Beating Bowel Cancer Chief Executive Moves On
Howard Lake | 15 June 2010 | News
15 June 2010 – Chief Executive of national charity Beating Bowel Cancer, Hilary Whittaker, has today announced that she will be stepping down from her role at the end of June 2010, after almost a decade at the charity.
Hilary Whittaker joined Beating Bowel Cancer as Chief Executive in 2001. During her tenure at the charity, Hilary has worked tirelessly to save lives, improve outcomes for bowel cancer patients by promoting early diagnosis and to improve awareness of this hidden disease, which is the country’s second biggest cancer killer.
Hilary has campaigned vigorously for many years for the introduction of national bowel cancer screening. The subsequent introduction of screening in 2006 for 60-69 year olds was a key milestone. The charity was also a key player in the campaign to ensure new cancer drugs are made available to NHS patients in the UK, as they are in other countries.
Under her leadership the charity has launched regular, high profile awareness campaigns and the highly successful annual BE LOUD BE CLEAR campaign, which calls upon the government to address key issues affecting bowel cancer patients.
The last ten years have established Beating Bowel Cancer as a focus for patient support and information with both the general public and health professionals. The charity was the first to launch a nationwide Patient Voices support group and to offer companies Health in the Workplace talks, led by bowel cancer patients. Its authoritative patient support publications are featured on the NHS Information Pathway.
Hilary Whittaker says, “I feel privileged to have lead the growth and development of Beating Bowel Cancer since 2001. I have worked with an amazing team and over the last decade we really have made a difference for bowel cancer patients but it’s now time for me to move on to new challenges.”
Nicholas Woolf, Chairman of trustees says, “I speak on behalf of the board when I say that Hilary Whittaker has been a great asset to the charity. She has elevated the charity to the success that it is today.”
The role of Chief Executive will be taken up by Mark Flannagan, currently Director of Policy and Communications at the Royal College of General Practitioners. Hilary Whittaker will continue to fulfil an advisory role for Beating Bowel Cancer’s Board until the New Year.
Mark Flannagan will be taking over the role of Chief Executive at Beating Bowel Cancer on 5 July 2010.
For media information please contact Kate Philipson, PR Manager, on 020 8973 0008 or ka**@be****************.org
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Notes to editors
About Beating Bowel Cancer
Beating Bowel Cancer is a leading UK charity for bowel cancer patients, working to raise awareness of symptoms, promote early diagnosis and encourage open access to treatment choice for those affected by bowel cancer. Through our work we aim to save lives from this common cancer. For more information visit www.beatingbowelcancer.org.
Key facts about bowel cancer
• Bowel cancer is the second largest cause of cancer deaths in the UK, yet if caught in time, 90% of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully
• Of the 100 new cases of bowel cancer diagnosed every day, almost 50 people die from the disease.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.