Charity snow globe shines a light on 2,600 people in Yorkshire diagnosed with cancer this Christmas

Yorkshire Cancer Research has unveiled a giant snow globe in Sheffield’s Winter Garden as part of its Christmas appeal, encouraging people to support pioneering cancer research in Yorkshire and help give families and friends more time together. 

The snow globe is illuminated with 2,600 lights, each one representing someone in Yorkshire who will be told they have cancer this Christmas. Surrounding the installation are houses featuring the experiences of Yorkshire Cancer Research supporters and raising awareness of the thousands of homes affected by cancer during the festive season.

Visitors can listen to the voices of those affected by cancer in Yorkshire and discover how pioneering cancer research is helping them enjoy more precious moments with their loved ones.  

This includes Russell McFarlane and his family from Sheffield. Russell was diagnosed with prostate cancer just before Christmas last year. The 65-year-old from Sheffield wanted to get tested after learning men of Afro-Caribbean ethnicity are significantly more likely to get prostate cancer  

Because Russell’s cancer was found early, he was eligible for several treatment options and chose a less invasive type of radiotherapy treatment called brachytherapy, which gave him minimal side effects.

For Russell, the hardest part of his radiotherapy treatment was not being able to hug his grandchildren to protect them from any radiation he could expose them to.

“I couldn’t hug my grandchildren, including my newborn grandson, for three months to protect them from any radiation I might pass on to them. That was a really sad time for us.”

Since his diagnosis and subsequent treatment, Russell is helping to raise awareness of the importance of early detection and the work of Yorkshire Cancer Research in giving people and their families more time together.  

As Yorkshire’s cancer charity, Yorkshire Cancer Research funds £75 million of pioneering research and services, including 26 clinical trials, to find new and better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer in Yorkshire. For 100 years, the charity has united with researchers, cancer experts and people in Yorkshire to bring vital progress to the region.

Another voice featured in the installation is Lesley Penty’s, a mother-of-two from Barnsley. In early December 2024, Lesley was told that potentially cancerous cells had been found in her lung after attending a free lung health check.  

Lesley said: “I wasn’t able to properly enjoy my Christmas last year because of the worry of cancer hanging over me. I didn’t tell my two sons because I didn’t want to worry them during the Christmas period. I put up the tree, which I usually love doing, but it just wasn’t the same.”

Thanks to her lung scan, Lesley’s cancer was found early and successfully treated. The Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial, funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, also delivered thousands of life-saving lung scans to communities across Leeds. It has helped pave the way for a national lung screening programme, so more people across Yorkshire can benefit from early diagnosis and live longer, healthier lives - just like Lesley. 

Lesley continued: "Ever since they were young, Christmas has been about spending time with my two sons. I’m so grateful to that lung scan for giving me more moments with them. This year, I’m particularly looking forward to us all having a lovely Christmas dinner together and a happy, healthy 2026.”

Visitors to the snow globe can also learn about the experience of Anne Thackeray, a 64-year-old retired nurse from Scarborough, who found out she had breast cancer following routine breast screening. Two months later after her diagnosis, she had surgery to remove the affected breast and lymph nodes. Despite the speed of her treatment, Anne struggled for over two years to recover after her operation.

In October 2024, Anne joined Active Together, the research-backed cancer exercise treatment programme funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and designed by Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, which enabled her to rebuild her strength and stamina.  

Anne said: “Following my surgery, everyday tasks were really tiring, so the hectic lead-up to Christmas became a particularly challenging time. It’s thanks to the expert guidance of the Active Together team that I’m back doing all the normal activities I could do before my treatment.  

She continued: “After my treatment, we adopted our affectionate little kitten, Elvis. He brought so much joy to our first Christmas with him. Before taking part in Active Together, I found it hard to squat down and lift myself back up.  This Christmas, I’ll be able to get on the floor and play with him.”  

The snow globe marks the launch of the charity’s ‘For More Christmases Together’ campaign, which aims to raise vital funds for pioneering cancer research and services in Yorkshire, so families and friends can spend more precious moments together.  

Dr Kathryn Scott, Chief Executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research, commented: “This Christmas, more than 2,600 people across Yorkshire will be told they have cancer. The Yorkshire Cancer Research snow globe installation reminds us of the thousands of people in Yorkshire facing cancer this Christmas, but with the support of people across the region, the difference we can make. 

The snow globe installation will shine in Sheffield’s Winter Garden until Friday 28th November.