For 25 years, your generosity has given Cornwall the gift of world-class cancer treatment and care through the Sunrise Appeal. Scroll on for 25 different stories – an advent journey through memories, milestones, and the incredible people who made it all possible! Click each day to open the advent calendar doors…

Day 1

In late 2000, a group of passionate people came together with one big dream: to bring world-class cancer treatment to Cornwall. That dream became the Sunrise Centre, supported by The Sunrise Appeal, and together we’ve been transforming lives ever since.

Day 2

In 2002, the Sunrise Centre officially opened its doors. For the first time, people in Cornwall could receive advanced radiotherapy close to home 🙌

Day 3

Today we’re paying tribute to the wonderful Andy Wooders 🕊️ In 2019, Andy and his family took on the ultimate challenge of cycling from John O’Groats to Land’s End!

875 miles later, the team raised a tremendous £2,574 for the Sunrise Appeal!

Day 4

Last year, two amazing boys, William and Seth, brought plenty of cheer (and cake!) to their community 🍰✨

They organised a cake sale and raised over £200 for The Sunrise Appeal! Afterwards, they headed to the department to help count the money and see how their efforts would help support cancer care here in Cornwall.

Day 5

The early days of the Appeal really kicked up a gear when BBC Radio Cornwall chose us as their charity of the year, inspiring the ‘Send £1’ campaign 💌 Here’s Janet to tell you all about it…

Day 6

For 25 years, the Sunrise Appeal has been dedicated not only to funding vital equipment and facilities, but also to supporting the professional development of the incredible team at the Sunrise Centre 📚✨

Day 7

On Day 7, we send a heartfelt thanks to all of our incredible fundraisers.. inclding Colin Dyer and his wife, who spent last summer raising an amazing £257.99 through local car boot sales!

Your time, effort, and generosity help us continue, and we’re so grateful for your dedication 🌅

Day 8

A huge well done to Simon Brown, who back in 2019 raised an incredible £8,603.37 through a private auction – donating 90% to the Sunrise Appeal and 10% to Cancer Research UK 👏

After being treated at the Sunrise Centre for prostate cancer in 2018 and receiving the all-clear in February 2019, Simon wanted to “give a little something back” for the care he received.

Thank you to our fundraisers! Your generosity continues to inspire this festive season 🎄

Day 9

85 miles 🥾 50 Young Farmers 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 More than £11,000 raised 💰

A huge thank you to Cornwall YFC, who absolutely smashed their WotNot Challenge in 2024 – trekking from Donegal to Dublin along the Wicklow Way in support of the Sunrise Appeal! Led by County Chair Jordan Edyvean from Roche YFC, the team completed the challenge in just four and a half days.

Day 10

In 2023, £150,000 was granted to make Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy available at the Sunrise Centre 🧬 SABR is a type of radiotherapy that can not only be used to treat medically inoperable cancers, but it also requires a lower number of sessions, meaning less disruption for patients and their families and carers.

Day 11

“What does the Sunrise Appeal mean to you…?”

The simple question we asked our supporters at our event in April 🫶

Day 12

Drumming… For 12 straight hours…? 🥁

There’s only one person up to this challenge and it’s the incredible Jack, who took to the kit in February this year in a 12-hour drumathon. Jack raised a huge £1,755, and was later named Young Citizen of the Year in Penzance.

Huge well done, Jack!

Day 13

Back in June 2021, Colin celebrated his 80th birthday in style by walking 33 miles, playing 80 holes of golf, and raising an incredible £10,500 🏌️‍♂️ A huge thank you to Colin, who has been Treasurer and Trustee of the Sunrise Appeal since the beginning!

Day 14

Today’s Advent Calendar story features Jackie, who received treatment at the Sunrise Centre and took part in our special 25 Years of Sunrise film ✨

We’re so grateful to Jackie for sharing her journey and helping us mark 25 years of hope, strength, and togetherness.

Day 15

Earlier this year, we were delighted to bring together trustees, supporters, medical staff and friends at The Alverton to celebrate an incredible milestone – 25 years of the Sunrise Appeal. ✨

It was a truly special evening of reflection and gratitude.

Day 16

On Day 16, we’re saying a huge thank you to Ali Catt who has spent years fundraising for the Sunrise Appeal, with all proceeds from her gigs with Wicked Lollipops being donated ✨ The Appeal has been close to the hearts of the band following the sad loss of band member David Hudson three years ago.

Day 17

In April 2024, a £502,000 grant from the Sunrise Appeal funded Surface Guided Radiotherapy (SGRT) at the Sunrise Centre ☀️

SGRT remains an innovative system which helps deliver cutting-edge cancer treatment, and the Sunrise Centre became the first radiotherapy department in the south west to use the system clinically.

Day 18

In November 2023, the amazing Sam Kneebone, together with friends Rebecca Hogarth and Liza Marie Pagets, organised an incredible 30th birthday party and raised a truly astonishing £14,110 for the Sunrise Appeal! 🎉

Day 19

Back in 2018, the NHS proposed centralising cancer services into bigger hospitals, in a move that would have forced some Cornish patients to travel out of the county for treatment.

Well… Cornwall wasn’t having any of that.

We rallied the public to respond to the consultation, and out of 11,500 responses nationwide, an incredible 10,850 came from Cornish residents. The campaign won unanimous support from all Cornish MPs, and was even raised in the House of Commons.

The pressure worked. The NHS revised the strategy not just for Cornwall, but for the entire country.

And the plans for Cornwall? Scrapped completely 🗑️

Day 20

Consultant Oncologist and Sunrise Appeal Trustee – Toby – sums it up best… This is why we do what we do!

Day 21

While cutting-edge cancer treatment is still required, the Sunrise Appeal will still exist 💫

Day 22

In May, the Sunrise Appeal granted £400,000 to fund the cutting-edge HyperSight imaging system upgrade to the new NHS-funded Varian TrueBeam radiotherapy machine at the Sunrise Centre ✨

25 years (and counting) of supporting cutting-edge cancer treatment for Cornwall.

Day 23

An extra-huge thank you to Becky, who braved the head shave in April and raised an incredible £2,000 for the Sunrise Appeal ✂️✨

After losing her husband, Becky turned her heartbreak into hope, raising funds to help others facing cancer here in Cornwall.

Day 24

Today, we’re shining a light on the incredible staff at the Sunrise Centre, who deliver expert, compassionate care day in, day out – and continue to do so even through the festive period ✨

From doctors, nurses and radiographers and all the admin and support staff, every member of the team plays a vital role in ensuring patients across Cornwall receive world-class cancer care close to home.

Day 25

This Christmas, we’re celebrating 25 years of the Sunrise Appeal and looking forward to the future of cancer care here in Cornwall.

Thank you for supporting us – Merry Christmas, and here’s to the next 25 🎄