Latest news with #StuartSmith
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Campaign to host second digital takeover in support of Colchester man with cancer
A CAMPAIGN is asking Colchester's community to turn their screens black tomorrow night in support of a man battling cancer. Stuart Smith, nicknamed Stu, was first diagnosed with melanoma six years ago. The 40-year-old accountant lives in Stanway with his wife, Lauren - who, together, have been on a gruelling journey of failed treatments and surgeries. The pair, along with countless supporters and campaign #DoItForStu, are on a mission to raise £167,000. Fighter - Stuart Smith is battling stage 4 cancer (Image: #DoItForStu) The funds will be spent on a potentially life-saving treatment in Israel - which is Stu's last chance to beat his stage four cancer. The fundraising figure now stands at £107,976, including an anonymous donation of £20,000. Tomorrow night at 8pm #DoItForStu will host its second digital takeover and is asking Colchester's community to join in on the social media blackout. The online event reached over 60,000 people within 24 hours last month, and campaigners are hoping to see the same level of support tomorrow. A spokesman for #DoItForStu said: "The impact was huge and since then, this movement has grown faster than we ever imagined. "Now we are SO close to Stu's target and this is the moment to come together again and push harder than ever. "I'm asking EVERY single one of you to unite once more and flood Facebook with Stu's story. "We need to tip this movement over the line and we need to do it now because Stu doesn't have time on his side. "This is a united movement - one last big blackout, one last big push, one chance to save a life. "Please stand with us tomorrow - together, we are unstoppable." United - The digital takeover will begin at 8pm tomorrow night (Image: #DoItForStu) The digital blackout will see Stu's friends, family members and supporters posting the #DoItForStu blackout image, as well as changing their profile pictures and flooding their feeds with the viral hashtag. For more information, visit and
CNA
06-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Despite temporary exception, British steel makers still face uncertainty over US tariffs
The United States has made a temporary exception on steel tariffs for the United Kingdom, which means London avoids the 50 per cent tariffs other countries have to pay - for now. But British steel exporters are still paying a 25 per cent tariff despite a trade deal signed with Washington last month that promised to bring that rate down to zero. Stuart Smith reports on the uncertainties for Britain's steel makers.
Telegraph
28-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
The demoralising effect of letting criminal behaviour go unpunished
SIR – The Mayor of London proposes the decriminalisation of cannabis possession (report, May 28). Why not? Shoplifting, burglary and car crime are already effectively decriminalised, or punished with paltry sentences that are later reduced even further. It's tough luck for those of us who are law-abiding and want justice. Ian Forster Wrenthorpe, West Yorkshire SIR – Some years ago, my wife and I visited Vancouver as part of our honeymoon. We found a beautiful city beset by the all-pervasive stench of cannabis, its streets littered with drug paraphernalia. Around every corner, wide-eyed addicts staggered aimlessly or lay comatose in shop doorways. Is this what Sir Sadiq Khan wants? Stuart Smith Houghton, Norfolk SIR – The Mayor of London has called for cannabis possession to be decriminalised. Obviously, he has never lived with anyone who is addicted to this drug. Moreover, even though enforcement by police has been virtually abandoned, it is widely acknowledged that modern derivatives are far more potent, causing long-lasting psychological damage. Cannabis encourages users to experiment with even stronger and more dangerous drugs, and often leads to criminal behaviour – such as theft – to support addiction. David Woolley Malton, North Yorkshire SIR – I agree with the Mayor of London that the possession of natural cannabis should be decriminalised. Such a move is long overdue. Too often, cannabis prohibition serves as a flimsy pretext for stop-and-search, disproportionately targeting minority communities, and as an excuse for invasive policing. It does little to curb use, while fuelling distrust and criminalising the young. The police, meanwhile, frequently argue for increased funding. A far more efficient solution would be to ease their burden by reducing unnecessary criminalisation. Legalising and regulating cannabis – and taxing it heavily – would not only raise revenue and undercut organised crime, but also free police resources to tackle serious crime. It is time for a pragmatic, proportionate and principled approach to drug policy. K Harvey Proctor Conservative MP, 1979-1987 Grantham, Lincolnshire SIR – If Sir Sadiq Khan is inclined to do something useful for a change, he might get rid of the cycle rickshaws that blight the capital. London would be a much better place if it were free of their unscrupulous drivers and the loud music they blare out. Andrew Robinson Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Breakthrough ultra-rapid test that can diagnose brain tumours in just two hours could be rolled out on NHS in a year
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SCIENTISTS have created an "ultra-fast" test which can slash the time it takes to diagnose brain tumours. At the moment, patients usually wait six to eight weeks to find out the type of brain tumour. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 A new method for diagnosing brain tumours could cut the time patients wait for treatments by weeks to hours Credit: Getty But the new "game changer" tool, which assesses the DNA from a sample taken from the tumour, can achieve this in around two hours, experts found. They said this means that patients can start treatment faster and the test may even help surgical teams while they are performing operations to remove tumours. Researchers from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) assessed the new test on 50 patients. Publishing their findings in the journal Neuro-Oncology, the research team said the new test was "in concordance with standard of care" for "90 per cent of cases". Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme, experts said they hoped the test would be rolled out on the NHS 'as soon as possible' — potentially "within the next year or so". They said the new test can provide diagnostic results in under two hours from surgery, and detailed tumour classifications within minutes of sequencing. About 740,000 people around the world are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year, around half of which are non-cancerous. Traditionally, samples of tumours are extracted during surgery to be taken away, tested, and examined under a microscope in a pathology lab. While the process is mostly accurate, it can take up to eight weeks to definitively diagnose the type of tumour. This long wait is also "traumatic" for patients and can delay chemotherapy and radiotherapy, they experts said. But the new method, called ROBIN (rapid nanopore brain intraoperative classification), can potentially eliminate this delay, they added. Man, 64, plays guitar while having a brain tumour Professor Matt Loose, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, developed a method to sequence specific parts of human DNA at "higher depth" using Oxford Nanopore Technologies portable sequencing devices. The team have now used this method to genetically test brain tumour samples. "Not only is the test more accurate and quicker, but it is also cheaper than current methods," he said. "Our calculations stand at around £450 per person, potentially less when scaled-up. "Most importantly, it delivers results to the patients when they need them." 'The degree of accuracy is incredible' Neurosurgeon Dr Stuart Smith, from the University's School of Medicine and NUH, added: "Traditionally, the process of diagnosing brain tumours has been slow and expensive. "Now, with this new technology we can do more for patients because we can get answers so much more quickly which will have a much bigger influence on clinical decision making, in as little as two hours. "Patients find waiting many weeks for results extremely difficult and this adds to the anxiety and worry at what is already a very difficult time." He said the test was so rapid that it could even help surgeons during any operation to assist with their "surgical strategy". Dr Simon Paine, a consultant neuropathologist at NUH, added: "This new method of diagnosing brain tumours is going to be a game changer, it really is revolutionary. "It not only increases the speed at which the results will be available, but the degree of accuracy of the diagnosis as well is incredible." Commenting, Dr Simon Newman from The Brain Tumour Charity, said: "The delivery of an accurate diagnosis within hours of surgery will be transformative for all patients ensuring rapid access to the optimal standard of care and - crucially - removing the uncertainty patients face when having to wait weeks for their diagnosis and prognosis. "The potential to combine so many separate tests into one and deliver at a localised level is a game changer for driving equity of access to rapid and accurate molecular diagnosis."
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New brain tumour test a 'game changer', say experts
A new test has been developed that reduces the time it takes to diagnose types of brain tumours from weeks to just hours, researchers say. Surgeons have described the "ultra-rapid" method of genetic testing as a "game changer" and say it could improve care and treatment for thousands of patients. The method has been developed by scientists at the University of Nottingham in partnership with clinicians at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH). The research has attracted interest from across the UK, with other NHS hospitals setting up their own testing alongside their existing regimes to gather more evidence about its effectiveness. A study published on Wednesday reveals the method has already been used in 50 operations at NUH and has had a 100% success rate in diagnosing the exact type of tumour. There are currently more than 100 identified types of brain tumour, and clinicians need to identify which kind a patient has to determine the most effective way to treat them. Traditionally, samples of tumours are extracted during surgery to be taken away, tested, and examined under a microscope in a pathology lab. While the process is mostly accurate, it can take up to eight weeks to definitively diagnose the type of tumour. Stuart Smith, NUH consultant neurosurgeon, said: "Sometimes once we do get the full diagnosis back from the laboratory, we realise it's a type of tumour that would really benefit from what we call more radical surgery to remove every last piece of tumour, if that hasn't been done at the first operation. "Sadly, sometimes that does mean a patient has to undergo a second, or sometimes even a third operation, to ensure that all the tumour that can be surgically removed has been." However, the new technique has seen results returned in as little as 90 minutes, and Mr Smith said it was possible to get a diagnosis while a patient was still in the operating theatre for their original procedure. It means surgeons would be able to perform more radical surgery, if needed, at the time. Mr Smith also said faster classification could allow patients to get radiation treatment or chemotherapy, more quickly, and that the quicker diagnoses often reduced the anxiety patients felt while waiting for test results. "It is a game changer," he added. Prof Matt Loose, a biologist at the University of Nottingham's School of Life Sciences, developed the new method using software dubbed ROBIN. Using nanopore genetic sequencing, he said, scientists are able to choose which parts of the DNA to look at in detail, delivering a faster result. He said: "Sadly most brain tumours are incredibly aggressive and waiting six to eight weeks, or however long, for every subsequent test may be too long for that patient. "Now we can get the results within hours and that can happen within an operation while a patient is still in theatre." Gemma's daughter Nancy was diagnosed with a brain tumour aged just one in 2023. The now two-year-old had two brain surgeries, then high-dose chemotherapy treatment to prevent the cancer from coming back. Gemma, from Castle Donington in Leicestershire, said: "From Nancy's first surgery to finding out what that tumour was, it was two weeks, and that was two weeks of pure hell and anxiety. "But to have it done that quick it could have saved her that extra brain surgery." Nancy is now in remission and has become the face of a national TV advert for Young Lives vs Cancer, a charity that supported the family during her treatment. Charles Trigg, who lives near Market Harborough in Leicestershire, was diagnosed with a stage four aggressive glioblastoma tumour in April. He was told his tumour was the size of a golf ball. The 45-year-old, who has been treated by Mr Smith, said: "To have knowledge is power and it could be the worst knowledge you have, but it gives you certainty, and having that certainty actually makes life a hell of a lot easier. "The fact they've been able to get back data very quickly that allows an extensive team of people to conduct detailed reviews feels like an amazing blend of science and medicine. "The pace is phenomenal, and it gives you that certainty and clarity, regardless of whether you like the information, I can't change the information, but what I can do, is take the information I've been given early - and absorb it, feel it and start to plan for the next stage." Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, according to The Brain Tumour Charity. Dr Simon Newman, the charity's chief scientific officer, said: "The delivery of an accurate diagnosis within hours of surgery will be transformative for all patients ensuring rapid access to the optimal standard of care and - crucially - removing the uncertainty patients face when having to wait weeks for their diagnosis and prognosis." Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, and Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital and Kings College Hospital in London, are among those now setting up their own testing of the method alongside their existing processes. Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Bereaved mum pushes for brain tumour research cash Could AI help treat brain tumours in children? Man's brain tumour shrinks by half in therapy trial University of Nottingham Nottingham Hospitals
