In the UK around half of e-cigarette users continue to smoke tobacco, but this dual use behaviour is not well understood.

In Norwich, Dr Felix Naughton is studying the different ways people use both e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes. Results from this study could be used to develop interventions to support dual users to use e-cigarettes exclusively and avoid smoking relapse or health risks associated with smoking. This could be useful to Stop Smoking Services and could eventually support people to be completely smoke free.

In Cambridge, Dr Inigo Martincorena is uncovering the earliest steps in pancreatic cancer, to improve early diagnosis of the disease. He is collecting samples from healthy people and people with early-stage pancreatic cancer to investigate the changes in our DNA that cause the disease.  This work could form the basis for new tools that allow doctors to intervene early and stop the cancer before it has a chance to get going.

Cancer Research UK has helped highlight the importance of diagnosing cancer early, when treatment is more likely to be successful. For many common cancers survival triples when diagnosed at an early stage.

The two studies above are only two of the many projects you could contribute to by leaving a gift in your Will to Cancer Research UK.

Gifts in Wills breathe life into researchers’ work by funding over a third of their life-saving research. Legacies enable long-term research projects that allow scientists to achieve breakthroughs every day. Each breakthrough inspires the next until the day comes when everyone survives cancer.

Cancer Research UK has made a pledge to their supporters. 82p in every £1 they receive goes towards funding vital research like Dr Martincorena’s or Dr Naughton’s, while the other 18p helps raise more funds to support research.

In the past 40 years, survival has doubled in part thanks to Cancer Research UK’s pioneering research, funded by the generosity of their supporters. Cancer Research UK is committed to ensuring 3 in 4 people in the UK who are diagnosed with cancer survive their disease for 10 years or more by 2034. None of this will be possible without the help of their supporters.

If you would like any further information about leaving a gift in your Will to Cancer Research UK please contact us on 01206 700113 or email [email protected] or by visiting www.cruk.org/legacies.