Private hospital group that serves Yorkshire donates another £10,000 to skin research
Circle Health Group funds Leeds Beckett skin cancer project and pledges a further £10,000 for future research.
Dr Jaskaren Kohli, a Leeds-based researcher and lecturer in Biomedical Sciences is spearheading a new study aimed at developing better methods for early detection of melanoma skin cancer. Funded by a £10,000 donation from Circle Health Group (CHG) last year through the British Skin Foundation’s (BSF) research programme, Dr Kohli hopes to give healthcare professionals more tools to catch melanoma in its early stages, when it is easier to treat, and patients are more likely to survive.
The Leeds Beckett University researcher will look for biomarkers in moles, black skin lesions which can develop into the deadly cancer if left unchecked. This research has the potential to improve the quality of life for patients not just in the UK, but worldwide in the future.
He explains, “The British Skin Foundation grant will allow me to continue my long-standing interest in understanding deeper the biology of melanoma skin cancer. I hope that in the next few years we will be able to use this knowledge to uncover new skin cancer biomarkers that will help doctors to give patients peace of mind as well as have the potential to save the NHS money in the long run.”
Melanoma skin cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK and it’s on the rise. Projections suggest there will be 26,500 new cases every year by 2040. Recognising the importance of their donation in 2023, CHG has pledged another £10,000 donation to the BSF’s research programme in 2024.
Adam Busby, Group Clinical Director at Circle Health Group said: “The British Skin Foundation are at the forefront of research into skin conditions like melanoma. We know first-hand the difference research like this can make to the lives of our patients. As a hospital operator, we are committed to supporting improvements in the understanding, research and treatment of skin conditions. We are proud to be playing our part in supporting future generations.”
British Skin Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Patey OBE adds: “Research is the core of what we do here at the BSF, but it doesn’t come cheap. Thanks to generous supporters like Circle Health Group, we can fund top quality research with some of the UK’s most talented scientists – finding the cures and treatments of the future.”
Circle Health Group Yorkshire clinics include:The Duchy Hospital, Queens Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 0HFThe Huddersfield Hospital, Birkby Hall Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 2BLThornbury Hospital, 312 Fulwood Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 3BR