Dr Stewart Manning: New Ambassador for the Ella Dawson Foundation

We're thrilled to welcome retired GP Dr Stewart Manning, a passionate advocate for cancer support, as an Ambassador for the Ella Dawson Foundation.

I am a retired General Practitioner, having worked in South Leeds for most of my career. During that time, I also served as Medical Officer to Leeds United AFC from 1978 to 1990 and delivered Occupational Health Services to a variety of West Yorkshire businesses.

Although I retired in 2012, I badly missed contact with people. This led me to continue being involved in community and health-related work. I was an Ambassador for The Robert Sinclair Davidson Foundation for four years before becoming a Trustee and Chairman of a local charity, The Yorkshire Cancer Community. Through this role, I help deliver a programme called CANCER SMART, which educates people about cancer screening, healthy living, and the importance of knowing your own body.

Cancer has affected me deeply throughout my life - through family, friends, and many of my patients. Because of this, I also volunteer and fundraise for my local hospice in Leeds, St Gemma’s, and support the work of Macmillan and Pancreatic Cancer UK.

Yorkshire Cancer Community is funded by the Harrogate and West Yorkshire Cancer Alliance. It was during a Teams meeting that I first met Tasha Dawson, who is a lay member of the Board. After the meeting, I looked up the Ella Dawson Foundation, of which Tasha is a founder and Trustee. I was so impressed by their work helping young adults aged 18 to 30 with cancer that I contacted them straight away to arrange a meeting.

In February this year, I volunteered at their Ball. When I met up again with Tasha and Jane, they invited me to work with the Ella Dawson Foundation as an Ambassador. I accepted immediately, as the help given by this charity resonates with the difficulties I faced as a GP looking after a young man with cancer 25 years ago - when there were no organisations offering holistic support to this age group.

I feel I can bring my enthusiasm and experience to this charity.

My ethos is:

 “One person cannot change the world, but anyone can change the world for one person.”

The Ella Dawson Foundation changes the world for many young adults with cancer.