Why York Against Cancer Matters – Sheriff of York Paul Doughty
This year, we’ve been lucky enough to be one of the chosen charities of The Lord Mayor and Sheriff of York. We were honoured to hear The Sheriff, Paul Doughty’s, kind words on York Against Cancer and how our support makes a difference. Here’s what he had to say…
York Against Cancer is one of those rare organisations whose impact becomes clear the moment you or someone you love needs them. My own family has relied on this charity, and I’ve seen first-hand how their help arrives at precisely the moment when life feels uncertain and frightening. That support—practical, compassionate, and grounded in real understanding—makes an extraordinary difference.
For my family, York Against Cancer has also been part of our everyday lives in another way. My brother Sean who works for the NHS has driven the mobile YAC chemotherapy unit lorry for a good number of years. I’ve watched how proud he is of the role he plays three days a week going around our local communities, and how much he values the people he meets along the way. That lorry, and the work of everyone involved in it, represents the heart of what this charity does: it brings reassurance, expertise and care directly into our communities. You can’t measure that contribution on a spreadsheet, but you can see it clearly in the lives it has changed and the worry it has eased.
And this is just one thread in the wider fabric of York Against Cancer’s work. Many people know about the direct support they offer to patients—transport to treatment, accommodation for families, for respite care, grants, guidance, and a listening ear that often means more than any of us realise. But their contribution is broader still. They invest in research, in equipment, and in collaboration with clinicians to ensure that people in York have access to the latest advances in care. They support survivors, raise awareness, and help families navigate the emotional, practical, and financial strain that cancer brings.
Several years ago, York Against Cancer partnered with York Mind when it was one of the Lord Mayor’s charities previously. That partnership showed just how interconnected physical and mental health really are. And it was my partner David, working with York Mind at the time, who told me how constructive and generous that collaboration was. It reflected something vital: that cancer affects every part of a person’s life, not just the part a medical professional sees. Working together meant better support for people whose minds were under as much strain as their bodies.
And all of this leads to a question we rarely say aloud, but one we should consider:
What would happen if York Against Cancer weren’t here?
The answer is blunt. More people would face cancer alone. Families would struggle without the support that softens the hardest moments. Local NHS teams would lose a trusted partner. Research would slow, early detection would falter, and vital services—from the mobile chemotherapy unit to the transport programme—could simply disappear. Our city would be less compassionate, less equipped, and less resilient.
But York Against Cancer is here. And it is here because people care enough to make it possible.
Every volunteer, every fundraiser, every member of staff, every partner organisation, every person who has dropped a coin in a bucket or sponsored an event has helped build something that genuinely changes lives. This charity belongs to the people of York—and its future depends on our willingness to stand behind it.
York Against Cancer is not just a service provider. It is a source of hope, reassurance, and humanity. It is a reminder that when someone in our city faces one of the hardest challenges of their life, they do not face it alone.
To everyone who supports this charity—thank you. Please continue to stand with York Against Cancer. The work they do matters. Our city would be diminished without them. With them, York is stronger, kinder, and better prepared to face whatever the future brings.
