Former professional photographer from Burnley completes Rosemere Cancer Foundation walk just days after finishing gruelling treatment for tonsil cancer

A former professional photographer from Burnley has completed a charity walk just days after finishing gruelling treatment for tonsil cancer.
By Laura Longworth
Published 21st Oct 2022, 17:13 BST
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Alan Hutchinson raised £860 for Rosemere Cancer Foundation by completing the charity’s five-mile Walk the Lights challenge in Blackpool from Bispham Tram Stop to Starr Gate earlier this month.

Alan, who left photography to work as an aseptic pharmacy technician at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, spent nearly 20 years making up chemotherapy infusions before he retired last year. But within months of retiring, he was on chemo himself.

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Upon completing his treatment, Alan was determined to “give back” for the care he had received, which consisted of six weeks of daily radiotherapy at Rosemere Cancer Centre, combined with weekly chemotherapy.

Alan Hutchinson (centre) with, from the left, Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s chief officer Dan Hill, community fundraiser Yvonne Stott and volunteers Louise Grant and John Hodgson after completing the charity’s Walk the Lights from Bispham Tram Stop to Starr Gate.Alan Hutchinson (centre) with, from the left, Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s chief officer Dan Hill, community fundraiser Yvonne Stott and volunteers Louise Grant and John Hodgson after completing the charity’s Walk the Lights from Bispham Tram Stop to Starr Gate.
Alan Hutchinson (centre) with, from the left, Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s chief officer Dan Hill, community fundraiser Yvonne Stott and volunteers Louise Grant and John Hodgson after completing the charity’s Walk the Lights from Bispham Tram Stop to Starr Gate.

Alan said: “I count myself very lucky in that my cancer was diagnosed early.

“I discovered lumps in my neck in May and received my diagnosis in June. I finished my treatment the Friday before the walk.

“As I had managed to do the weekly park run in Towneley Park throughout my radiotherapy and chemo, I was determined to complete Walk the Lights to

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give back for the excellent care I received. I am very grateful to everyone who supported me.”

He added: “The irony is I retired from my hospital job in August last year after 19 years of making up chemotherapy infusions. Little did I think that

within months, I would be on chemo.”

He was joined on the promenade walk through Blackpool Illuminations by his partner Sue Slaughter, his sister and retired auxiliary nurse Margaret Ryan, her husband Malcolm, former work colleague Angela Shelton and her husband Eddie, and family friend Steve Derbyshire.

The fundraising appeal is set to bring SGRT – surface guided radiotherapy treatment – to Rosemere Cancer Centre next month. Its arrival means

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Rosemere Cancer Centre will become the second specialist cancer centre in the whole North-West region to use a beam guiding near infra-red light system to benefit radiotherapy patients.

For further information on the charity’s work, including how to make a donation, visit www.rosemere.org.uk

To make a donation to Alan’s Just Giving page visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alanhutchinson21

Related topics:BurnleyBlackpool