Cancer battle inspires charity fundraiser

A County Durham family has raised thousands of pounds for a regional cancer charity after a shock diagnosis inspired a community fundraising effort.

Belmont resident Aidan Jackson, 31, was diagnosed with stage two testicular cancer after undergoing tests for what was initially believed to be a kidney infection.

The school sports coach received treatment at Sunderland Hospital and Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, where specialist cancer care was provided through the Northern Centre for Cancer Care.

Aidan’s parents, Susan and Andrew Jackson, were on holiday when the bad news came.

Andrew, a caretaker, said: “Everything seemed to happen so quickly. 

“We had a call from our middle son to say Aidan was so poorly he’d taken him to the hospital in Durham and they’d given him antibiotics for the kidney infection.

“They did a scan too and thank God they did because without that we wouldn’t have had a clue about the cancer even now because he’d had no symptoms.

“This was in late September, and it was a surreal experience for us all. 

“The diagnosis came absolutely out of the blue.”

Susan, a childminder, added: “Dr Oing said that, taking into account Aidan’s age and fitness, he could take quite an intense approach to the cancer treatment.

“So, he had three, three-week treatment cycles, which unfortunately made him really ill. 

“Aidan had to stay in hospital a lot and we have nothing but praise for the staff at the Freeman, who were amazing.

“He was given three different drugs, which were standard treatment but given in a more intense time frame than usual and, by the end of January, he had the all clear. 

“The relief was incredible.”

In response, Aidan’s family and friends organised a fundraising event, Aidan's Ball, at Belmont Working Men's Club.

The event attracted widespread community support and raised £6677 for The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

Susan added: “We’re so grateful to everyone who helped us. The support was overwhelming.”

“Aidan’s on the club committee and the whole club was really supportive when they heard what we wanted to do.

“It was amazing really; the whole community came together to help us. 

“The club paid for room and the singer, and Aidan’s friends helped decorate the room.

“Aidan virtually sold all 200 tickets himself and they flew out the door. 

“In the end, we received so many raffle and auction prizes that Aidan decided to do a second event at the club. 

“That was a pool and darts night with his friends and it raised £450 on its own.”

The money will contribute towards the construction of the Sir Bobby Robson Institute, a £30 million cancer drug trials centre being built on the Freeman Hospital site.

Once completed, the facility is expected to enhance access to pioneering cancer treatments for around 3.5 million people across the North East, North Cumbria and North Yorkshire.

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, which is part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity, has already raised more than £26.5 million towards the project and is continuing efforts to secure the remaining funding required to fully equip the institute ahead of its planned completion in 2027.

For Sir Bobby Robson Institute fundraising enquiries please contact Kate Bradley at Kate.bradley14@nhs.net or call 0191 213 7235.

For more information about The Sir Bobby Robson Institute, click here.

Read our interview with Sir Bobby’s son Mark, chair of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, and Professor Ruth Plummer, director of the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre about the institute’s significance, its global potential and their pride in continuing the former Newcastle United manager’s great legacy, here.

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