Supported by The Freemasons’ Grand Charity, three British scientists and their teams are collaborating to develop a devastating missile and warhead. Devastating that is, to some very nasty cancer cells.
     It is exciting and important breakthrough work, which will undoubtedly yield great benefits for many thousands of leukaemia sufferers in the future. The Freemasons’ Grand Charity is pleased to be supporting the research through a donation of £56,500 to Leukaemia Research.
     A major drawback of conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the treatment of cancers is that they adopt a scatter-gun approach. These therapies cannot differentiate between healthy cells and cancer cells, and consequently do their best to kill them all.
     If cancer cells alone could be targeted whilst leaving healthy cells untouched, then a real improvement in treatment results could be achieved. One type of cancer, it seems, has such easily recognisable cells, that there may be a way to do just that.
     Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a form of cancer that attacks blood cells in bone marrow, and like all blood cancers, circulates in the blood, preventing the production of healthy blood cells.
     There is no single genetic factor associated with the cancer, neither is it familial, and it is therefore almost impossible to predict and can affect anyone.
     Although it can affect the young, where it is comparatively well treated, its effect upon older people is far more pronounced, and it is most commonly associated with middle age and beyond. It is the commonest adult leukaemia, and it is reported that approximately 2,000 adults are diagnosed every year in the UK – many of whom are in their sixth decade. The surface of AML cells have a unique chemical structure (a protein molecule called CD33) which makes it possible to identify and differentiate them from normal, healthy cells. If a way of delivering a radio-active ‘warhead’ to the heart or nucleus of each of those identifiable cells can be found, then the treatment of AML would take a massive leap forward.
     Dr Peter Nicholls and Dr Dan Lloyd at the University of Kent, and Professor Philip Blower at King's College, London, are working on a targeted approach.
     The work involves producing a purified antibody protein grown from yeast, which reacts with the CD33 protein molecule on the surface of the cancer cell and enters the cell itself. A radio-active isotope, which has been chemically attached to the antibody, then unleashes its deadly power on the nucleus of the cell, killing it instantly. The antibody protein is like a missile, and the isotope is like a warhead.
     Dr Shabih Syed, Scientific Director of Leukaemia Research said: “This project is one of many examples demonstrating how crucial a donation such as the one from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity is in enhancing our understanding of disease processes that lead to the development of innovative therapies for a disease as devastating as AML”
     The project is just one example of how the many grants given by The Freemasons’ Grand Charity are used. At the launch dinner for the 2014 Festival, Michael Bailey, Provincial Grand Master of East Kent, reminded everyone present that Freemasons play a very important role in the wider community through substantial charitable giving.
     He added that it should never be underestimated the invaluable and fundamental impact on our society such financial support can create.
     A Festival target of £3 million was announced at the dinner held at Margate’s Winter Gardens. The Freemasons’ Grand Charity wishes East Kent every success on the path to the conclusion of the Festival.

CONTACT DETAILS The Freemasons' Grand Charity 60 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ Tel: 020 7395 9261 Fax: 020 7395 9295 info@the-grand-charity.org www.grandcharity.org