How the Hope Foundation was Established

The Hope Foundation was launched in 2002 to raise funds for research into the causes and treatment of cancer in Leicestershire and Rutland. It was founded by the late Allison Wilson CBE who discovered, after she was diagnosed with cancer in 1996, that the development of cancer care in Leicestershire and Rutland was hampered by lack of funding. Allison became aware during her own treatment that patients treated locally did not enjoy the proven advantages of being able to take part in clinical trials which were a feature of treatment in areas where there is strong financial support from cancer research charities. Allison's vision, then, was to provide Leicestershire and Rutland with their own dedicated charity which would raise money in the two counties, for use in the two counties.

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.

Through the enormous generosity of the people of Leicestershire, Rutland and beyond, Hope Against cancer has to date raised £1.8 million which has funded 22 research projects into many cancers including bladder, ovarian, prostate, melanoma, liver, bowel, leukaemia, colorectal and breast cancer together with nursing fellowships relating to patient care.

Further details of our research projects can be found in either the news or research sections of our website.

Thank you for your support and remember,

Where there's Hope, there's Life.

Hope Against Cancer is committed to providing funding for cancer research projects in Leicestershire and Rutland in order to enable local people to benefit from innovative treatments.


Allison Wilson, founder of Hope Against Cancer