Dedicated to helping patients with bowel cancer live well for longer
Pelican Cancer Foundation is a medical research and education charity. We are the only charity in the UK dedicated solely to the research, training and advancement of precision surgery for bowel cancer and its associated secondary diseases, particularly in the liver.
Bowel cancer is the 4th most common cancer in the UK and the 2nd biggest cancer killer. Every year nearly 43,000 people are diagnosed and sadly more than 16,500 people die of it. However, it can be treatable and curable if diagnosed early. Surgery often remains the most effective treatment for bowel cancer.
“In our view, all surgeons should come and see the experts work at Pelican. The bottom line is they’ll save lives as a result”
Professor Alex Deutsch, Chair of the Yanir Foundation for the Advancement of Colorectal Surgery, Israel
Research
Pelican is pleased to announce that after the September 2024 research grant call, and review by the Research Review Panel a grant has been awarded to Prof Gina Brown and her team at Imperial College London to support MERCURY 3.
For patients with rectal cancer, planning treatment has been revolutionised by precision radiology. Pelican has helped develop, fund and deliver two world class research studies entitled MERCURY and MERCURY 2. The original MERCURY studies changed the way pre-operative imaging for rectal cancer staging was carried out worldwide. This meant that with accurate MRI scans, many patients could be spared additional treatments before surgery by identifying those who could be cured with surgery alone.
MERCURY 3 will further refine the use of MRI to stage cancers in patients with rectal cancer.
Education
Each year Pelican delivers a series of education courses for healthcare clinicians from a range of disciplines including surgery, pathology, radiology, oncology and nursing.
These ground-breaking workshops and conferences cover the latest advances in cancer treatment, technology and surgical techniques and are run by an exceptional faculty of multi-disciplinary specialists.
- Understanding and Managing Bowel Dysfunction after Rectal Cancer Surgery 30th April 2025
- OReCO London 8th May 2025
- Peritoneal Malignancy Wellbeing Day 5th June 2025
- OReCO Dublin 2nd September 2025
- OReCO Belfast 4th September 2025
- KHP: Kent & Hampshire Hospitals NET 12th Meeting 3rd October 2025
- OReCO Southwest 6th November 2025
- OReCO West Midlands 21st January 2026
To hear more about the OReCO National Education Programme from Miss Amy Lord, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon and Pelican Research & Education Consultant: click here
We receive no government funding and rely on the generosity of our donors to support our work
THANK YOU
