Meet the Team

Andy Lewis

Chairman

My wife Angela and I first became aware of the Bone Cancer Research Trust’s work during my son Alex’s battle with Osteosarcoma. He had a late diagnosis, and as a result the tumour had metastasised to his lungs. He endured four years of operations, chemotherapy, radiology, and alternative therapy with amazing bravery and positivity.

The BBC made an inspirational film about our son 'Alex: A Life Fast Forward'. It aimed to increase awareness of primary bone cancer in the hope that others would seek early diagnosis, and that outcomes might be improved. The film also showed that you can deal with misfortune and still enjoy your life. Alex sadly died in 2011, 5 days after his marriage to Ali and his 22nd birthday. Essentially, we want to pursue his wishes through the Bone Cancer Research Trust and are committed to finding a cure for a disease which affects people in such a cruel way.

Roger Paul

Deputy Chairman

My daughter Claudia lost her battle with a Ewing sarcoma in June 2006, shortly after her 17th Birthday. I became involved with the Bone Cancer Research Trust after Claudia found details of a Golf Day, run by the Adam Dealey Foundation in support of primary bone cancer. After playing in the Golf Day to help raise funds and awareness, I volunteered to become a Trustee. My wife Gail and I have since attended Bone Cancer Research Trust conferences and supported the charity’s vital work wherever we can. I duly became a Trustee in late 2008.

Gill Johnston

Founder and Trustee

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.

I am incredibly proud to also be a founder and active trustee of the Bone Cancer Research Trust. 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.

Sarah Dawson

Trustee

My involvement with the Bone Cancer Research Trust 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 work 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.

Professor Bernadette Brennan

Trustee

I am a Professor in Paediatric Oncology in Manchester with a long clinical practice and research profile in bone tumours, and lead the front line trial in the UK and Europe in Ewing sarcoma. I wanted to become a trustee for BCRT to allow my skills and experience in bone tumour research to advance the goals of BCRT. I also felt it was important to use these skills for the important shared goal of myself and BCRT to improve outcomes in bone cancer.

Mr Jonathan Stevenson

Trustee

Jonathan is a specialist in orthopaedic oncology at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham. He qualified at the University of Birmingham in 2005, gained his specialist training at the Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry and began working at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust in 2015. He is a Senior Honorary Clinical Lecturer in Orthopaedics at Aston University. He has been awarded multiple national research prizes in orthopaedic oncology including the British Orthopaedic Association International travelling fellowship award in 2014, visiting the Tata Memorial hospital in Mumbai and the British Orthopaedic Oncology Society European travelling fellowship award in 2015.

"I joined as a Trustee for BCRT in 2018 to channel my energy and enthusiasm into a growing charity that is supporting research nationally to identify, prevent, treat and support children and adults in bone tumours so that we see improved outcomes as soon as possible"

Arlene Eves

Trustee

Having personal experience of chondrosarcoma, I was keen to support BCRT and therefore became a trustee of BCRT in 2018. I hope that, together with my personal experience and my professional experience as a lawyer, it will allow me to contribute as a trustee to the inspirational work which BCRT is performing.

Dr Darrell Green

Trustee

Darrell’s best friend passed away from primary bone cancer when they were teenagers. Darrell is now a Lecturer and Researcher at Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia. Darrell trained in molecular genetics at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge before obtaining his PhD in molecular biology at UEA. His research combines genetics, cell and molecular biology with bioinformatics to study gene silencing in primary bone cancer. Darrell sits on the editorial board of scientific journals and on grant review panels for other cancer charities. He is a member of Norwich Cancer Research Network. He has appeared several times on TV and Radio and has presented his research across the UK and in the USA. In 2019, he was listed as a Universities UK Top 100 People “The Nation’s Lifesavers”. In 2020, Darrell joined the Board of Trustees for Bone Cancer Research Trust. Darrell brings an unprecedented level of knowledge and expertise to BCRT.

Professor Alison Gartland

Trustee

I am a Professor of Bone and Cancer Biology at The University of Sheffield, and have been involved in primary bone cancer research for nearly 20 years. I have witnessed the Bone Cancer Research Trust grow from a relatively unheard charity to the UK’s leading charity that it is today. I have also been involved with the Bone Cancer Research Trust activities for the past 5 years or so. In this time, I have become steadily more involved with the charity supporting awareness events from giving lab tours, to presenting at the patient conferences to attending Rock festivals! Whilst I am passionate about raising awareness of primary bone cancer wherever and whenever I can, I believe that I have a lot more skills and experiences that I can offer to the charity as a Trustee to help deliver the existing strategic upon objectives, as well as shaping the strategic direction for the future.

In addition to my role as a research lab head, my current position involves the education of Medical Students at The University of Sheffield. Knowledge of the current curriculum and teaching priorities for the doctors of the future is something that I can also bring to the role of Trustee, and which will help to inform strategic objectives in raising awareness of primary bone cancer amongst medical students and the doctors of the future. On a personal level, from the projects I have been involved with, the patients I have met along the way and more recently experiencing the diagnosis and treatment of a very close family friend, I feel that I have a heightened understanding of what it means to live with bone cancer for patients and their families. Over the years of being involved with the Bone Cancer Research Trust I have come to know the staff, supporters and patients – and I feel I have a connection with them that really just makes me want to give more back to this amazing charity! I feel that in being a Trustee I can do just that and hopefully make a real difference to those living with and beyond primary bone cancer.

Damian Harper

Trustee

Damian was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 1986 at just 17 years old. He has had a successful career, initially as a biomedical scientist, working in a pathology laboratory, then moving into project and programme management. Damian hopes to can bring his attitude of never giving up to the Bone Cancer Research Trust as well as a great deal of knowledge and experience. He will be a great asset to the team. If you would like to read more about Damian’s story, please click here: http://ow.ly/3Rob50yidTX

James Maffin

Trustee

James is graduate qualified Finance professional with 25 years business experience gained across a career with several international FMCG companies. James’ career has covered all aspects of both commercial and operational finance, corporate governance, reporting and control systems.

James was diagnosed with osteosarcoma as a 15-year-old. Consequently, over a protracted 3 year period he suffered the very worst the disease has to offer. Medically multiple operations trialling reconstructive surgery, several rounds of chemotherapy, and amputation as well as personally loss of school peer group and witnessing wider family distress caused.

“It is a source of personal pride, and a privilege, to be involved supporting the BCRT charity and its work enabling both research to be undertaken and support given to those this terrible illness still impacts 30 years after my own journey”