Professor of Poetry Simon Armitage has penned a new poem for World Cancer Day, inspired by Yorkshire patients and the researchers working to improve outcomes.
The Poet Laureate has shared "The Campaign”, a poem paying tribute to a century of progress in cancer prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, for the first time at the University of Leeds.
It was commissioned by Yorkshire Cancer Research, which funds pioneering cancer research at the University and across the region.
The Yorkshire-born poet Simon Armitage, who was appointed to the honourary Poet Laureate position by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019, said: “The poem highlights the tenacity and resilience of researchers and supporters who have driven pioneering treatments and breakthroughs over many decades. I wanted to convey a shared determination to keep moving forward while confronting the fact that Yorkshire is disproportionally impacted by cancer.”
At the launch, Simon Armitage was joined by the people who inspired the poem in Nexus, an innovation community hub based at the University of Leeds. Also set to be based on campus is the future home of the National Poetry Centre, which is spearheaded by Professor Armitage.
Every 17 minutes, someone in Yorkshire is told they have cancer. Before writing the poem, Simon Armitage heard from 17 voices from across Yorkshire. As well as fundraisers, families who have sadly lost loved ones, and those living with cancer, Professor Armitage spoke to Professor Eric Blair, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology in the School of Biology and academic clinical fellow Dr Jordan Appleyard.
Pioneering discoveries
Professor Blair received funding in the 1990s to investigate how HPV (human papillomavirus) causes cervical cancer. He said: “At the time, there were no vaccines or treatments for HPV, even though it was already well established that the virus was a major cause of cervical cancer. HPV is found in more than 90% of cervical cancer cases, but the mechanisms behind how it caused the disease were still unclear at that time.”
Professor Blair’s team discovered that HPV interferes with the immune system, allowing the virus to remain hidden and unharmed, and giving it time to cause cancer. This pioneering discovery by Eric and his team has helped pave the way for global advancements in cancer research and opened new possibilities for developing cancer drugs and therapies.
When asked about the future of cancer research in Yorkshire, Eric said: “Researchers are always looking for cures, and we can’t lose sight of that here in Yorkshire. Finding cures is a vital strand of cancer research, but it doesn’t come cheaply or quickly. However, we are standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, and for that, I feel hopeful.”
National impact
Suzanne Rogerson also shared her experience working as Lead Nurse for Research and Innovation on the Leeds Lung Health Check. The research trial was led by Professor Mat Callister, Honorary Professor at the University of Leeds and Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Suzanne said: “Research is fundamental to improving cancer outcomes.
“The Leeds Lung Health Check has been able to provide evidence to the government that lung screening works, that there is a good response rate to invitations, and that it is cost effective for the NHS to run. Knowing I’ve played a part in giving people more moments to enjoy is a very special feeling.”
‘The great enemy of mankind’
Simon Armitage was initially inspired by a defining moment in the charity’s history: its first public fundraising appeal 100 years ago.
In January 1926, at the Queen’s Hotel in Leeds, the charity’s first Honorary Secretary, Sir Harold Mackintosh, issued a rallying call across Yorkshire to “deliver the attack upon cancer, the great enemy of mankind, and become the new Saint George in the work of slaying the dragon.”
The poem highlights the tenacity and resilience of researchers and supporters who have driven pioneering treatments and breakthroughs over many decades.
Talking about how this historic moment motivated the poem, Poet Laureate Simon Armitage said: “Using metaphorical rather than scientific language, Mackintosh described cancer as the great enemy of mankind and that we must do the work of Saint George and slay the dragon. Saint George has always been a figure to rally around, not just in this country, but around the world.”
He continued: “I ran with the idea of cancer as an ‘enemy’ that must be tackled through ingenuity, decades of research and painstaking discovery. Cancer is also a dragon in the mind, demanding a certain bloody-mindedness - a true Yorkshire characteristic – to overcome this shadow and threat to our daily lives.”
Dr Kathryn Scott, Chief Executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research said: “Simon’s words capture the spirit of Yorkshire – its resilience, generosity and determination – and gives voice to a century of breakthroughs driven by people in our region, whose efforts have saved countless lives around the world.
“As we look to the future, the poem serves as a powerful reminder of why the charity began this mission and why we must keep moving forward to bring more cancer cures to Yorkshire.”
Reflecting on his experience meeting people affected by cancer across Yorkshire, Simon Armitage said: “It was saddening to hear experiences of illness and bereavement, including children whose parents were ill, parents who had lost children and people affected by different types of the disease. I felt very moved by their experiences.
“It was also a privilege to listen to testimonies of determination, resilience and hope. There was also humour in the room, dark and ironic humour at times, but humour nonetheless, and accounts of recoveries and good health that had followed illness. To put it in poetic terms, it was inspiring, moving and informative. I learned a great deal.”
Further information
Photo credits: David Lindsay Photography
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