10 October 2024

Fearne Stewart was guest of honour at the launch of Cancer Research UK’s new superstore at Crown Street Retail Park, Glasgow. The five-year-old who is in remission from leukaemia joined scientist Professor Victoria Cowling to cut the ribbon at the ceremony on Wednesday 9 October. 

Around 320 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer in Scotland each year. Fearne’s parents, Gary and Paula Stewart of Blantyre, understand all too well the importance of research. Fearne is on the UK arm of the AllTogether-1 clinical trial, an international study funded by Cancer Research UK involving patients from countries across Europe. It investigates how to treat acute lymphoblastic leukaemia more effectively. The overall aim is to give each child or young adult the right amount of treatment to cure their leukaemia and stop it coming back, while keeping the side effects as low as possible.   

Fearne’s dad, Gary, said:

“We’re so proud of Fearne, of the resilience our daughter has shown and of her determination during some of the most difficult times in hospital. 

“She’s a chatterbox, enjoying primary one at school, has joined the Rainbow guides and started swimming lessons. She’s come so far in a year. Despite everything she has been through she’s been keen to help others. She was already thinking of selling homemade lemonade to raise money to help others so she loves the thought of being able to donate some of her toys and books to the superstore and to do some shopping herself too. And as a family we’re glad to have the opportunity to give something back.”  

Fearne was joined at the superstore launch by Professor Victoria Cowling of the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in Glasgow. Professor Cowling has been awarded a grant of £214,492 by Cancer Research UK to find a way to “shoot the messenger” that allows cells to grow in the wrong place in the bowel, which can lead to cancerous tumours. Her team is examining the role DNA and its biological messaging system RNA play in the development of cancer in the bowel. 

Image: Professor Vicky Cowling and Fearne Stewart. 

Professor Cowling said:

“This is an exciting, emerging area of biology. 

“It has enormous potential because with many treatments, cancer learns how to get round them and this is when cancer comes back. However, this research focuses on a unique point in the cell when it receives its instructions from the DNA. If we can find treatments which stop cancer at this stage, at its very beginnings, then it would make it difficult for the cancer to adapt and return. 

“At the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute we are working hard to improve how we treat cancer. Every year we are making discoveries which help develop new therapies and improve existing treatments for cancer. We can only do our research because of the money raised in the CRUK shops and through fundraising events and donations. All our research team are grateful to people across Scotland who give so generously.” 

The Glasgow superstore is selling everything from furniture to electrical items, clothing and soft furnishings, gifts and women’s, men’s and children’s wear- with profits going to fund research.  

 Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, Michelle Mitchell, said: 

“We are incredibly grateful to Fearne and her family. 

“We hope her story of courage encourages people to support our new superstore in Glasgow so that we can continue to fund the very best scientists in Scotland and across the UK. We’re working towards a world where we can all live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer. Almost one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime, but together we can beat it.”