In 2003, evidence of cancer cells was found in dinosaur fossils, dating back 70 - 80 million years ago. In 1932, Louis Leakey identified the oldest known hominid malignant tumour in our ancestors, Homo Erectus, dating back 3.9 - 4.2 million years ago.

We have evidence of cancer being found in ancient Egyptian mummies from 3000 BCE, and from 1600 BCE there are scrolls documenting a medical procedure to try and treat it. In 400 BCE, Hippocrates became the first person to identify the difference between benign and malignant tumours. In 50 AD, the Romans found that some tumours could be removed by surgery and cauterised, but that some grew back.

Why is this important? Because cancer does not discriminate, it has plagued us for our entire existence. It does not care who you are, where you are from, how old you are, what you do, what you’ve done or where you are going. Every year, around 10 million people die from cancer. We think that’s 10 million too many.

We asked some brave souls to impart a small window into their cancer experience and journey, to explain just why this mission is so important and can have such a positive impact on the world we live in.