FOxTROT Patient & Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Group
The FOxTROT Programme has involved patients and the public within its research from the very outset because it leads to better understanding of our patients and to better research. It means that they can be part of the decisions which may ultimately affect participants in the research and future patients.
We do this by:
- Ensuring that as far as possible, the research takes into account the practical needs of those patients who agree to take part.
- Ensuring the Patient Information Sheet & other documents are understandable, and address matters which are important to patients, their carers and their families.
- Ensuring that the content for the Patient & Public pages of this website can be easily understood.
- Liaising with bowel cancer patient groups and relevant medical charities about the existence and benefits of the research.
- Helping to communicate, in an understandable way, the progress of the research and its findings to those that have participated in it, bowel cancer patient groups and relevant medical charities.
Pete Wheatstone, the retired chair of the FOxTROT PPI Group talks in this video about why the FOxTROT Programme is especially important to him.
Members of the FOxTROT PPI Group
Cathy Gladwin
Following a standard at-home test in 2025 Cathy was diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer. This was successfully treated with the then standard protocol of surgery then chemotherapy. After her recovery she joined the volunteer side of Bowel Cancer UK to promote awareness. Through this Cathy began to be involved with various research projects around the country as well as the FOxTROT programme after meeting the previous Chair – Pete Wheatstone as a member of PPIE panels.
Libby Cooper
Libby has twice been diagnosed with cancer and has been a carer for both her husband and mother following their cancer diagnoses. These experiences have helped her contribute significantly to a variety of public patient activities: including Chair of the PPIE group for Data-Can; a Lay Panel member for UCL/UCLH Biomedical Research Centre’s PPI Bursary Fund; a PPIE representative for INSIGHT (HDR UK Hub), and for KINGS University; and a member of The CRICK Institute’s Animal Welfare and Ethics Review Panel.
Christian Collins
Pete Wheatstone (retired)
Pete was diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer in 2014. Following his recovery, Pete became involved in PPIE roles and continues to work with Bowel Cancer UK and Bowel Research UK and other prominent cancer charities and organisations in the UK & Europe.