The well-known Scot will be a Curestarter Coach for Worldwide Cancer Research.

Worldwide Cancer Research (WCR) has announced the appointment of world-renowned professional tennis coach, Judy Murray, as the charity’s first ever ‘Curestarter Coach’, encouraging people across the UK to contribute to the search for new cures for cancer. 

Cancer affects as many as 1 in 2 of us in our lifetimes. For Judy, this meant losing two of her best friends to breast cancer. 

Renowned for her tenaciousness and perseverance in the tennis world, Judy, like WCR, is determined to see a day when no life is cut short by cancer and is working with the charity to inspire people to become a Curestarter to help the charity 'take the winning shot' when it comes to cancer research.

Anyone can be a Curestarter; Judy’s role as Curestarter Coach will see her inspire and motivate people to fundraise and support the work taking place to start cures. 

From offering advice to someone who’s taking part in their first sponsored race, to inspiring tips on how to stay motivated when fundraising, Judy aims to rally as many Curestarters across the UK as possible in her new role. 

She said: “I’m honoured to support Worldwide Cancer Research as their Curestarter Coach. Losing my close friends to cancer taught me how this disease really can affect anyone. They were both active, healthy, and mums like me.

“We’ve all been affected by cancer in some way, and we need to all work together to find new cures. I know, in my heart, that we can do it, and the cutting-edge discovery research carried out every day by the team at Worldwide Cancer research gives me so much hope for the future.

“Worldwide Cancer Research already has an amazing community of Curestrarters that go above and beyond to support the work carried out by the charity, but we mustn’t stop there. 

“I’m really excited to support those already doing amazing work to raise funds and awareness, but also encourage people to become Curestarters for the first time. It’s through this work that together, we’ll stop cancer.”

Judy’s inspirational and handy guides on how to become a Curestarter are available to view online. 

Worldwide Cancer Research is a UK-based charity that funds discovery research with the mission to stop cancer. Starting cures worldwide, the charity backs the brightest scientists in the world who have game-changing new ideas for treatments and for cures. 

The work of Worldwide Cancer Research is only made possible by a united effort from the charity’s network of Curestarters.

Dr Helen Rippon, CEO of WCR said: "We're on a mission to stop cancer, currently funding 85 research projects in 16 different countries.  None of these would have been possible without our incredible team of visionary researchers, supported by generous fundraisers up and down the UK. 

"This community of Curestarters are bringing us one step closer to the next breakthrough which will ultimately ensure that no life is cut short by cancer.

"Judy has had a hugely inspirational life, never giving up on her goal of coaching grand-slam winning tennis players and contributing to incredible advances for women in sport. We’re delighted to be working with her to spread the motivation that led her to such great things, and encourage fundraisers, researchers and donors to never give up on starting cures for cancer.”