A LEADING cancer charity has launched an ambitious plan to double its annual fundraising from £5million to £10million.

Yorkshire Cancer Research wants more investment to tackle some of the specific issues which make the region one of the worst in the country for the disease.

And to raise awareness of the vital research carried out in the region the charity is looking for people to get involved in its “My Story” campaign.

The organisation is searching for 20 people willing to share their experience of diagnosis, treatment, and the impact the illness has had on their lives and those of their families, friends and colleagues.

The storytellers are intended as a representative snapshot of the wide demographic of those affected by cancer, irrespective of age, race, religion or social standing.

Yorkshire has the third highest cancer incidence rate in England with survival rates for many of the most common types of the disease below the national average.

Currently 150,000 people are living with or beyond cancer in Yorkshire. In 2013, a total of 29,872 people were diagnosed with cancer in Yorkshire and approximately half will die from the disease.

But with 8.5 per cent of the national population, the region receives only 3.8 per cent of cancer research funding.

The charity’s chief executive, Charles Rowett, said: “Sadly, people in Yorkshire are more likely to get cancer and more likely to die of it than people living in almost any other region. That cannot be permitted to continue.

“More investment is needed to tackle the specific problems within the region to deliver better outcomes for patients and reduce the devastating impact that cancer has on the lives of people living in and around the county.

“We are planning to raise more than £100m over the next 10 years to ensure that by 2025, at least 2,000 more people in Yorkshire will survive cancer every year.”

He added: “Letting people with the disease or their families, friends and colleagues tell their stories of how it has impacted their lives, is an important part of creating public understanding.”

In order to bring life-changing improvements to cancer outcomes in Yorkshire, the charity partners with hospitals, universities and other organisations. In the last 10 years, it has invested £48.4m in research.

To share a cancer story or nominate a family member, contact Yorkshire Cancer Research on 01423-877210 or email stories@ycr.org.uk.