Butterfly Thyroid Cancer Trust is the first national charity in the UK dedicated solely to the support of patients with Thyroid Cancer. The most common endocrine malignancy can affect people of any any age or sex and is on the rise. Our CEO, Kate, founded ‘Butterfly Thyroid Cancer Trust’ following her own diagnosis in 2000. ‘Butterfly’ provides vital support and information directly to people affected by thyroid cancer via the dedicated telephone helpline, a website providing comprehensive patient information and patient support contacts and a BMA commended patient information DVD; and indirectly through its national and international network of professional care workers acting as an intermediary to facilitate engagement of doctors, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists and nurses to improve the patients’ treatment outcome. Kate also acts as the patient advisor/ representative on numerous working groups influencing the manner in which treatment guidelines are set out to improve the patient journey.
Syncona's support since 2014 has been invaluable
Funding provided by Syncona has enabled Butterfly to ‘spread its wings’ even further than it could ever have imagined in supporting people with thyroid cancer. Patients having radioactive iodine as part of their treatment are required to remain in isolation in a dedicated hospital room. Butterfly has engaged dozens of centres across the UK to provide wall glamour which greatly improves the patient experience whilst isolating. Patient and staff feedback is outstanding.
Funding has been granted to two leading London hospitals for research into cutting edge surgical techniques and genomic mapping specifically related to thyroid cancer.
A local PHD student has been sponsored over three years to research a doctorate into how thyroid cancer affects Quality of Life.
Implementation of the inaugural doctor/ patient thyroid cancer conference in London proved to be a massive success for patients and medical professionals alike.
Improved funding has enabled Butterfly to engage a much wider audience for its annual thyroid cancer awareness campaign.
Moreover, our CEO has been more able to dedicate time as patient advocate to provide input into numerous medical trials works in the Thyroid Cancer clinic at NCCC and is available for support, information and advice.
Rachel's Story "Butterfly saved my life"
Kate was contacted by Rachel Newton’s mum in 2014, while the mother of three’s husband, Henry, was on tour in Afghanistan serving in the British military. Rachel says:
"Following a neck lump removal in my local hospital, I was told it was “probably fine”. Unhappy with the vague diagnosis, my mum contacted ‘Butterfly’ for advice after which Kate instigated a second opinion for my slides to be looked at by a leading pathologist in Newcastle. The second report was definitive in diagnosing a thyroid malignancy. I underwent further treatment to successfully treat the cancer, but without ‘Butterfly’s’ intervention, the outcome would have been considerably different. I am proud to be a patient support contact and trustee for this outstanding charity."
Key stats
Funded improvements to radioactive isolation units for over 30 centres
Dissemination of BMA approved ‘Thyroid Uncovered’ DVD to over 80 centres throughout the UK
Holiday funding awarded to over 15 individuals