IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY

Business Beats Cancer Cymru Board launched

Welsh business leaders have teamed up to launch a new fundraising board dedicated to saving lives.

The Business Beats Cancer Cymru fundraising board will bring influential, experienced, and well positioned people together to raise vital funds for Cancer Research UK. Members are keen for more volunteers to join the Board to help organise the first Business Beats Cancer Cymru fundraising dinner in Cardiff in 2023.

Business Beats Cancer Cymru chairman, Richard Selby said: “Until all cancers are treatable and survivable, there will be a fight against the disease. “Many of the board members recently shared their own experiences of cancer with each other, with family and friends sadly losing lives, and so the combined passion will inevitably come through and help our efforts. “We have an exciting range of events planned for 2023 and will release more information as plans develop, but if you would like to join our fundraising efforts, please do get in touch.”

Already, well-connected Welsh business leaders passionate about fundraising have joined the Business Beats Cancer Cymru Board. They include Matthew Phillips (Focus MEP), Angharad Collins (Welsh Rugby Union), Alan Jones (AGJ Accountants), Bethan Lewis (Brandrocker), Siwan Rees (Impact Innovation), and Simon Clarke (Speakeasy Club).

Every year, around 19,600 people are diagnosed with cancer in Wales* and one in two people in the UK born after 1960 will get cancer in their lifetime.** Whilst cancer deaths have fallen in Wales by 13% in the last 10 years, there is much more to be done with 8,800 people dying from cancer in Wales each year.

Last year, Cancer Research UK spent £4m in Wales for scientific and clinical research. Funds raised by the Business Beats Cancer Cymru Board will be used to fund research in Wales, enabling scientists to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

Cancer Research UK’s South Wales relationship manager, Sophie Busson said: “We are so pleased to see the launch of the very first Business Beats Cancer board in Wales and I am excited to see the impact a Welsh board can have on our lifesaving research. The board’s first meeting heard some brilliant ideas and I have no doubt they’re already on the road for success. “The Business Beats Cancer Cymru members will help save lives by harnessing the power of their networks to support our ground-breaking work.

“One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives**, but the good news is more people are surviving the disease now than ever before. Cancer survival in the UK has doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress. However, this is only possible thanks to the dedication and commitment of volunteers and supporters like the Business Beats Cancer Cymru members, without whom we would not be able to fund our life-saving research.”

The first Business Beats Cancer Board was launched in the UK in Glasgow in 2016. The fundraising dinner was so successful it became an annual event. It soon inspired similar Business Beats Cancer events across the UK including Edinburgh, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle and now Wales.

If you’d like to get involved, please contact Business Beats Cancer Cymru chair Richard Selby richard.bbccymru@gmail.com or visit the Business Beats Cancer Cymru website.