Jamie Gibbard, Founding Trustee and Co-Chair.
Jamie was diagnosed with stage IV ALK+ lung cancer in 2019, after having a seizure very unexpectedly at the age of 33.
He works full-time in software engineering and lives in Kent, in the UK, with his wife Cat and their four-year-old son Robin.
Jamie sits on the ALK Positive Inc. Board and is an active member of the ALK Positive Europe association where ALK+ cancer patient groups in Europe work together to bring about change for the ALK+ community.
Jamie's diagnosis - as a young father and patient - and his experience contending with the re-emergence of metastases to the brain, have made him into a strong advocate for further research into ALK+ cancer.
Jamie's other passions include cooking with his family and walks in nature.
Joanna Jonathan, Founding Trustee and Co-Chair
Jo began having symptoms, such as a chest infections, a cough, weight loss and hoarse voice, while pregnant and was finally diagnosed with stage IV ALK+ lung cancer in 2019 - a full year later.
She lives near Manchester, in the UK, with her husband Daniel and two beautiful girls, who are 3 and just 9 months old.
Jo has a large social media presence where she uses her personal story to put ALK+ cancer in the public domain and help to change stigmas and outdated notions of lung cancer.
Jo also sits on the advocacy board for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and is involved in many campaigns and fundraising efforts.
In her spare time, Jo likes to spend time with her family, enjoys Escape rooms and nice wine.
Cat Gibbard, Founding Trustee and Secretary
Cat is the loving wife and caregiver to ALK+ patient Jamie. She is also the full-time home educator and mummy to their son Robin.
Cat has a background in running small charities and strongly believes in our ethos that research saves lives.
Cat is known to many in our ALK+ cancer community not only as a friend, but someone they can rely on for empathy, support and ALK+ knowledge.
Her other passions include gardening, animals, in particular cats and cooking with her family.
Jan Clark, Trustee
Jan works in the medical industry and lives outside Bristol, in the UK, with her husband and family.
One of her four daughters, Amy was diagnosed by chance in March 2020 with ALK+ lung cancer at the age of 20.
As a concerned parent, Jan researched and came across some amazing and innovative ALK+ cancer treatments. However, many of these are inaccessible in the UK.
This has inspired Jan to join up with like-minded ALK+ cancer advocates and help push for change.
Yvonne Diaz,Trustee
Yvonne heads up PR and social media for a global multi-national organisation and lives in London, in the UK, with her husband, teenage twin boys and dog.
She was diagnosed with stage IV, ALK+ lung cancer in September 2021, after initially seeing her doctor for a cough that would not go away.
The low level of research funding into lung cancer and lack of awareness that never-smokers can get lung cancer have inspired Yvonne to advocate for research, raise awareness and support others with this incurable disease.
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