A businessman and philanthropist from New Zealand is donating £10m to establish the Charlotte Lockhart Precision Breast Cancer Institute, in honour of his partner who has terminal breast cancer. The institute will be part of the planned Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.
Charlotte Lockhart MNZM (Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit) was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004. She was treated successfully, but in 2021 was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, advanced cancer that has spread from the breast to other parts of the body. She is responding well to treatment, but knows her cancer cannot be cured.
Charlotte's partner Andrew Barnes ONZM (Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit) said: “When we got the news about Charlotte’s diagnosis, it felt like the ground fell away beneath us. You think about the family, the grandchildren, all the things you still want to share together.”
Andrew, who studied at the University of Cambridge, was introduced to Jean Abraham, Professor of Precision Breast Cancer Medicine at the University and an Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Professor Abraham leads the Precision Breast Cancer Institute, which uses advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to create highly individualised approaches to breast cancer treatment.
“As someone who studied at Cambridge, I know what a very special place it is,” Andrew said. “Cambridge’s cancer research is second-to-none, with global impact, and the incredible and dedicated researchers I’ve had the privilege of meeting fill me with real optimism for the future."
He added: "As a dual citizen of the UK and New Zealand, I know that the research this donation enables will have profound benefits for people with breast cancer in New Zealand and globally. Cancer does not respect borders, and it’s up to us to work collectively to help accelerate a solution that will help us all.”
Charlotte is living in what she calls her “good health window" and has advocated for better access to medications since her 2021 diagnosis. She said: “It’s the sort of diagnosis that stops time, and for me, that set about a full reset on how I spend my time and energy. I am focused on advocating to extend to others the advantages, information, and advice that have helped me."
I am grateful for the gift of time that medication has given me, and I know that the institute will deliver extraordinary outcomes for people diagnosed with breast cancer in the future.
Charlotte Lockhart
The Charlotte Lockhart Precision Breast Cancer Institute will form part of the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital. Construction of the hospital is due to start in 2027.
Located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital will bring together clinical excellence from Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and world-leading researchers at the University of Cambridge in a single setting, accelerating improvements in diagnosis, treatment and survival for people with cancer.
Andrew’s generous philanthropic support will enable new collaborations between world-leading academic researchers, clinicians, and industry and biotechnology companies, transforming the way we treat breast cancer patients.
“I’m responding well to treatment, so I still have hope, and this hope exists because of research. Without research, I wouldn’t still be here today. It’s thanks to brilliant researchers like Jean that there’s been such a transformation in how we detect, treat, prevent – and hopefully one day – cure cancer. That’s why Andrew and I are proud to support the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital,” added Charlotte.
I’ve met and treated thousands of women in Charlotte’s position throughout my career. As a scientist and clinician, I always want to do more, to be able to say to people diagnosed with breast cancer, ‘we’re able to help you, you don’t need to be afraid of your diagnosis’. I’m delighted and grateful to Andrew and Charlotte for helping fund our institute. Thanks to their generosity, we have the opportunity to make a real difference to all breast cancer sufferers, their children and future generations.
Professor Jean Abraham recently led a trial which found that giving patients with inherited, aggressive breast cancer the drug olaparib before surgery, 100% of patients survived the critical three-year window post-surgery. It could become the recommended treatment for patients with early-stage breast cancer from inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.
Professor Abraham also leads the Personalised Breast Cancer Programme, which offers genetic testing, currently not part of standard routine cancer care, to women with breast cancer to understand how and if we can personalise their cancer treatment. It has been expanded to four other UK hospitals. More than 2,000 patients have been enrolled so far and over a third have had a change in clinical management of their disease.
The fundraising campaign for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital is a joint venture between the University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT). Find out more here (opens in a new tab) and here. (opens in a new tab)
Picture credits: University of Cambridge and NBBJ (visualisation of CCRH)