Victoria's charitable efforts recognised with a UK-wide award from Cancer Research UK

Victoria Poole from Scarva was named UK Campaigns Ambassador of the Year at a special ceremony in Belfast.

She began supporting CRUK after losing her grandmother to pancreatic cancer in 2014, and her grandfather to prostate cancer in 2017.

The CRUK Flame of Hope awards honour and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the charity’s most inspiring volunteers, who come from all walks of life and who give their time to further the charity’s vision of bringing forward the day when all cancers are cured.

Victoria was selected for the honour from more than 800 nominations from right across the UK, as the charity celebrates 20 years of the recognition programme.

Having experienced first-hand the devastating impact cancer has on patients and their families, Victoria was inspired to campaign to help keep cancer issues high on the political agenda.

She also wanted to accelerate progress in improving cancer outcomes and create hope for other patients and their families.

During the last year, another member of Victoria’s family received a devastating bladder and prostate cancer diagnosis which saw her family again embark on a cancer journey which has further motivated her campaigning efforts.

Victoria said she was “incredibly honoured” at the recognition.

“I am proud to volunteer as a CRUK campaigns ambassador to help drive cancer progress and bring hope to cancer patients and their families,” she said.

“Campaigning helps saves lives. Key decisions on preventing, diagnosing and accessing cancer treatments lie in the hands of the governments across the four UK nations.”

She added: “From early diagnosis, to access to treatments and cancer prevention; policy and legislation from the governments across all four UK nations has a huge impact on cancer.

“As a campaigns ambassador, you have an opportunity to send a strong and clear message to the government to help make a real difference and change the cancer story.”

In her ambassador role, Victoria engages with politicians in Westminster and Stormont and brings an important personal aspect to CRUK’s work in Northern Ireland.

She also supported CRUK in their call for a comprehensive cancer strategy for Northern Ireland which was later published in March 2022 by the then health minister, Robin Swann.

Cancer Research UK chief executive Michelle Mitchell said: “Thanks to the dedication of almost 30,000 volunteers supporting us – from fundraising and increasing awareness of cancer to helping run shops and events – Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of progress that has seen cancer survival in the UK double over the past 40 years.

“The awards give us the opportunity to celebrate and say thank you to those who have made outstanding contributions, and we’re proud to have presented almost 2,000 awards since the first ceremony back in 2003.”