Coincidentally, also in 1996 Leicester University acquired a new research based Cancer Department. This was followed in 1998 by the building of a new Cancer hospital, the Osborne Building and both of these did a great deal to advance the care of cancer locally. However, the development of cancer care in Leicestershire was still hampered by lack of funding. Allison became aware during her treatment that patients treated locally did not enjoy the proven advantages of being able to take part in clinical trials which was a feature of treatment in areas where there is strong financial support from cancer research charities. They have therefore, as a result of funding shortages, suffered a lack of opportunity to maximise their chances of finding a cure.
Despite the relative lack of funding a great deal of innovative work is being done locally, just one example of which is in connection with the world renowned Centre of Genetics which pioneers work identifying those most as risk from the disease and has the largest chemoprevention centre in Europe. Local research into breast, lung and liver cancer is also renowned as among the best in the country.
Allison’s doctors helped her to understand how crucial it was for local research funding to be made available to support the excellent work being done. She therefore lent her support to the foundation of a new charity for Leicestershire and Rutland in the knowledge that this would lead to improved cancer care. She wanted to share her vision of the establishment of this area as a renowned cancer research centre with the reputation to attract the most able staff and provide the best available training for doctors and nurses in the field of cancer care.
This is how the Hope Foundation for Cancer Research came about. Funds raised so far have been channelled into the support of two research posts which commenced in September 2004, a £15,000 grant (The Allison Wilson Fellowship) and a Clinical Research Fellowship, which was awarded at the beginning of April.
