Professor Roy Spence OBE, JP, MD, MA, LLD (Hon), FRCS

Chairman

Professor Spence is a Consultant Surgeon specialising in breast cancer at Belfast City Hospital.  He is a Professor of Surgery at Queen’s University Belfast, an Honorary Professor and Member of the Council at the University of Ulster and he has been awarded Honorary Fellowships from the Royal Colleges of England and Glasgow.  Professor Spence was appointed an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List in 2001.  With a wide range of professional and academic accolades and years of dedicated public service, Professor Spence brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic leadership to Cancer Focus Northern Ireland.

Mr Boyd Carson FCA

Honorary Treasurer

Boyd has a wide range of finance and investment experience.  He is currently a partner in Sapphire Capital Partners LLP which focuses on real estate financing and investment advice and he also serves on the Board of numerous companies.  Previously he was a Director of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in New York where he worked in the Corporate Finance Group.  Boyd is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Mr Ivan McMinn

Ivan offers extensive experience in business and finance having worked at Danske Bank, formally the Northern Bank, for more than 35 years.  He has an extensive track record in raising funds for charity and also brings personal experience of living with a cancer diagnosis.  Ivan received a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2011 and nine months after having his chemotherapy treatment, he completed the London Marathon, and again in 2014. Together both marathons raised some £202,000 for cancer charities and other deserving causes.

Ivan is a Director and the Company Secretary of Stranwood Estates Ltd and is also Director of Visit Belfast.  He has many more voluntary and community interests.

Professor Mark Lawler

Mark is a member of the Steering Committee of the European Cancer Concord and holds an Associate Director position at the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at Queen’s University Belfast. Mark has a keen interest in both research and cancer policy, and has been at the forefront of a number of patient focused cancer healthcare initiatives aiming to remove inequalities and improve cancer care for the citizens of Europe.

Violet Spence

Violet has had a long career in financial management, having worked in the Northern Ireland Civil Service and Danske Bank.  She has a strong background in corporate governance, financial reporting, collation and analysis of management information and systems implementation.  Violet has been a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants since 1998 and a member of the Cancer Focus NI Finance and Policy Committee since 2009.  She retired from her post as Senior Audit Manager with Danske Bank in 2014. Since then she has developed a strong interest in the social enterprise and small business sector, and advises on set up and operational issues.

Dr Jim Birnie

Jim is a chartered Quantity Surveyor and a retired University Lecturer.  He has published numerous academic papers in construction economics and cognitive psychology.  Jim has been involved in Cancer Focus NI for 40 years.  He is a member and secretary of our Ballymena Cancer Support Group since 1973 and a Board Member since 1985.

Dr Bernadette Cullen

Bernadette is Chair of the Action on Smoking NI committee, which and works in liaison with the other ASH committees in England, Scotland and Wales to control tobacco and reduce smoking prevalence. (ASH NI is a sub-committee of Cancer Focus NI.

Dr Cullen has 24 years’ experience as a consultant in public health with the Eastern Health and Social Services Board and then the Public Health Agency. Now retired, she had particular interest in health improvement, population screening, skin cancer and melanoma strategy implementation. She has been engaged in a broad range of community health initiatives, including Chair of Belfast Healthy Cities from 2007 – 2013 and has extensive experience of working in partnership with the voluntary sector.

Mrs Pat McClelland 

Pat has been a registered General Nurse since October 1982 and currently holds the position of General Manager of Cancer Services in the Northern Trust. She has led on several nursing initiatives and nurse development programmes within the acute hospital setting and she manages a team of health professionals, nurses and admin staff.  Pat has recently secured funding for a further 6 cancer nurse specialists to improve provision of support within the Trust and she works closely with voluntary groups – including Cancer Focus NI and Macmillan to secure improved support for cancer patients.

Mr Dooley Harte

Dooley has been a full-time Trade Union Official with NIPSA for the past 18 years, working in particular supporting NIPSA members in the Civil Service.

Dooley became involved with us in 2010 when his wife, Ann, was seriously ill with breast cancer.  Dooley and his five children used our Family Support Service through their bereavement. Dooley has been a tremendous support to the service and to other parents. He also worked with us in our successful application for Big Lottery funding for the service.

Richard Spratt

Chief Executive

richardspratt@cancerfocusni.org

Richard took up the position as Chief Executive in September 2020. His career has spanned both the private and voluntary sectors. Having previously worked in the banking sector, he has held posts in the voluntary sector since 2009 within international development. He has served on other charity Boards as a Trustee and completed his Masters in Business Administration in 2015.

Patricia Barrett

Head of Administration

patriciabarrett@cancerfocusni.org

Patricia worked in the private and public sector before being appointed Head of Administration in 1999.  Her role incorporates human resources, finance, I.T. and facilities management.

Gerry McElwee

Head of Cancer Prevention

gerrymcelwee@cancerfocusni.org

Gerry has trained professionals in and campaigned for healthier policy for over 20 years. He is central to local tobacco control efforts, including the campaign for a smoke free Northern Ireland. A qualified teacher, Gerry has been Head of Cancer Prevention since 1999.

Dervilia Kernaghan

Head of Care Services

DerviliaKernaghan@cancerfocusni.org

Dervilia, who trained as a nurse, was appointed as Head of Care Services in 2019. Previously a part of our cancer prevention team, she brings vast experience and knowledge of patient care to the role.

Angela McGrath

Head of Retail

angelamcgrath@cancerfocusni.org
028 9205 7002

Angela was previously Retail Manager for Cancer Focus NI and in 2017 was appointed Head of Retail. She has extensive management experience in high street retailing, including Waterstone’s and Marks & Spencer.

Maeve Colgan

Head of Income Generation

maevecolgan@cancerfocusni.org

Maeve was appointed as Head of Income Generation in 2014 and has worked in the voluntary sector since 2004.  Maeve is responsible for fundraising and building relationships with corporate and community groups throughout Northern Ireland.