LADY Elsie Robson has thanked everyone who has supported the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation during the last year.

In a Christmas message to supporters Lady Elsie said: "From the day my husband set up our charity within the NHS, almost 10 years ago, we’ve been completely reliant on the general public for all our fundraising - and we haven’t been let down.

"We’re extremely fortunate that people come to us with a huge variety of fundraising ideas, some of them extraordinary, and many of them very touching.

"Together, we’ve raised over £11million to find better ways to detect and treat cancer and we’ve achieved so much to help people facing this terrible disease."

During the last year the charity has funded new projects including an Ophthalmology Clinical Trial Evaluation Suite, which links with the drug trials in the Sir Bobby Robson Centre.

Lady Robson added: "I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone who has supported us this year.

"In July, I was proud to meet Dr Simon Bomken, who is now a Sir Bobby Robson Clinical Fellow, having filled the first of four new positions we’re funding at The Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre in Newcastle.

"With his colleagues, Dr Bomken is working to advance understanding of how to treat childhood cancers, and developing treatments that are more effective and less toxic.

"We’ve also funded the PROSPECT-NE genome sequencing project, which will help develop ‘personal’ cancer treatments, find out how cancer is impacting on patients’ health and determine in advance if side-effects are likely from treatment.

"None of this would have been possible without your coffee mornings, North Sea rows, concerts, Great North Runs, raffles, children’s triathlons... The commitment and generosity of our fundraisers is astonishing.

"I hope every single person who supported us this year feels proud of their efforts. We’re very grateful to each and every one of you."

The foundation will be celebrating its 10th anniversary next year.