Derry charity announces new student bursary
Team Sorcha was set up in memory of Derry woman Sorcha Glen who passed away from cervical cancer at the age of just 23
A Derry community based cancer charity has announced a new bursary for PHD students undertaking research in the field of gynaecological cancers.
Hive Cancer Support welcomed a delegation from Team Sorcha to its recent Annual General Meeting where plans for the bursary were officially unveiled.
There is a long standing history of collaboration between the two organisations, stretching back over 10 years.
It includes a joint campaign every January on issues surrounding cervical cancer such as access cervical screening on demand for women of all ages.
Team Sorcha was set up in memory of Derry woman Sorcha Glen who passed away from cervical cancer at the age of just 23.
Sorcha had visited her GP for a smear test, but because of her age she was refused it. A number of months later Sorcha developed symptoms associated with cervical cancer, and this lead to her receiving her cervical cancer diagnosis. Sorcha passed away in October 2014, following 13 months of gruelling treatment for cervical cancer.
She spent the final months of her life raising public awareness around this issue and after the young Derry woman passed away her family vowed to continue her crusade and set up Team Sorcha in her memory.
In 2018 Team Sorcha joined forces with the Pink Ladies (now Hive Cancer Support) and Paul’s Campaign, to form Team Derry who travelled to Westminster to campaign for greater funding for cancer prevention and access to smear tests on demand.
Maureen Collins, Project Manager at Hive Cancer Support, said the charity was very pleased to continue its proud link with Team Sorcha : “For the past 10 years we have been working closely with Team Sorcha to educate women and girls on the sign and symptoms of cervical cancer.
“It is a message we have taken to schools, work places and community and sporting groups across the North West and beyond as part of our female cancer awareness workshops.
“We have also been campaigning on issues surrounding cervical cancer such as screening on demand and screening for HPV and we have taken these campaigns to Stormont, West Minster and the Dail.
“Last year marked Sorcha’s 10th anniversary and this is a huge milestone for both her loved ones and the campaigns that have become her legacy.
“We are very proud to announce this bursary which is the next natural step and one of hope and positivity.”
Speaking at the Hive Cancer Support AGM Orlagh Robson of Team Sorcha, who is Sorcha’s sister, said: “Sorcha found out about a woman called Sophie Jones from Liverpool who also had cervical cancer and was just 19 years old. Sophie’s friends and family spoke publicly about how she had been refused a smear test and was campaigning for change.
“Sorcha saw this and thought ‘I’m not the only one’. When she did some research, she found out it wasn’t just her and Sophie there were other young women who has been refused a smear test because they told there was no risk of them having cervical cancer, but they did in fact have it.
“Inspired by Sophie, Sorcha started campaigning here in Derry in 2014 through social media, and was contacted by the local newspapers and the Mark Patterson show on BBC Radio Foyle.
“By September 2014 she had become very ill and on the 24th of October 2014 she passed away.”
After Sorcha’s passing her family took on her campaign work in her memory and had put together a vital piece of research that informed its work.
“That research is now out of date but the research that will come out of this bursary will inform our campaign work for the next decade.
“This bursary will be available to PHD students across the island of Ireland and we are very excited to see the findings that will come out of it.”
For more information on Hive Cancer Support go to www.hivecancersupport.co.uk