"Yorkshire Cancer Research gives me hope that my son's generation will be closer to a cancer-free future" - Vallentyne's experience

For Vallentyne Mazorodze, volunteering isn’t just about giving back – it’s about passing something forward. After moving to Leeds from South Africa with his family in 2022, the 50-year-old sought a meaningful cause that he and his son could support together—one that focused on making a real difference to people local to him. 

Having sadly lost friends to cancer, Vallentyne was also looking to support a cancer charity that was on a mission to find cures.

“Having volunteered for a cancer research charity in South Africa, I came to the UK looking for something similar. What mattered to me was finding a cancer charity that directly involved and impacted people local to me. Equally important was finding a charity that my son could get behind and support.”

Vallentyne’s search led him to Yorkshire Cancer Research, a regional cancer charity which, for 100 years, has been committed to finding new cancer cures and bringing them to people in Yorkshire. 

Every 17 minutes, someone in Yorkshire is told they have cancer. As Yorkshire’s cancer charity, Yorkshire Cancer Research is committed to changing this. The charity funds £64 million of pioneering cancer research and innovative services, so people can live longer, healthier lives and share more time with the people they love.

Wanting to support life-saving cancer research for people in Yorkshire, Vallentyne started volunteering at the Yorkshire Cancer Research shop in Leeds in January 2023.

He said: “Working behind the scenes at the Leeds shop, I saw how dedicated and hard-working the shop team was in helping drive the charity’s work forward. I met so many wonderful people, many with personal experiences of cancer, and all were committed to supporting pioneering cancer research.” 

It’s thanks to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers across Yorkshire that Yorkshire Cancer Research can fund research that helps people across the region avoid and survive cancer. In 2024, volunteers contributed a total of 27,000 hours to life-saving research and innovative cancer services.

Vallentyne continued: “I also loved getting the opportunity to meet people in my local community and hear about their reasons for supporting the charity when they purchased items.”

Today, Yorkshire Cancer Research has 15 shops on the high street in towns and cities across Yorkshire, giving people the opportunity to shop and donate to save lives in Yorkshire and beyond.

Beyond volunteering at the Leeds shop, Vallentyne wanted to inspire his 12-year-old son, Christian, to get involved and support the work of the charity. Together, they volunteer at fundraising events, including the Yorkshire Marathon. Last year, they rang cowbells and cheered on runners to lift their spirits through the final stretch of the races. 

Vallentyne said: “I wanted to show my son what it meant to dedicate his time to support a cause that helps others. Volunteering at these events together was a chance for us to bond and have fun while teaching him the importance of fundraising in supporting vital cancer research.” 

Vallentyne’s involvement with Yorkshire Cancer Research deepened after he joined the charity’s Research Advisory Panel in January 2025. Here, he works with people across Yorkshire to review funding applications for cancer research programmes, helping to shape the research the charity funds so it has the biggest impact for people with cancer in Yorkshire.  

“Initially, I thought the panel was made up only of cancer experts. While they play a vital role in reviewing the applications, the charity also needs voices from people who have experienced cancer and voices like mine—those having conversations in the heart of communities, especially in areas where cancer outcomes are particularly poor.”

Vallentyne brings his experience of talking to people in the heart of Leeds communities to the Research Advisory Panel. Through his work at Leeds City Council and volunteering in his local community, he continues to have many conversations about cancer and the challenges that people face.

“I am passionate about breaking taboos around cancer and encouraging people to have open conversations about the disease. In Zimbabwe, cancer was spoken about in vague terms, leading to many people hesitating to visit their doctor and often waiting until it was too late to seek help.” 

Having worked in areas of Leeds with high levels of deprivation, Vallentyne wants to encourage people in these communities to openly talk about cancer so he can bring these perspectives back to the Research Advisory Panel. 

Vallentyne has dedicated much of his time to support life-saving cancer research in Yorkshire and hopes to pass this commitment on to his son. 

“It makes me so proud to see my son getting involved in volunteering. Sadly, there are many people who are diagnosed with cancer at a young age, and as a parent, that worries me. Research is crucial to ensure these numbers don’t rise. My son recently urged me to get checked when I had health concerns, and it reassured me to see him understand the importance of seeking medical advice early.” 

When asked about Yorkshire Cancer Research turning 100 this year, Vallentyne said: “It’s fascinating to see how much progress the charity has made over the years, but what stands out is its forward-thinking approach - always focused on the next breakthrough in the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. Yorkshire Cancer Research gives me hope that my son’s generation will be closer to a cancer-free future.”