Welcome to the Dr Jackson Cancer Fund
Helping to provide faster & better cancer care for local people.
Dr Jackson’s charity is named after the late Dr. Ken Jackson GP. It was established in 1977 to help make a positive impact on those of us who are touched in some way by cancer.
Did you know that we have raised over £1 million to help provide better and faster cancer care for those living in Pontefract, Dewsbury and Wakefield. We have bought a range of equipment including a CT scanner and a Mammography machine. These have significantly speeded up the diagnosis of a new cancer and helped to get patients treated more quickly.
Treating cancer early significantly improves the chance of survival so we are proud to be part of the process. When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer the doctor in charge has to discuss a proposed treatment plan with all of his colleagues so that an informed decision can be taken. Last year our charity funded the equipment used at these meetings. This included video conferencing and the ability to show scans and diagnostic reports to a number of colleagues in neighbouring hospitals. We now do not have to wait for reports to be posted and read we can get the surgeons oncologists, radiologists, phycians and all of their team into a room at their hospital and conference call the medical details through to them.
Dr Jackson’s current fundraising campaign will support the development of Oncology Services at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. During the last year the Trust has appointed their first three oncologists for breast, colorectal and lung cancer patients instead of sub-contracting the care to visiting oncologists from Leeds Teaching Hospitals. This is the first wave of employing a number of oncologists to deliver the oncology care for Wakefield and North Kirklees District patients, and provide services closer to home.
It is envisaged the final stage will be to have an Oncology Inpatient Unit at Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which will support the three existing chemotherapy day care units. Patients having radiotherapy, Gamma Knife Surgery and brachytherpy will still need to attend Leeds, but should patients require an in- patient bed at some stage in their treatment, rather than being admitted to the oncology unit at Leeds, facilities will beavailableto stay locally.
How can you help?
Fundraising, corporate sponsorship, becoming a volunteer or fundraiser, making donations, leaving a legacy or a donation in memory of a loved one.
News
Find out about the latest goings on at The Dr Jackson Cancer Fund
In Memory of
It is with sad news we have to report the death of
Melvyn (Mel) Robinson
1933 – 2018
Mel was a distinguished Consultant Urologist at Pontefract Hospital from 1972 until he retired in 1998.
During his time at Pontefract Mel not only served a term as Medical Director, but also, working with a group of national and international colleagues, developed the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test which became the first definitive diagnosis for Prostate cancer.
Mel’s involvement with cancer patients also led to his being co-founder of The Dr Jackson Cancer Fund, a charity he set up with colleague Dr Ken Jackson (which gave the charity its name after Ken’s own death from cancer) to raise funds for research and better care and equipment for local cancer patients being treated at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
Mel’s charity is still very active, and since its foundation in 1977 has raised over £1million to the benefit of local cancer care and treatment.
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