Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation says it faces the risk of closure because of coronavirus

A leading lung cancer charity in the North West says it is facing the risk of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation should be celebrating as it is 30 years old this year.

It was founded in 1990 by Professor Ray Donnelly who was working as a thoracic surgeon at what is now the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.

It remains the only UK charity solely dedicated to supporting everyone living with lung cancer, the deadliest form of the disease.

Sylvia Ingham (far left) Ray Donnelly, Sir Cliff Richard and Fiona Castle unveil the plaque that officially opened the The Roy Castle International Centre for Lung Cancer Research in Liverpool in 1998. Credit: PA Archive

With the help of the late entertainer, Roy Castle, the charity built the first ever lung cancer research centre located on London Road.

It also funded pioneering research at the University of Liverpool, the results of which lay the groundwork for the newly announced lung health checks across England, an initiative which could save thousands of lives and provide essential evidence for a national lung cancer screening programm

Roy Castle died in 1994 after a battle with lung cancer.

The charity has set up a Facebook fundraiser: