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Patient and public involvement (PPI)

Our patient and public research partners are at the heart of the WCRC’s activity, providing strategic input to our work.

Involving the public in our work

We involve people with direct experience of cancer as a patient or carer in the design and delivery of our research studies. By sharing their personal experiences with us, public contributors ensure that our work is relevant to people’s needs and concerns.

We also support members of the public to influence our long-term research aims and interests. They share their perspectives through participation in strategic groups and committees, help to develop resources, and advise researchers and the wider team on public involvement best practice.

We are committed to supporting and encouraging public involvement in research in line with the UK Standards for Public Involvement. We have a Public Involvement Action Plan, and we are collaborating with our funder Health and Care Research Wales to share public involvement learning and best practice.

Members of the public can find opportunities and information on how to help with research on the Health and Care Research Wales website.

Help for researchers

Information for researchers wanting to involve the public in research can also be found, including contact details for their dedicated involvement team who can offer direct support with promoting involvement opportunities and access to pre-grant involvement funding.

The Rapid Response Group has now been disbanded. Researchers seeking support with public involvement and funding applications are encouraged to access Health and Care Research Wales’ monthly Public Involvement Clinics and the Enabling Involvement Fund. Further information is available via Involving the public in your research | Health and Care Research Wales. WCRC would like to thank all Public Involvement Partners and researchers who contributed to the RRG for their valuable involvement and support.

PPI Research Partners

Molly Fenton

Molly is a youth health advocate who has fed through PPI roles in mental health, women’s health and rare and less survivable diseases that disproportionately impact young people – specifically brain tumours – the past 3 years, in both a professional and personal capacity. Living with her own brain tumour diagnosis, and supporting a family member with a similar diagnosis, Molly is passionate about ensuring patient and public voice is central to all matters that do impact those living through the experience, especially those underrepresented or often overlooked.

Julie Hepburn

Julie had successful treatment for a stage 3 bowel cancer 9 years ago and since that time has been heavily involved in public involvement, mainly in the cancer area.  She is involved in cancer research projects ranging from screening and early detection through to surgery, treatment and palliative care.

Bob McAlister

Bob has been a Research Partner at the WCRC since 2017. His interest in the subject stems from family members being lost to the disease. He has a particular interest in early phase trials but he has been on various trial management groups for Cancer Research. At a UK level he is the public sole member on the UK Standards for Public Involvement Working Group.

Dr Kathy Seddon

Kathy has been a Research Partner at the WCRC and Marie Curie research centre for ten years. She is a Marie Curie Research Voice and a member of their Policy and Research group. She has contributed to lots of research often as PPI Co-Applicant. Most recent projects include Bereavement, Brain Tumours, the SERENITY International Project and the co-developed the new PIRIT PPI tracking tool

Kate Febry

Kate experienced breast cancer personally and has since volunteered extensively for a number of cancer charities. She draws on her lived experience to provide a patient perspective, helping to inform strategies, guidance, services, and investments in new cancer innovations. In addition to her patient advocacy, she formally represents the views of volunteers for a major charity. She is passionate about ensuring that the voices of both patients and actively inform their healthcare.

Carole Eccles

Carole followed her own cancer journey in 2022 and received some incredible support. She is now retired and wants to give something back through volunteer work. She is currently a member of the North Wales Cancer Patient Forum and local support groups for breast cancer. She has also been working as a PPI representative on two university led projects and has experience as a patient representative on the BCUHB Breast Cancer Clinical Advisory Group. She has always believed collaborating with people with lived experience makes for successful outcomes and is an avid supporter of co-production to help create person centred services and improve service quality.

Dr Pam Smith

Dr Pamela Smith is a Research Associate based in the Cancer Screening, Prevention and Early Diagnosis team in the Division of Population Medicine. She has a background in behavioural science and recently started her role as the Academic Lead for Patient and Public Involvement in the Centre. Her research interests include lung cancer screening and smoking cessation with a particular focus on reducing health inequalities. Her role as Academic Lead for PPI will see her working with the Research Partner Group on improving equality and diversity in PPI.

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