Part of Make 2nds Count’s mission is to fund secondary breast cancer research that contributes to advancing an increased quality of life for patients. We do this across a number of research areas including: 

  • Clinical studies
  • Qualitative research on patients' experiences
  • Laboratory research with near-time patient benefit

The Clinical Governance & Research Committee formed in 2020 oversees our programmes and ensures the research we fund is focused on patient benefit. It is made up of specialists in secondary breast cancer, clinical practice and patient advocacy. The Clinical Governance & Research Committee provides expert knowledge and advice to our staff and Board to inform where our research funding can have the biggest impact. 

Trustees

    Prof David Cameron

    Prof Cameron’s first degree was in mathematics from the University of Cambridge, and he received his medical degree in 1986 from St. George’s Hospital Medical School, London. After completing a fellowship and MSc in Clinical Oncology at the University of Edinburgh, he received a MD with distinction in 1997 and completed his training as a medical oncologist that same year. He is currently Professor of Oncology at Edinburgh University, and works in NHS Lothian’s cancer centre treating breast cancer patients, and the joint lead for the Edinburgh Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre. He is currently also the lead for systemic anti-cancer therapy in NHS Lothian, though he will shortly demit from this role to take up a part/time deputy director role within the Scottish Government funded Innovative Health Care Delivery Programme (IHDP) which seeks to improve on access to, and enhance the use of, routine data on  cancer patients within NHS Scotland. He also chairs the Scottish Cancer SACT data group, off label cancer medicines’ group and is Scottish Government R&D (CSO) clinical cancer research champion.

    Internationally he is the chair of the Breast International Group, a Brussels-based umbrella group of 57 worldwide academic/not-for-profit breast cancer trials’ groups, and the vice chair of the steering group of the Oxford-based Early Breast Cancer Clinical Trialists’ Group. 

    He is active in a number of current and past clinical trials in breast cancer.  He was a member of the executive committee of the HERA adjuvant herceptin trial, and a member of the steering group for several UK adjuvant breast cancer trials, as well as the BIG APHINITY, ALTTO/NEO_ALTTO, BRAVO and AURORA studies and other international breast cancer studies. He was chief investigator on the UK trial adjuvant breast cancer trial, TACT2, and of BEATRICE, a global trial that tested the possible benefit of adjuvant bevacizumab in triple negative breast cancer, and serves on the iDMC of a number of clinical trials in breast and other cancers. He is a present and past member of several cancer research funding committees including INCA PHRC, PAIR (Sein), Cancer Research UK Science committee, Cancer Research UK Clinical Research Committee, and from time to time various NIHR funding bodies including EME, clinical trials fellows committee.  He is on the advisory board of the ICR and Glasgow Clinical Trials Units, the Bordeaux Institute Bergonie SIRIC and the Cardiff Cancer Clinical and Translational Research programmes. 

      Lesley Stephen

      I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, out of the blue, in March 2014.  Previously I had been a self-employed communications consultant, living in Edinburgh with my 4 children.  The shock and grief I felt when being given the news of my diagnosis, and likely 1-2 years life expectancy, was indescribable.

      After a rollercoaster first 18 months of treatment, when no treatment seemed to work, I got the last slot on a Phase 1 clinical trial at the Glasgow Beatson Cancer Centre.  That was over 4 years ago, and I am still on it living a great life with few side effects.

      Being so ‘well’ has enabled me to become a patient advocate, campaigning to get a better deal for metastatic breast cancer patients who are often ignored when it comes to research, treatments and support.  I have worked with CRUK, Breast Cancer Now, the NCRI, and am a member of ICPV and METUP UK amongst other patient focused groups.  My knowledge of MBC has increased hugely as a result and I am passionate about enabling more patients to access new treatments and clinical trials.

      When Make 2nds Count started I was therefore delighted to join the Trustees in order to represent and be the voice of patients, and to help improve the lives of us living with the disease.

      Dr Olubukola Ayodele

      Dr Olubukola Ayodele is a Consultant Breast Oncologist based in the UK, with postgraduate training and clinical experience spanning Nigeria, Ireland, Canada, and the UK. She joins Make 2nds Count as Trustee in November 2025 and is highly regarded as a leader in breast oncology and in advancing equity in cancer care.

      Her career encompasses service development, research, education, and advocacy both nationally and internationally. A recipient of multiple awards, Dr Ayodele is an active clinical researcher who has earned several competitive grants supporting work aimed at improving outcomes and reducing disparities in breast cancer, particularly secondary breast cancer. She is a member of ASCO, ESMO, ACP, UKBCG, MASCC, and AORTIC.

      “I wanted to join Make 2nds Count because of its strong and consistent advocacy for people with secondary breast cancer, a group that remains under-represented in research, policy, and decision-making. As a clinician, I see firsthand the impact that equitable access to information, high-quality care, and research opportunities can have on both outcomes and quality of life.

      As a trustee, I hope to use my clinical expertise and leadership experience to support the charity’s work in influencing policy, strengthening patient-centred research, and addressing inequalities in secondary breast cancer care. I am particularly committed to ensuring that lived experience, diversity, and equity remain central to the charity’s mission and future direction.”

      External Advisors

        Prof Carlo Palmieri

        Prof Palmieri is Professor of Translational the University of Liverpool and a consultant medical oncologist at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust. He undertook a PhD at Imperial College London and was a recipient of a Cancer
        Research UK Clinician Scientist fellowship.


        His academic and clinical interest is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms that determine sensitivity/resistance to endocrine therapy and endocrine therapy breast cancer. He is actively involved in developing and initiating translational and clinical research trials and is currently leading a national neoadjuvant study as well as studies focused on brain metastasis including one investigating the use of cell free DNA within cerebrospinal fluid. He was the cancer lead for the 100,000 genome project for the NW Coast GMC, chairs the CCC site reference group and is a member of the National Cancer Research Institute Breast Clinical Study Group and chair the advanced disease subgroup. Prof Palmieri is a member of the Breast International Group brain metastasis working group and has co-edited the ‘ABC of Cancer Care’.

        Dr Olga Oikonomidou

        Dr Oikonomidou is an Academic Consultant Medical Oncologist specializing in breast cancer and Principal Investigator and Breast Cancer Translational Research Group Leader in Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre - Institute of Genetics and Cancer at the University of Edinburgh.

        She obtained her first degree, BSc (Hon) in Human Genetics from the University of Leeds. This was followed by an MSc in Oncology and Cellular Pathology from the same University. She received her Medical Degree with distinction from Medical School of Athens, Greece. After successfully completing an MRes in Immunology (Distinction) and a PhD (Distinction) in Biochemistry in Medical School of Athens, Greece for which she received a prestigious PhD Fellowship, she started her training as a Medical Oncologist at the Naval Hospital of Athens. She then moved to London to work as a specialist registrar in medical oncology in King’s College Hospital and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital. On completion of her medical oncology training, she moved to Edinburgh where she worked as a Senior Clinical Research Fellow at Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre for 2 years before she has taken up her post as an Academic Consultant Medical Oncologist with special interest in breast cancer. Soon after she set up her own group of research in Breast Cancer Translational Research. This consists of PhD students, Post Doctoral Research Fellows and a Research Associate. Her responsibilities are split between running a busy breast oncology practice along with a very extensive clinical trials portfolio in the Western General Hospital and leading on breast cancer studies for which she has successfully obtained a number of prestigious and highly competitive grants (CRUK, CSO, NIHR, BCI).

        Dr Oikonomidou is a NICE and SMC advisor. She is an active member of several professional societies including ACP, ESMO, ASCO and EORTC. She has established strong collaborations with other leaders in the field of breast cancer in UK as well as in other Institutes all around the world that led to several successful grant applications and publications. She is on the Trial Management Group of numerous national and international trials and leads as a Chief Investigator a number of international breast cancer clinical trials. Regular teaching and research supervising commitments both at the undergraduate and postgraduate level are also included in Dr Oikonomidou’s academic role.