Penile cancer is something that affects 1,000 or so patients a year, while for vulva cancer the numbers are very similar. Penile is a serious problem and treated with surgery can result in the surgical removal of the tip of the penis. For the vulval cancers, surgery is one of the options, and the disfiguring nature of the treatment is traumatic.

Teams at the Peninsula Medical School in Truro at the Royal Cornwall Hospital and The Christie in Manchester have already had some success with the treatment of vulval cancer and Paget’s disease – the pre-cancer - that does away with the need for surgery. The complete eradication of the cancer has been possible. Although this is an experimental treatment, the results have been most positive for the patients.

The charity is now planning to fund a new multi-centre trial for VIN and PIN, and we hope that we are half way towards our target of £150,000. We really urgently need to find the balance of the money.