Meet our Team - Andrew Westwood, Trustee, Parent and Author

Introducing Andrew Westwood, Andrew is a Trustee and also a parent who’s family have experienced first-hand childhood cancer and now wants to help others.

1)  What’s your role within aPODD? 

I am not a scientist or a medic - by profession, I am an accountant, so I do what I can to support the team with financial matters.

2) What inspired you to work for aPODD? 

At the age of 13, my daughter Imogen was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma and we got to see paediatric oncology from the inside. Thankfully, Immy has just celebrated 5 years in remission but along the way, she lost several friends to cancer. I was introduced to Cesare, by a mutual friend, we had a chat over Skype and that was it - I was 'in'. For me aPODD seemed to have the right attitude and approach. 

3) What’s your hope for aPODD for the next 12 months? 

I think we can be active on two fronts - raising awareness of childhood cancer and the difficulties patients face when they are few in number. Secondly, driving forward our projects investigating medulloblastoma and neuroblastoma. 

4) Tell us something, that not many people know about you? 

I actually harbour an ambition to be an author! I did write a book about Immy's experiences called 'Ponies, Pineapple and Chemo: An Everyday Tale of Teenage Cancer'. They say everyone has a book in them, but I wonder if I have a second one in there somewhere...