Henry Schein Dental UK Team Schein Member completes 300-mile bike ride in support of the MIBREAST study at The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 13th September 2022
Jackie Cooper, Manager of Infection Protection and Control at Henry Schein Dental UK, rode 300 miles from London to Paris from 20 to 24 July 2022 to raise funds for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
A Common Thread
According to Cancer Research UK, there are around 55,900 new breast cancer cases in the UK every year, more than 150 every day (2016 – 2018). Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 15 percent of all new cancer cases (2016 – 2018). Given this disease touches so many individuals throughout the country, Ms. Cooper was eager to support The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. She signed up for the charity ride in 2019, which was then postponed due to COVID-19. During this time, she herself was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in May 2020.
Since her diagnosis, Ms. Cooper has had five surgeries as part of her treatment process. After undergoing a mastectomy, she received reconstruction surgery at The Royal Marsden in Chelsea, where the team helped guide her throughout her journey, making this initiative even more important to her. Ms. Cooper rode alongside 180 participants in the cycling challenge held by the charity, to help make a difference in the lives of people affected by cancer.
“Having been through breast cancer and reconstruction surgery, I wanted to give back and help other individuals who are going through the same thing,” said Ms. Cooper. “The team at The Royal Marsden was there with me every step of the way, helping me to understand my long-term arrangement. I felt it was my duty to reciprocate after all they had done for me. If I can help one person who is starting her reconstruction plan, then I feel like I’ve done my job.”
The Ride
All the funds collected during the four-day event went towards the MIBREAST study, which will allow patients to have their appearance captured after reconstructive surgery using a 3D-surface imaging system. These pictures can then be edited to show how the individual might look after surgery, which will help to enable more confident decisions about mastectomy and reconstruction. Additionally, this technology measures the shape of the breast which may help in surgical planning, reducing the need for later adjustment operations to improve symmetry.
Improving the Lives of Cancer Patients
The ride was hosted by the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, which raises money solely to support The Royal Marsden, a world-leading cancer centre. The charity provides funds across four vital areas: research, equipment, treatment, and patients environment, to help individuals with cancer. To help support cancer patients and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, individuals can take part in an event, fundraise, donate, or volunteer.
Doing Well by Doing Good
“We congratulate Jackie and all the participants who rode for such an incredible cause,” said Patrick Allen, Managing Director, Henry Schein Dental UK, Ireland, South Africa, and The Nordics. “At Henry Schein Dental UK, we believe in giving back to the communities in which we live and work, and this is the perfect example of Team Schein doing just that. We encourage our team to go out and ‘do good’ by actively volunteering and supporting charities. Our culture is built on the belief that every person is as important as the next, and we empower each Team Schein Member to embrace community service and outreach on a personal level.”
This initiative aligns with Henry Schein Cares, Henry Schein’s corporate social responsibility programme. Henry Schein Cares stands on five pillars: empowering Team Schein to reach their potential, advancing health equity and expanding access to care for underserved communities, accelerating environmental sustainability, strengthening, and diversifying our supply chain, and maintaining strong ethical governance. Health care activities supported by Henry Schein Cares focus on four main areas: (1) wellness, treatment, prevention, and education; (2) capacity building; (3) emergency preparedness and disaster response; and (4) health system strengthening.
To learn more about Jackie’s journey, click here.
