Four students visit Manchester Breast Centre research laboratories

This year, at the instigation of current Rugby School student, Anya, Southfield’s charity fundraising has been supporting the Lobular Moon Shot Project. This campaign aims to finance research into lobular breast cancer at the Manchester Breast Centre under Professor Rob Clarke, both by fundraising and by pressing for government funding. Although 10-15% of breast cancers are lobular, this type of the disease is under-researched and there is no specific treatment which targets the unique way that it grows and spreads. Lobular does not form lumps but spreads through the tissue in single cell lines, so it cannot be felt and is often missed on mammograms.

Southfield have raised over £1500 for the Lobular Moon Shot Project with in-house events and by taking part in a 22km charity walk in May for the cause. In recognition of their support and commitment, Professor Clarke invited some of the girls to visit his laboratories and meet his team, so that they could see where their money was going. Students, Izzy, Preetika and Ada, who all wish to study Medicine, plus Anya and two members of staff from Bilton Grange, travelled to Manchester for a really exciting and informative visit.

They saw demonstrations of his state-of-the-art equipment, spoke to the PhD student who is funded by the Project and were given an understanding of the intricacies and complexities of cellular research. In response to Anya’s question, Professor Clarke said that he felt sure that if the necessary funding was forthcoming, they would be able to develop an effective treatment for Anya’s generation, should they become one of the 22 women a day in the UK who is diagnosed with lobular breast cancer.