World Snooker To Help Kill Cancer - 21/03/2011

World Snooker is set to help raise 250,000 pounds over the next three years to fund new cancer treatments for lung and throat cancer.

The campaign with the KILLING Cancer charity will be launched at the World Snooker Awards and Hall of Fame at London's Dorchester Hotel on Friday 6th May.

Barry Hearn, Chairman of World Snooker, says the partnership with the KILLING Cancer charity will back research with a new, non-invasive, single procedure cancer treatment known as Photodynamic Therapy (PDT).

PDT is already approved and available on the NHS for skin and mouth cancer, while other trials are underway for prostate, pancreatic and breast cancer.

Hearn said: "This is a new era for snooker. In the past, our great game has taken the sponsorship shilling from the tobacco industry. Within the last year, we have lost some of our greatest friends to cancers that are all linked to smoking.

"A lot of very positive things are changing in the world of snooker. We can never change the past, but we can certainly change the future."

Malcolm Thorne, brother of Willie Thorne and one of snooker's unsung heroes, died recently from mouth cancer. John Higgins lost to his father to lung cancer. And there's been the death of Alex Higgins after battles with throat and oesophageal cancer.

The charity is selling just 20 tables at The Dorchester to snooker's friends. The price will be £2,000 plus VAT for eight guests, plus one of the Top 10 players and snooker legends (and his wife / partner).

There will also be four 'Gold' tables where the host will be able to present one of the awards on the night and select the player of their choice. Those are selling at £4,000 plus VAT. For ticket enquiries, email: david.longman@killingcancer.co.uk

The charity's most recent fund raising events include a London rock concert with The Who, Bryan Adams, Jeff Beck, Debbie Harry and Richard Ashcroft. Squeeze frontman and song writer Chris Difford is to play at the snooker awards night, while also giving their time are Rory Bremner and Ray Stubbs. Willie Thorne will be the charity auctioneer.

The new treatments are being led by teams at University College Hospital in London.

Hearn added: "I have met patients who have survived cancers with PDT against all the odds. The procedure is so quick and simple, and also gives patients a much better quality of life."

Steve Davis says that fans, players and snooker's new era of sponsors should all get behind the campaign. "The awards night and Hall of Fame is the best possible place to launch this campaign. Snooker is in a new era where the ills of the past have been swept away," said the six-times World Champion.

"We can't change the lives of friends lost to us by cancer, but we owe it to them and now lead by example and help to fund a few era of cancer treatments. We must also promote a healthier lifestyle."

David Longman, Director of KILLING Cancer, said: "The simple fact is that PDT has the capability to destroy cancer tumours, and now the snooker world is going to be backing two of the most vital research programmes that, within a year, will see patients begin to be treated, and hopefully lives will be changed and even saved.

"For the snooker world to achieve this is going to be quite astonishing."