By Marjory Inglis, health reporter

DUNDEE WAS yesterday highlighted as one of the most generous cities supporting cancer research in Britain.

On the day the city’s foremost cancer fund-raiser revealed she is now battling the disease, Cancer Research UK announced Dundee legacies made a “significant” contribution to the charity.

A spokeswoman for the charity said Dundee had come out near the top of list of towns and cities that gave most generously.

She said that people in Dundee are playing a vital role in helping the charity beat cancer.

In the last year alone people from the city left over £400,000 to the charity in their wills, helping to fund vital research.

The spokeswoman point-ed out legacies were only one small part of Dundon-ians’ generosity and the legacy tally was for her charity alone and did not encompass donations to other cancer charities.

“Over £400,000 is quite a significant amount to come from one town and for Scotland that is quite a high figure, but remember that is just legacies going specifically to Cancer Research UK,” she said.

Dr Jacqui Wood, who spoke publicly for the first time yesterday about her own personal battle with ovarian cancer, said the Ninewells Cancer Campaign had also benefited by being remembered in people’s wills.

“We have been going since 1991 and what we have always said is what we do here is world leading, it is local and every penny that comes in to the fund is spent in Ninewells.”

She said the local Cancer Research UK committee raise about £30-50,0000 a year which is sent to the national charity.

However, every penny of money raised locally for the Dennis The Menace Ninewells Cancer Appeal, amounting to £16m, goes to the Dundee hospital.

Dr Wood acknowledged the immense investment Cancer Research UK made at Ninewells.

“They are putting well over £5 million a year into Dundee alone,” she said.

Cancer Research UK said yesterday its fund-raising supported over 3000 doctors, nurses and scientists across the country and called for more people to pledge cash through their wills to ensure vital work can continue.

At Cancer Research UK, almost half of the charity’s research is funded by legacies.

Paul Farthing, director of legacies at the charity, said, “Leaving a gift to charity is a simple yet impactful way for anyone to support a good cause, and it can also bring inheritance tax benefits.”

Anybody interested in finding out more about leaving a legacy to Cancer Research UK should contact the legacy information officer on 0207 1216697 or www.cancer.org.uk/ legacies.