A former patient and her family have raised £27,276 and counting for the Royal Free London’s neuroendocrine 'quiet cancer' appeal.

After being treated at the neuroendocrine tumour (NET) unit at the Royal Free Hospital, Hendon resident, Noreen O’Sullivan, organised a fundraiser at the Claddagh Ring in Hendon, with a disco, buffet, raffle and auction.

Noreen said “I am so thankful to the team who looked after me. I had never heard of this type of cancer before and I wanted to give something back to the hospital.”

I was overwhelmed by the kindness of people as we received signed football shirts, Ronan Keaton tickets and Britain’s Got Talent tickets to use for the auction.”

“I had sleepless nights about how I would raise our original target of £5,000, so to get to this much and still be raising money is something special.”

The quiet cancer appeal is raising funds for research into treatment for NETs. NETs are a rare form of cancer that are hard to detect, hence the term quiet cancer. NETs are now one of the five most common cancers in the UK and twice as common as pancreatic cancer, affecting men and women of all ages.

Professor Martyn Caplin, professor of gastroenterology and lead physician for neuroendocrine tumours, said: “This amazing fundraising effort by Noreen will really make a difference to our research programme into understanding theses tumours and developing tests for early diagnosis as well as better therapies.”

To donate to Noreen’s Just Giving page, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tqcfundraiser

Notes to editors

Media contacts: rf.mediaenquiries@nhs.net or call 020 7830 2963

About the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

The Royal Free began as a pioneering organisation and continues to play a leading role in the care of patients. Our mission is to provide world class expertise and local care. In the 21st century, the Royal Free London continues to lead improvements in healthcare.

The Royal Free London attracts patients from across the country and beyond to its specialist services in liver and kidney transplantation, haemophilia, renal care, HIV, infectious diseases, plastic surgery, immunology, Parkinson's disease, vascular surgery, cardiology, amyloidosis and scleroderma and we are a member of the academic health science partnership UCLPartners.

In July 2014 Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital became part of the Royal Free London. Read 'A bigger trust, a better future'.