Your support for the OPAL (Oxford Pancreatic and Liver) Fund helps us to provide better equipment and facilities for our patients, improve the working environment for our staff and also drive our clinical education and research programmes. OPAL is embedded within the Oxford Hospitals Charity.

* STOP PRESS *

A group of surgeons and health care workers specialising in the treatment of pancreas, liver, and bile duct cancer  are taking part in a coast to coast bike ride this September 21st.

The team is riding 130 miles, Coast-to-Coast (Whitehaven to South Shields) to raise awareness about these cancers and support the charity OPAL Fund.

We know how dedicated this clinical team is, and they hope to raise £10,000 or more through these incredible efforts.

If you would like to support this in this mission please follow the link below.

Support the OPAL Coast to Coast Bike Ride

We'd like to wish the team the very best with this challenge!

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In the UK, approximately 10,500 people are newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year.  The OPAL fund, part of Oxford Hospitals Charity, exists to support patients and staff in Oxford, and covers:

1. Patient welfare

We are committed to improving the patient journey of those with pancreatic, liver and biliary diseases.  For example, we are raising funds to provide cutting edge diagnostic tools like spyglass endoscopy to ensure that patients get necessary treatment in a timely manner.

OPAL is also looking to purchase Power Breathers for patients awaiting major pancreatobiliary and liver surgery that will help pre-habilitate (improve fitness) before the operation, thus increasing the likelihood of better outcomes after the operation.

2. Supporting our staff

Many of our patients, their family and friends have a strong wish to thank the hospital staff that made a difference to them. Through your donations we are able to make hospital areas more comfortable for staff, providing rest areas, drinks facilities and other simple enhancements.

3. Training and education of staff

From time to time additional specialist training and education is needed for our staff to help keep them at the forefront of medical practices. In light of funding constraints within the NHS, OPAL’s role is now greater than ever in ensuring that staff can attend additional courses and seminars.  

Our staff - and as a result patients - benefit greatly from experiences gained through attending these extra courses and seminars.

4. Research and Development

Oxford University and the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are World leaders in the field of Medical Research.

The Oxford Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) Department is involved in many multi-centre clinical trials and also local basic science research in the field. OPAL is currently funding research into the early diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer by looking for biomarkers that may help identify individuals at risk of developing the disease. This is with the goal of being able offer treatment at a stage when the disease is curable.

We in Oxford are also setting up a National Database on IPNB (Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms of Bile ducts) a precancerous condition in the liver that leads to Cholangiocarcinoma (cancer of the bile ducts). OPAL is funding this project, which may impact the long-term management of the disease. 

If you would like more information about the work that OPAL does please do get in touch. Tel: 01865 743 444 Email: [email protected] You can also support OPAL by making a donation today. Just click below and please make sure you write OPAL in the text box when prompted. Donate online now     Other ways to support Do remember to tick the Gift Aid box if you are a UK taxpayer, as that will increase your donation by 25 percent.