Langley Park farmer donates sheep as thanks for cancer trial

Leo Moralee, a farmer from Langley Park in Durham decided to donate a sheep to Newcastle Hospital Charity the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, which is a Newcastle Hospitals Charity to thank them for the treatment he is receiving.

62-year-old Leo was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma in 2021, which is a type of blood cancer and has been receiving a drug trial treatment at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.

Read more: County Durham Care Partnership – working together is the best medicine

The donated sheep from Leo, on the left. (Image: LONGSTONEPR)

Thankfully, the trial is said to be greatly improving Leo’s physical wellbeing which led him to donate the first ever sheep and £1,500 raised through its offering at Darlington Farmers Auction Mart.

Leo has now expressed his delight at the amount raised for the foundation and affirmed his thanks to all the staff who have helped care for him.

He said: “I’m being very well-cared and it’s a five-star team at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care. Everyone from the radiologists to the cleaners is friendly and caring and I feel like I’m in very good hands.

“I had one ewe left and decided to donate it to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. I explained this to the Darlington Farmers Auction Mart who advertised it as such and I was absolutely stunned by the response from the buyers.

“It was sold and reoffered five times, which is why it raised £1,500. It should have gone for around £170. I’m enormously touched and grateful for the amazing generosity

“I know one group of farmers clubbed together at one point to buy it. In fact, I was so taken aback that I don’t know who actually took the sheep in the end!”

After initially receiving chemotherapy at Durham Hospital, Le was referred to the Northern Centre for Cancer Care where he was offered trial drug Glofitimab in December 2021.

Thanks to the trial and his care, Leo’s life has been completely transformed.

“Having cancer has really opened my eyes to the importance of clinical trials and I know I’m very lucky to have been given the chance to go on one”, he said.

“Thankfully, it’s going well so far and my life has vastly improved. I’ve gone from needing a wheelchair to enjoying life again.”

Langley Park farmer Leo Moralee. (Image: LONGSTONEPR)

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Director of the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, Professor Ruth Plummer, has thanked Leo for his donation and coincidentally has her own flock of sheep.

She said: “Once again I am so touched by the generosity of patients and their local communities, in supporting the work we do through the Foundation.

“This is also a donation after my own heart, as our small flock of sheep keep me grounded and busy in my spare time.”