The Christie Charity Spotlight events are an opportunity to hear from leading clinicians about their own area of work at The Christie and to learn about the impact that The Christie Charity has on treatment options and services available to patients.
They are free to attend and open to anyone who would like to hear more about our work.
Spotlight on Breast Cancer Research
Join us for our next event on Tuesday 14 July 2026 from 10.30am to 12 noon. Hear from Dr Sacha Howell and Dr Hannah Harrison about how The Christie Charity’s Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal is funding research to help diagnose and prevent breast cancer in young women.
The appeal was set up by Dr Sacha Howell together with the family and friends of Girls Aloud star, Sarah Harding. Sarah was treated at The Christie by Dr Howell and died of breast cancer aged just 39.
Like Sarah, two thirds of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease and so are not routinely screened and wouldn’t get called for a screening mammogram until they reached the age of 50.
The aim of the research is to establish a way of predicting the risk of breast cancer in younger women so a national screening programme can be developed. The work of the research team focuses on ways to prevent breast cancer, to help give young women the best chance to avoid breast cancer altogether.
We will also hear from patient speaker Annette Illing who will speak about her participation in the recent BCAN-RAY (Breast Cancer Risk Assessment in Young Women) study which was led by Dr Howell.
Guest Speakers
- Dr Sacha Howell - Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology
- Dr Hannah Harrison – Sarah Harding Young Women’s Breast Cancer Fellow
- Annette Illing – Patient Speaker
