The Valentine Trust was named because Michael Blake was born on 14th February 1952 and died on the 15th February 2008. During Michael’s illness it was very difficult to find current information about Oesophageal Cancer, the cause or what might have helped to detect the Cancer at a far earlier stage.
Therefore this charity and website has been set-up because Oesophageal Cancer is regrettably on the increase in the UK and the mortality rate is very high world wide, and this is because like other cancers is very hard to diagnose because the symptoms are not recognised early enough. The charity is non profit making and solely for the benefit of the public to raise awareness of the symptoms and encourage early access to appropriate medical care in order to save more lives.
According to medical teams supporting The Valentine Trust, the key to improving outcomes is to seek primary care at a far earlier stage. We hope to raise enough funds promote early detection of the cancer and to support medical teams by enabling them to carryout vital research to discover the cause ofOesophagealCancer; which in turn will produce better outcomes for sufferers and their loved ones in the future.
Many sufferers, carers and loved ones, are distraught when Oesophageal Cancer is diagnosed. Like many others, Michael and I had to learn to deal with fears and anxieties that everyone suffering from any form of cancer knows only too well. I cannot express the gratitude I feel towards the medical team who continue to work so hard to beat this cancer.
During the eleven months of treatment, Michael and I learnt a great deal about this cancer and the various treatments but found there was just not enough information to help us and what was available was quite dated. Following Michael’s death in February 2008, my brother Tony, a founder of The Terrence Higgins Trust, and myself, made the decision to set-up this charity to help cancer sufferers and their families deal with the many issues surrounding the disease, and to encourage families and friends to campaign together and raise awareness and seek funding to achieve the following goals to:
- Raise awareness that oesophageal cancer is on the increase, particularly amongst middle-aged men in the United Kingdom;
- Promote early detection by promoting recognition of the symptoms;
- Encourage speedy access to Primary Health Care;
- Raising funds to allow medical experts to carryout more research to identify the cause of the cancer;
- Remove the stigma that surrounds men accessing Primary Health Care at a far earlier stage.
- Ensure the website is kept updated with the most recent and relevant information about Oesophageal Cancer and there are relevant links to other web sites;
- Allow cancer sufferers, their relatives and friends the opportunity to discuss their experiences and support each other whilst working to achieve the above goals;
- Through a volunteer work force – create an after care advisory service for the relatives and friends of those who have sadly passed away.
Already, the Gastrointestinal Consultants for Bromley National Health Service Trust and Professor George Hanna who is based at St. Mary’s Hospital London, along with his team have agreed to support us in promoting The Valentine Trust as a Charity nationally.
Your support in anyway will be greatly appreciated and we are happy to add your appropriate company logo for advertising purposes, as a supporter of the TvT.
Thank you.