can to our patients, to the activities, routines and roles that give their lives meaning and purpose.

“This is such an inspiring place to work and it’s a great team to be part of. Every day helping patients and their families is a privilege and there’s also a feeling shared by us all, patients and staff, of being part of the bigger picture in terms of cancer research. It’s an incredibly positive and powerful thing.”

International Clinical Trials Day is held on the day that James Lind, a ship’s surgeon in the British Royal Navy began what is considered the first randomised clinical trial, a study on the effects of different treatments on scurvy in sailors, on 20 May 1774.

Robynne Penny

Like Selina, Robynne, also from North Tyneside, has a passion for clinical trials and says: “Diet can play a major part in the lives of people living with cancer. By helping our patients manage what and when they eat, we can improve issues like fatigue and help improve their overall quality of life.

“My role within the centre also involves nutritional science, designing diets for the trial drugs to be tested with. For instance, some trials have detailed requirements where patients need to eat specific food groups, like a high fat diet, and I really enjoy that combination of science and supporting our patients.

“It’s a great team effort and there’s always that sense that the drug trials work at the Sir Bobby Robson Centre is not only helping people facing cancer now, it’s for the future too.”