The youngest patient to be treated in Britain using pioneering proton beam therapy has helped mark the three-year anniversary of his treatment.
Teddy Slade recently celebrated his fourth birthday but was only 18 months old when he had surgery to remove a rare brain tumour, followed six and a half weeks of proton beam therapy.
He was treated at The Christie, in Manchester, one of England’s leading cancer hospitals and the first to offer high-energy proton beam therapy on the country’s National Health Service.
The £125 million ($170 million) centre was launched in late 2018; a second, in London, opened last year.
Together, they have the capacity to treat 1,300 patients a year.
Teddy, who lives in Stockport, Greater Manchester, has regular check-ups to monitor his progress.
He is now enjoying nursery school and is leading a full and happy life with his parents, Amy and Dan, and siblings, Lottie, 17, and Charlie, 14.
Proton beam therapy is a type of radiotherapy in which a beam of high-energy protons – small parts of atoms – are used to treat some types of cancer.
The treatment enables a dose of high-energy protons to be directed precisely towards a tumour, reducing the damage to healthy tissue and vital organs.
On World Cancer Day, Ms Slade said: “A diagnosis like Teddy’s is terrifying and devastating. However, the proton beam centre at The Christie is a place of hope.
“It was a huge shock when Teddy was diagnosed as he was so young, and to be told he had a brain tumour was absolutely heartbreaking.”
Teddy’s doctor, consultant clinical oncologist Dr Gillian Whitfield, said: “It is great to see Teddy doing so well and we were thrilled to be able to help him here at The Christie.
“Being able to give patients like Teddy this vital proton beam therapy in the UK is fantastic, as it not only reduces the side-effects of treatment, but also means families don’t have to travel abroad as many did before the NHS opened the centre here in Manchester.”
Dame Cally Palmer, NHS England’s national cancer director, said: “Since Teddy first received proton beam therapy treatment at The Christie, over 700 patients in the UK, including 300 children, have benefited from this pioneering treatment in the NHS.
“In the last few months we have also opened a second centre at University College London Hospital, meaning even more patients now have access to this world-class, innovative care for cancer.
“This is a major milestone for the NHS and marks the completion of our plans to deliver proton beam therapy in the UK and transform cancer treatment across the country.”
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Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
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Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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