Fareham cancer sufferer looks to help other by taking part in research trial at QA Hospital in Portsmouth
Fareham man helps support major cancer research trial at QA hospital
A cancer sufferer from Fareham has chosen to help a new research study taking place in Portsmouth aiming to improve early cancer detection.
Robert Fielder, 61, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in November 2025 and his planned surgery at University Hospital Southampton was abandoned when it was discovered it had spread to his liver. The revelation meant that the cancer was no longer operable with Robert now receiving palliative chemotherapy at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham.
Robert said: “If I can leave anything behind to help someone else who may be walking in my shoes in the future, that can only be beneficial. I’ve looked at ways that I can do that and one of the ways is taking part in research studies.
“All research is beneficial because eventually it will help work towards a cure or life expectancy. Palliative used to mean weeks or months. Because of research and because of people looking at how we can deal with this disease, palliative care doesn’t mean weeks or months anymore.
“If the medication works for you, and if your lifestyle works for you, you can extend that. But we can only do that if people are prepared to help by getting involved in research programmes.”
As well as taking part in the study, Robert is also fundraising to create a seaside retreat for people with terminal cancer and sharing an insight into his journey by posting daily blog posts and videos on social media.
Robert is one of more than 250 patients which has been recruited by Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) in the past year. The study covers ten different tumour types, including pancreatic and breast cancer and Robert is one of more than a thousand people who have taken part so far across the UK.
He has nothing but praise for the treatment he has received at QA through a very difficult time.
Robert said: “The service I’ve been getting from QA has been absolutely amazing. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t think I’d be sitting here talking because every single person I have met has done nothing but give me support and the strength to carry on and in the dark moments, which you get with chemotherapy and your cancer journey, you know you’ve got all these people behind you.
“I’m very fortunate to live in this area to have that team.”
Lisa Murray, a clinical nurse specialist at QA, is thankful to the Robert and his fellow patients that have chosen to take part in the research.
She said: “Research simply wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of patients like Rob. By choosing to take part, people are helping us to improve how we detect and treat cancer for future patients. Early diagnosis gives people more options and better outcomes, and studies like MODERNISED are a vital step in getting us there.”
MODERNISED is being run by researchers from the University of Southampton in partnership with the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit and biotech company Proteotype Diagnostics Ltd. It is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme and the Office for Life Sciences.