“I’m proud my creation will help fund research that saves lives in Yorkshire.” – Martin’s experience

Martin Williams has spent a lifetime as a carpenter. For more than five decades, he’s completed a range of woodwork projects for family, friends and his wider community, from restoring Victorian homes to crafting bespoke joinery. But after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, Martin’s most unique creation yet – a full-sized wooden Dalek – was carved with a different purpose in mind: supporting the life-saving work of Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Born and raised in East Leeds, 73-year-old Martin has lived in his childhood home for most of his life, apart from small periods in Scarborough, Jersey and Australia. It’s where all Martin’s ideas for new creations continue to take form, down in the workshop he has fondly nicknamed ‘The Hive.’ 

Martin said: “I've always been good at visualising how a design could turn out. I’m dyslexic so I find words and reading tricky, but I’m much better with images and making things with my hands.

“I built the workshop at the bottom of the garden so I could keep an eye on my dad while he was ill and my mum was in a care home. They’ve both sadly passed away now, but I still spend most days in ‘The Hive’. It’s a place that’s just for me.”

Martin left school at 15 to begin an apprenticeship as a coach builder, and over the next 50 years forged a career completing hundreds of shop fittings, kitchen refurbishments and loft conversions. While carpentry was his main passion, Martin also became a keen science fiction fan. So, when he officially retired at 65, he found himself the perfect new project to work on.  

Martin explained:

However, in 2020, Martin had to put production of the Dalek on hold after he was told he had cancer.

Martin said: “My path to receiving a cancer diagnosis was a difficult one. I was due to undergo a different operation to remove a hernia, but they ran blood tests the day before which revealed something wasn’t right with my kidneys. I went to see my GP about the results, where I was told to go straight to the emergency department at St James’s University Hospital. They found my bladder was not emptying properly and pushing on my kidneys, reducing their capacity down to 8%. I was given just 12 hours to live.”

Martin received emergency treatment which thankfully improved his kidney function. Doctors found he had an enlarged prostate which was preventing his kidneys from working properly, and he later underwent an operation to reduce the size of his prostate. However, further investigations revealed there was another cause of his symptoms. Soon after, Martin was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer.  

Cancers diagnosed through an emergency route are often found at a late stage when they are causing more severe symptoms and can be more difficult to treat. Every year in Yorkshire, more than 5,000 men are told they have prostate cancer, and more than half are diagnosed late when there are fewer treatment options.   

Martin continued: "I had been experiencing problems with my prostate for a while, but I ignored it because I thought they were only symptoms of getting older."

Martin went on to receive hormone treatment and 22 rounds of radiotherapy.

“A friend I made at hospital told me to view going into cancer treatment like a job you don’t really like. It’s not nice, but it’s necessary, and you’re back home by the end of the day. That mindset really helped me through the process. The care I received from the team at the Bexley Wing was also amazing – you could see how much they wanted to help people.”

Despite his health, Martin was determined to complete the Dalek with renewed motivation. 

Yorkshire is one of the regions hardest hit by cancer. Sadly, people are more likely to have their lives cut short by cancer in Yorkshire than almost anywhere else in England. Yorkshire Cancer Research exists to change this, funding £75 million of life-saving cancer research to help find new and better ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer for people in Yorkshire.

Four years after his diagnosis, Martin finished his cancer treatment and his beloved Dalek, affectionately called Rustic, and he donated the 5ft wooden masterpiece to Yorkshire Cancer Research. 

To help make the biggest impact on people with cancer in Yorkshire, Martin’s creation is set to be auctioned ahead of the charity’s 2027 Gala Dinner event at the iconic Castle Howard. The silent auction is due to go live on the Yorkshire Cancer Research website in February 2027, with vital funds raised helping to bring life-saving research and pioneering cancer services to more people in the region.  

This includes the prostate cancer clinical trial, IMProVE, which will investigate whether a programme that combines blood tests with MRI scans could save lives, and if so, how it can be organised to reduce health inequalities. Initially involving 4,500 people in Leeds and Sheffield, the trial aims to engage men from underserved communities who are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at a late stage. The goal is to understand how potentially life-saving screening can be made accessible to everyone who needs it. 

The Dalek’s purpose resonated more deeply for Martin after his friend, Tony, recently died from cancer. Tony's experience highlighted some of the barriers many people in Yorkshire can face when accessing cancer treatment.

"Tony had a difficult time travelling from Scarborough to receive his chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment in York and Hull. During the winter, it was particularly hard for him to get back home. He sadly died not long ago.”

Some people who live on Yorkshire's coast have to travel more than one hour for cancer treatment. This means they may be less likely to take up the offer of some treatments, and less likely to complete their treatment, due to the financial, physical and timely costs involved in travelling.

Martin continued: "I've always liked living in Leeds. It's a vibrant city with lots to offer. It wasn't ever something I thought about when I was younger, but after facing my own cancer diagnosis, I really appreciate how we have two great hospitals on our doorstep. The coast is a lovely place to live, but from Tony’s experience, I know how challenging it can be for people living there to access the healthcare they need.”

Sadly, in November 2025, Martin’s cancer returned. He’s currently receiving hormone treatment again and has hope that Yorkshire Cancer Research will help bring further advancements for other people with cancer in Yorkshire.

Martin said: “Unfortunately, the cancer has spread into my lymph nodes and bones. There are a lot of tiring side effects, but 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to benefit from this treatment. I feel lucky to still be here.”