"It's a wonderful feeling knowing you've made a difference to people facing cancer and contributed to such meaningful work." – Ian's experience

Over the past year, shop volunteers at Yorkshire Cancer Research have contributed over 35,000 hours to help fund pioneering research and innovative services for people with cancer in Yorkshire.  

This includes 83-year-old volunteer Ian, a familiar and much-loved face at the Yorkshire Cancer Research shop in Ripon. Ian is known for lifting spirits with his smile, friendly conversation and, on occasion, his singing performances.   

Behind Ian’s joyful presence lies a deep commitment to supporting cancer research in Yorkshire. After losing his wife Betty to breast cancer, Ian wanted to support the charity’s mission to improve cancer treatment and early diagnosis in Yorkshire; a motivation that grew even stronger following his own diagnosis of leukaemia earlier this year.

He said: “I started volunteering with Yorkshire Cancer Research because I know how it feels to lose a loved one to cancer and wanted to help other people affected by the disease. Since retiring, and especially since my own diagnosis, I’ve tried to make every day count. I just want to be happy, and where I can, make others happy too.”

With Christmas fast approaching, Ian is preparing for a busy season of festive performances, including at the shop, where his singing has become a popular attraction for customers. 

Music has always been a thread running through Ian’s life. His passion for music began in childhood when he took up the drums - a hobby that followed him into his career in the Royal Air Force.

He said: “My passion for music began when my parents quite foolishly bought me a drum kit. That gift sparked my lifelong love of music which I carried into the RAF, where I played drums in a band at officers’ mess events.”

It was during his time in the RAF when Ian met Betty. He was stationed in North Africa, where she was working as a nurse. His career took them across the world, including in Cyprus and Belgium, while they raised their daughter. He recalls many happy Christmases spent abroad during his service.  

“I have many happy memories with Betty and my daughter. We saw Christmases in lots of countries, but they were all lovely.” 

After 12 and a half years of service in the RAF, Ian became a prison officer in Durham before he and Betty settled in Northallerton in North Yorkshire.

He said: “Throughout our 38-year-long marriage, we led a busy but fulfilling life, working hard and raising our daughter while making sure we found time to travel. We had a boat on the River Ure which we took out on hot summer days and enjoyed the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside. We also had a caravan in Allerton Park. It was blissful.”

However, in 1997, the couples’ busy life ground to a halt when Betty received the news that she had breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy and was treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Although the treatment was initially successful, and she was given the all-clear, the cancer returned four years later and this time it had spread to other organs. Ian remembers how quickly things changed after that.

“I remember Betty was in hospital and asked me to go home and pick up a few things for her. On the way home, I received a phone call from the hospital saying I needed to come back immediately. Just an hour before, she had been laughing with us, and suddenly she was in a coma. My daughter and I stayed by her side day and night. Nine days later, she passed away.”

Following Betty’s passing in 2002, Ian wanted to do what he could to help others. After moving to Ripon, he began volunteering in the local community, supporting adults with learning disabilities and elderly people, bringing joy through singing.  

"There is nothing I enjoy more than putting a smile on someone’s face through music. Singing is how I connect with people, and when I visited care homes, I saw their faces light up as they heard songs from their younger days. One of my most treasured moments was when a lady who hadn’t spoken for a long time started singing along with me. That’s the power of music: it reaches people in ways words sometimes can’t.” 

In August this year, Ian was diagnosed with a slow-developing form of leukaemia. Currently, he requires no active treatment and is being monitored.  

“It certainly was a shock hearing that I have cancer and it was a nerve-wracking time waiting to find out what treatment would be required. For now, they will keep an eye on me. I’ll continue to remain upbeat and carry on with the concerts I’ve got lined up!”

For Ian, Betty’s memory lives on through his volunteering and singing. Supporting the work of Yorkshire Cancer Research has shown him the progress being made in cancer research in the region, and he feels hopeful about the future. 

Thanks to the commitment of hundreds of volunteers across the region, Yorkshire Cancer Research is finding new and better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer in Yorkshire, so more people in the region can live longer, healthier, cancer-free lives.

Ian concluded: “Yorkshire Cancer Research is making tremendous strides, and while we might not see a region free from cancer in my lifetime, I truly believe we can get there.”