Lucy Graves and Ella Havard, Christie supporters

“Clinical trials offer further treatment options… none of this would be possible without financial support and The Christie Charity is an integral part of this.”

Lucy Graves and Ella Havard both work in the melanoma research team at The Christie. Lucy works as senior trial coordinator in the team, helping to set up new clinical trials, manage data and deliver service improvement. Ella works as a clinical research practitioner, recruiting patients onto studies and liaising with other research sites across the country.

Throughout their work, Lucy and Ella have seen the impact that funding from The Christie Charity has on cancer research. To say thanks for The Christie Charity's support, they have both signed up for The Christie Challenge to complete 6 fundraising activities in 12 months.

So far, Lucy and Ella have taken on a wide range of fundraising activities, from sponsored haircuts and bake sales to more physical pursuits including a Yorkshire 3 peaks trek and The Christie Charity Festive Dash in December 2025.

Both Lucy and Ella are finishing their Christie Challenges by taking part in our trek challenge, The Christie Charity’s Mount Toubkal Trek. In June 2026, Team Christie hikers will experience the breathtaking beauty of Morocco on an exhilarating 3-day trek through the stunning High Atlas Mountains – and you could join them.

By participating in this challenge, you’ll be raising vital funds to help The Christie continue its lifesaving and life-changing work. 

“Clinical trials offer further treatment options and often a lifeline for many patients with advanced cancer, but in the longer term can positively impact the future cancer treatment landscape. None of this would be possible without financial support and The Christie Charity is an integral part of this, specifically funding one of our own research projects in melanoma but also pledging to raise £30m for research by 2030. 

I have done small scale fundraising events in the past, but this will be my first big charity trek. I am a keen hiker and get outdoors at any opportunity, so this challenge appealed to me as soon as I heard about it! I am looking forward to meeting the rest of Team Christie and getting out on some practice hikes over the coming months.

Lucy Graves, Christie supporter

“Working in research directly, I have the pleasure of meeting patients that have more treatment options thanks to research studies and see how this impacts future practices. This is a continual process and requires a vast amount of resources, teamwork and investment.

“This is my first organised fundraising trek, however I have always enjoyed getting outdoors and walking – from local walks with family and friends to a sunrise hike up Mount Inerie, a 2,245m volcano in Indonesia. I am looking forward to practicing for Mount Toubkal closer to home in the Peak District, Snowdonia and the Lake District.

I have been overwhelmed by the support I have received so far and really look forward to continuing the challenges.

Ella Havard, Christie supporter

Do you want to join Team Christie at The Christie Charity’s Mount Toubkal Trek in June 2026? Visit our Mount Toubkal Trek page to find out more.

A photo of Lucy Graves and Ella Havard wearing Christie Charity t-shirts and standing outside the Manchester Cancer Research Centre.