Trustees
At BCRT we are a dedicated, hardworking and happy team, all striving for the same goal.
Roger Paul: Chairman
My daughter Claudia lost her battle with a Ewings Sarcoma in June 2006, shortly after her 17th Birthday. She took the initiative in looking for information and organisations via the internet, which supported Primary Bone Cancer. She found a Golf Day, run by the Adam Dealey Foundation and suggested that I play in it as a way of raising funds and awareness of this disease.
My wife Gail and I went to the BCRT Conferences, and I also managed to play in the Golf Day; from there I volunteered to become a Trustee of BCRT, because I saw an opportunity to directly affect the lives of those people who develop Primary Bone Cancer, through research into the causes of this disease. I duly became a Trustee in late 2008.
I worked for AT&T in the Telecommunications industry until 2002, being responsible for all Operational aspects of their business throughout Europe. I am also a Trustee Director of the AT&T Pension Scheme in the UK, a position that I have held since 1990.
We live in Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds with three dogs and two horses; I am interested in sport, particularly football and golf, which has allowed me to meet and play with some of the great professionals.
Sarah B. Dawson
I am a Director of my own company and work with major clients designing and delivering business and management solutions including Mercedes Benz, Ford Motor Company, Center Parcs, the Youth Hostel Association and the David Lewis Centre for Epilepsy. I have worked independently for 20 years. I was previously an HR Manager for Marks and Spencer plc.
My involvement with BCRT stems from my son Alexander being diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in December 2005. Al embraced the treatment offered to him and with a very positive outlook went on his own cancer journey. Sadly the treatment and drugs available did not cure him and his journey ended in November 2007. He was 16 years old.
I have committed myself to support those who will help to establish how the disease begins, why specific individuals develop the disease, promote earlier diagnosis and through research develop more robust and successful treatments. I do not want others in the future to suffer as Al did or endure the loss we suffer as a family.
Patricia Smith
Patricia Smith worked as a Laboratory Technician in various industries in Ireland. After a gap of raising her family she returned to work as an Accounts Manager for a training company. The main client base was large multinational companies in Ireland, of which, Patricia dealt with them all.
Patricia's daughter, Krystle died of Ewing's sarcoma in March 2002. Even though Krystle was only 17 years old, she had to go to an adult hospital for treatment. Where, she found no support or up to date information available on Ewing's sarcoma.
Patricia is interested in promoting BCRT in The Republic of Ireland, as currently there is no bone cancer research taking place in this area. Along with Fiona Foley and Patrick Hardman, Patricia is one of the Trustees for BCRT Ireland.
John Dealey
I have worked for the Virgin Group of Companies for almost 30 years and am currently Property and Facilities Manager based in Brook Green.
I have been married to my wife Marian since 1973 and am a big football fan and season ticket holder at Luton Town as well as being a huge music buff in particular Tamla Motown.
We had two children Justin and Adam and sadly in October 1994 Adam was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma and passed away aged just 10 the following July.
As there was nothing set up to support Ewings we set up The Adam Dealey Foundation to raise funds for the research and treatment of this terrible illness.
In 2004 I was approached by Ian Lewis to join with other families who had lost children to Bone Cancers and set up a national charity and am proud to be one of the founder members of BCRT and fully committed to its aims.
Gill Pilcher
I live on the edge of the New Forest and run my own business providing bookkeeping and payroll services for small businesses in the South of England. My whole working life has involved accounts and I have worked independently for 22 years. My work is very interesting and demanding and there is always something new for me to learn.
My son, Anthony, was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in April 2001. He started fundraising whilst going through his treatment. Sadly he lost his battle in October 2002.
After his death, I continued with his fundraising and registered the Anthony Pilcher Bone Cancer Trust and I am one of the founder trustees of BCRT. Anthony wanted to ensure that at some stage in the future, children and young adults would have earlier diagnosis, better drugs and improved survival rates.
I will endeavour to carry out his wishes (and mine) to the best possible end.
Professor Ian J. Lewis
I am a Consultant Paediatric and Adolescent Oncologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Honorary Professor of Cancer Research in Children and Young People at Leeds University. My main clinical work is in the treatment of bone sarcoma and other cancers in children, teenagers and young adults. I look after patients from Yorkshire but also often provide second opinions to patients in the UK or elsewhere in the world.
I am passionate about improving survival and the quality of survival for young people with cancer. I have extensive research interests in bone cancer and in teenage and young adult cancer. I have been the lead investigator for 4 big international trials in osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma over the last 20 years. I also undertake research into the improvement of health services, including improving delays to diagnosis.
My involvement with BCRT began in 2004 when I was contacted by some families to ask how they could help fund bone cancer research. I feel privileged to have had involvement with the charity ever since then as a Trustee and as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Panel.
Fiona Foley
My qualification, above all others, for being a Trustee of BCRT is the diagnosis of my daughter Bláthnaid with Ewing's Sarcoma at the end of April 2005 and her subsequent death due to this cruel disease 17 months later. She was just 13 years old.
During her illness she discovered the existence of the then newly formed Bone Cancer Research Trust and decided that when she was well enough she would raise funds to help others yet to be diagnosed. Tragically, this was never possible and remains with 'jumping out of a plane' and 'swimming with sharks' on her list of unfulfilled dreams and ambitions.
I was born in Dulwich, south east London to Irish parents and moved back to beautiful Sligo, on the North West coast of Ireland as a child. This is where I met my husband John. I joined Bank of Ireland's Foreign Department in London from school and our first three children, Sorcha, Bláthnaid and Connor were born in England.
We returned to live in Sligo with our family at the end of 1995 and presently Ailbhe; our youngest daughter arrived to complete our family. John and I have our own business in Sligo city and are immensely proud of and grateful to our incredible community who have joined with us after Bláthnaid's death in forming the Bláthnaid Foley Trust.
Craig Gerrand
I am an Orthopaedic Surgeon who looks after children and adults with bone tumours and have been part of the North of England Bone and Soft Tissue Tumour Service Team in Newcastle since 2001.
During that time I have treated numerous patients with these challenging conditions and understand how difficult it can be. We need to stimulate research into bone tumours because good research can transform the lives of patients.
The Bone Cancer Research Trust has made tremendous progress by funding research into the causes of bone tumours and their treatments. I was delighted to become a Trustee because the work of the Trust is so important for patients and their families.
Laura Horton
Laura works in the Voluntary and Community Sector in the field of Equality and Diversity and is incredibly passionate about ensuring that all people are treated with respect and dignity at all times and are given the same opportunities to living the life they wish. Working in the field of equality and diversity provides so many opportunities to work with a wide range of people and to make a real difference, providing opportunities to engage meaningfully and make real change.
Compelled to raise awareness which would ultimately lead to earlier diagnosis Laura joined the board of trustees at BCRT in July 2010. Since Laura's diagnosis of a Ewing's Sarcoma in her right tibia in 1991, Laura has always wanted to find a way to be involved with a charity which was devoted to finding out about why certain individuals develop bone cancer, how to ensure that the most effective treatment is developed and ultimately improve the prognosis.
As part of Laura's treatment she had a bone transplant and was the youngest in the UK to undergo such surgery. Laura lives with her partner and they have two beautiful children who make her proud and smile everyday
Andrew Sheppard
I am Director of a business and project management consultancy company with over 10 years experience in providing support and solutions to a number of companies in the aerospace and financial industries.
As a former Ewing's Sarcoma patient, I have in recent years used my "experience" to support other patients/relatives/carers both during hospital visits and through the setting up of the Bristol Sarcoma Support Group. It is as a recently appointed Trustee of the BCRT that I hope to build on this experience and to help other people during their journey and to help them realise that they are not alone.
Clerk to the Trustees
Jane Nattrass
Jane Nattrass is the Clerk to the Trust (Voluntary). She lost her son, Henry, to Osteosarcoma in 2010 after running her own Arts and Consultancy Business for 15 years. Since then, she has raised money for families in similar circumstances and her book '348 Days' has been published, outlining the experience of Henry, her family and friends, all proceeds of which go to charity.
