In memory of Angela Willmott (1965-2014)

The 2017 garden for Breast Cancer Now is called 'Through the Microscope'. This is a garden space designed for a small team of research scientists to meet and discuss ideas. The garden design draws inspiration from the work of breast cancer researchers working in the lab, in particular looking through microscopes in their goal to stop breast cancer taking more lives.

The garden is laid out with three vertical circles as microscope lenses, which are aligned to focus on a black microscope slide at the back of the garden and a circle of magnified healthy cells. At the back of the garden scientists can sit on organic cellular shaped seats and the back wall provides a surface to draw and share ideas. The planting scheme and circular cell shapes illustrate the idea of magnification.

Without a positive outcome from the tragic loss of Angela, then there is the risk that another life passes without the hope of a cure for cancer. Angela was an incredibly positive person throughout her life and would have wanted something positive to come from her death, so that others may benefit in the future.

With the latest statistics suggesting that half of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in our lives, there can be no doubt of the positive benefits of supporting research such as that done by Breast Cancer Now. Their work on triple negative breast cancers, for example, is not only an opportunity to understand and tackle the hard to treat forms of breast cancer, but is also an opportunity to demonstrate how the UK can lead the international scientific community in the way cancer research is conducted and knowledge is shared.

Please donate as much as you can so that Angela's death may be turned in to a positive force for good. If you represent a governing body associated with strategy or policy on health issues such as cancer, we call upon you to urge parliament to conduct a full review of how the UK could harness the best scientific minds, the best facilities, the best trials and the best drug companies to come together to increase the pace and effectiveness of cancer research and treatment.

Thanks
Chris, Charlie and Joshua Willmott