Stand Up To Cancer will shine a light on those we have lost to cancer

•    This year, Stand Up To Cancer will shine a light on those we have lost to cancer with a powerful lantern display in Leicester’s Abbey Park, The Stand Up To Cancer Tribute Mile. 
•    People from across the UK are invited to take part in a poignant display of over 5,000 lanterns, creating a mile of light and love.
•    Stand Up To Cancer will also host a special ‘Tribute Workshop’ at Highcross Leicester from Tuesday 9th December where the public are invited to create their own lanterns in person.
•    Each lantern will be dedicated to someone special who has passed away from cancer, bearing a tribute and photograph of their loved one.
•    The workshop will be launched by Stand Up To Cancer ambassadors Adam Hills and Mel Schilling

How to get involved:

Lanterns can be created by people across the UK online, with four unique designs available for personalisation. Each lantern will include a photo and written tribute to honour those who’ve been affected by cancer. To submit your own tribute lantern, visit Stand Up To Cancer’s Tribute Mile website and follow the simple steps to make your dedication.

In addition, for people in Leicester and the surrounding areas, Stand Up To Cancer will open a special ‘Tribute Workshop’ at Highcross Leicester on Tuesday 9th December, where attendees can make their own lanterns in person throughout the week.

The workshop will be located on the Upper Mall in the old Topshop unit, opposite Next. It will be open between 10am-6pm.

The Tribute Mile in Abbey Park:

Once complete, the Tribute Mile will be installed in Abbey Park, Leicester, and will be lit up on the night on Friday 12th December. The lights will be switched on live during a special broadcast on Channel 4 and the installation will be open for public viewing on the weekend of 13th and 14th December.

Mel Schilling said: “It is an honour to be part of Stand Up To Cancer’s Tribute Mile. Every lantern represents a life, a story and a love that continues long after loss. Coming together as a community in this way, whilst shining a light on the urgent need for continued cancer research, is incredibly moving to me. I’d like to personally invite those in Leicester and further afield to get involved by creating their lantern and donating to Stand Up To Cancer. Let’s turn our heartfelt tributes into a symbol of hope for all those impacted by cancer.”

One of the lanterns will be dedicated to Maureen Forde who was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2008, aged 61, and faced cancer three times. Treatment gave her six more precious years with her family, before she died of oesophageal cancer in 2014. Her daughter Terri Mclean-Bowman, who lives near Market Harborough, nursed her mum while going through her own treatment for breast cancer.

Terri said: “I think the lantern tribute is a wonderful idea and I can’t wait to dedicate one to my beautiful mum. She had a heart as big as the sky and she danced barefoot through life with a huge heart and smile that embraced everyone. Standing in solidarity with people affected by cancer, and seeing her light shine for all those lost to this devastating disease, is going to be emotional. But being a part of something so special that will raise vital awareness means a lot to me.”

Stand Up To Cancer UK is a joint national fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4, bringing the nation together to accelerate life-saving research. Since its UK launch in 2012, the campaign has raised over £113 million, funding 73 clinical trials and projects involving over 13,000 cancer patients nationwide. These include research into robotic and laser-assisted cancer surgery, AI to help detect and treat cancers, and even lollipops that could help detect mouth cancer .

The week-long Stand Up To Cancer campaign launches on Friday 5th December, leading up to the live event on Friday 12th December on Channel 4.