UK woman whose life was ‘saved’ by a cancer trial cycles 186 miles to thank the hospital that gave her hope | World News

Julie Rose, a 49-year-old woman from Bridgwater, Somerset, has taken on a 186-mile cycle ride to The Royal Marsden in London after a clinical trial gave her renewed hope following a devastating cancer diagnosis. Rose was diagnosed with rare medullary thyroid cancer in 2020, after initially putting the back pain she experienced while training for a half-marathon down to wear and tear from an earlier hip replacement. Months later, discovering a lump in her neck led to the diagnosis that changed her life. Her cancer had already spread to her adrenal glands and liver when she was referred to The Royal Marsden. With limited treatment options available, Rose was offered a place on a clinical trial in May 2021. She chose to take the opportunity, and within six months, her tumours had shrunk by 60%. She remains on the medication and says scans continue to bring encouraging results.

How cancer diagnosis changed Rose’s life

Rose first noticed something was wrong in March 2020 while training for a half-marathon. Back pain began interfering with her running, but because she had previously undergone a hip replacement, she initially believed the discomfort was simply related to her old injury. The situation became much more serious when she later discovered a lump in her neck. According to Just Giving, doctors diagnosed her with medullary thyroid cancer, a rare form of thyroid cancer that develops in the thyroid’s specialised C cells. For Rose, the diagnosis was particularly frightening because she had three children and a partner. She described the moment as one in which her “world just stopped”, as the family faced the uncertainty surrounding an advanced cancer diagnosis. By the time she reached The Royal Marsden, the cancer had spread to her adrenal glands and liver. Her treatment choices were limited, but she was offered an opportunity that could potentially change the course of her illness.

Image: Julie Rose/BBC

The clinical trial that changed her outlook

Rose became one of a small number of patients in the UK given access to the clinical trial. She said there were only around nine or 10 places available nationally, making the opportunity particularly significant. Faced with the choice between an older drug that she feared would make her feel unwell and the new treatment being investigated through the trial, Rose decided to take what she described as a gamble. She began the new medication in May 2021 and has continued taking it. The results have given her reason to be optimistic. Within six months, her tumours had shrunk by 60%, while subsequent scans have continued to bring good news. Rose said some of her tumours have completely disappeared and that she feels well while taking the drug. Her experience also demonstrates why clinical trials are an important part of cancer research. Trials allow researchers to investigate treatments that may eventually provide additional options for patients whose cancers are difficult to treat.

From cancer treatment to a 186-mile fundraising challenge

After receiving treatment, Rose returned to cycling and decided to turn the activity into a personal tribute to the medical team that helped her. She began her 186-mile journey in Bridgwater and planned to finish at The Royal Marsden in London. The challenge combines something she loves with her desire to support the institution that played such an important role in her treatment. Rose has previously taken part in the London to Paris Cycle, but this ride carries a much more personal meaning. Rather than simply completing another endurance challenge, she is cycling towards the hospital where she received treatment and where research continues into advanced thyroid cancers. She said she wanted to make the journey personal because of the positive results she has continued to receive from her scans. Her fundraising will support The Royal Marsden’s work, including research aimed at improving cancer diagnosis and developing more personalised treatments.

Why cancer research matters beyond one patient

The Royal Marsden has played a leading role in research into advanced thyroid cancers, with clinical trials exploring new approaches to treatment. Rose’s story illustrates the human impact that such research can have when experimental treatments eventually provide patients with new possibilities. For her, the ride is an opportunity to acknowledge the doctors, nurses, researchers and support staff involved in her care while helping fund future work. Antonia Dalmahoy, managing director of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, told BBC that Rose’s fundraising would contribute towards research focused on earlier cancer diagnosis and better, more personalised treatments for patients in the UK and around the world. Rose’s journey is therefore about more than the distance covered on a bicycle. It represents the years between a frightening diagnosis and a future she can once again plan for. After being told she had advanced cancer, she now has the chance to cycle towards the hospital that helped give her that future back.