A LEADING regional cancer charity is calling on businesses to financially support its medical students.

Yorkshire Cancer Research (YCR) has appealed to businesses to donate £17,000 to sponsor a PhD student in the region for one year.

Despite the region being at the centre of international cancer research activity, the North Yorkshire-based charity fears spiralling tuition fees and financial pressures on postgraduate medical students are preventing them from pursuing a career in cancer research.

The charity has pledged to put an extra 40 per cent of its resources into postgraduate medical student funding.

Businesses can link their donation to an individual student, enabling them to make contact with them, understand their work and follow their future career.

YCR chief executive Mark Stevens said: “A large number of breakthroughs in the fight against cancer have emanated from Yorkshire, with millions of people benefiting from our work.

“Many of our top cancer research scientists are now approaching retirement and we need to help more of our younger generation go into this important field.”

For more information, go to yorkshirecancerresearch.org uk or call 01423-501269.