Monday 09 Sept 2013
Media Release
Newcastle cancer diagnostics company to run Great North
Run for Bowel Cancer UK
Newcastle-based diagnostics company QuantuMDx Group will take on the UK’s most
popular half marathon on September 15 when a team of Directors and staff run the Great
North Run for Bowel Cancer UK. Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder Jonathan O’Halloran
chose to support the charity after a close relative and friend were diagnosed with bowel
cancer, and he encouraged his co-workers to join.
Bowel cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer but many people are still unaware of
the symptoms. Every year, over 40,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and more
than 15,700 people die of the disease. Jonathan’s uncle and his best friend’s father were
both diagnosed with bowel cancer this year which spurred him on to take part in the race
and fundraise for Bowel Cancer UK.
Bowel cancer will be one of many common cancers QuantuMDx’s handheld diagnostic
device will diagnose in under 20 minutes. Jonathan and his business partner Elaine
Warburton, who herself lost her mother to cancer, started the company six years ago in his
garage lab, and it has since grown to a 37-man team based in the International Centre for
Life.
Jonathan said: “The effects it had on my peer group and my family after discovering they
both had bowel cancer has been enormous, it truly knocked us for six. Fortunately we have
a very good support system and as I am researching in the field I was able to inform and
help guide the families through their difficult time with a lot of help from the information on
the Bowel Cancer UK website. In addition to my work at QuantuMDx, participating in the
Great North Run for Bowel Cancer UK will be an extra way for me to give something back.”
Jonathan along with Elaine and their colleagues Sam Whitehouse, Jonathan Salmon and
Joseph Hedley will also be running to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK, and colleagues
Marc Flanagan, Mohit Devgan and Maggie Love will also be running. To sponsor Jonathan
please go to his just giving page which is http://www.justgiving.com/Jonathan-OHalloran
For further press information, pictures of the guide or for a Bowel Cancer UK
spokesperson, please contact Julia Kouyoumdjian or Grant Imlach in Bowel Cancer UK’s
Press Office on 020 7940 1776 or press@bowelcanceruk.org.uk
Ends
Notes to Editors:
About Bowel Cancer UK
Bowel Cancer UK aims to save lives and improve the quality of life for all those affected by
bowel cancer. If you have concerns call the Bowel Cancer Information and Support Service
on free phone 0800 8 40 35 40 or email support@bowelcanceruk.org.uk for more
information about bowel cancer, please visit www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk
About Bowel Cancer
Bowel Cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK, affecting both
men and women. Every year over 40,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and more
than 15,700 people die of the disease.
About Bowel Cancer Symptoms
Symptoms of bowel cancer include:
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Bleeding from the bottom and/or blood in your poo.
A change in your normal bowel habit lasting three weeks or more especially to looser
or runny poo.
Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason.
Unexplained weight loss.
A pain or lump in your tummy.
About QuantuMDx Group
QuantuMDx Group is one of the most exciting medical device biotechs to emerge from the
UK. With its headquarters at the International Centre for Life in Newcastle, UK, the last 5
years has seen the company grow from its humble beginnings in a South of England based
‘biotech garage lab’ to a multi-national company with pan-global collaborations,
partnerships and even its own commercial genomics lab.
www.quantumdx.com