Yorkshire cancer charity launches appeal to help give people in Leeds and beyond more Christmases together

Yorkshire Cancer Research is calling on people to support its 2025 Christmas appeal, For More Christmases Together, to help fund life-saving cancer research and innovative cancer services in Yorkshire. This festive season, the charity is highlighting how donations can help give people with cancer, and their families, more time and more precious moments together.

Yorkshire Cancer Research currently funds £75 million of pioneering research including 26 clinical trials, to find new and better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer in Yorkshire. Thanks to the generosity of supporters, the charity has been saving and extending lives for 100 years.

For Vallentyne Mazorodze, Christmas is all about supporting his community. After moving to Leeds from Zimbabwe, Vallentyne began volunteering in his local community, encouraging people to talk openly about cancer and the importance of screening.

Wanting to enter the New Year with a deeper commitment to cancer research in Yorkshire, Vallentyne joined the Research Advisory Panel at Yorkshire Cancer Research. Here, he works alongside experts and people with experience of cancer to help shape the research the charity funds, so it has the biggest impact for people with cancer in Yorkshire.

Vallentyne said: “Many people in my local community have told me they don’t attend their check-ups when invited. I want to help ensure that Yorkshire Cancer Research continues to fund research that will make it easier for people to attend their screenings when invited, so rates of early diagnosis can improve in areas hit particularly hard by cancer.”

Vallentyne and his family have supported the work of Yorkshire Cancer Research in many ways. Vallentyne first started out as a shop volunteer before volunteering at fundraising events along with his 11-year-old son Christian. He continues to help fund life-saving cancer research in Yorkshire in a variety of ways – most recently buying Christmas cards from the charity’s online shop.

Vallentyne said: “We really enjoy sending out the Yorkshire Cancer Research Christmas cards to our loved ones. Since moving to Leeds, we’ve embraced many Christmas traditions.

"My son, Christian, will be turning 13 soon, and we’re thrilled he’ll be helping with the dinner preparations. Christian is in a youth theatre group, and we love watching him and the local community come together for their festive performance on the big stage. Most importantly, Christmas is a time to be together.”

Dr Kathryn Scott, Chief Executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said: “This Christmas, there will be 222,000 people in Yorkshire who are living with cancer, or have been previously diagnosed with cancer.

"Too many families and friends in Yorkshire are facing uncertainty and worry. Through ground-breaking clinical trials and research, like the IMProVE trial, the charity is working with cancer experts across the region to find new and better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

"By supporting this year’s Christmas appeal, people can help this vital work continue, leading to breakthroughs that can help keep loved ones together, for longer.”

To help give people in Yorkshire more Christmases together visit: www.YorkshireCancerResearch/Christmases