Prof Charlie Craddock

In the city with Professor Charlie Craddock, OBE, founder of Cure Leukaemia who heads the centre at the QE which is transforming the treatment of blood cancer patients 

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF

I am a consultant haematologist specialising in blood cancer and academic director of the Centre for Clinical Haematology at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. I lead two national trial acceleration networks based at the hospital designed to improve drug and transplant therapies for patients with blood cancer. I am also the co-founder of blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia.

HOW DO YOU GET INTO TOWN?

I drive to work from Moseley when it is cold or rainy and to my shame only cycle in on sunny warm days. I hope the new Birmingham cycleway which is currently being built alongside Bristol Road will make it impossible for me to find any excuse not to cycle every day.

HOW’S THE COMMUTE?

A breeze compared with London!

IS BRUM A GOOD PLACE TO WORK IN?

Our haematology programme delivers complex care to blood cancer patients from the whole of the West Midlands and consequently is located at the heart of one of the largest catchment regions in Europe. This has allowed us to deliver an international reputation for rapid delivery of clinical trials of the exciting wave of new drug and transplant therapies which are now becoming available and are transforming patient outcomes. As a consequence, Birmingham is a very exciting professional location. My family adores all the other benefits living in the city brings, including international test cricket at Edgbaston, great Black Country ales and fabulous food. Culture is the heart of any city so it’s fantastic to see the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) thrive so impressively.

COFFEE BREAK?

I am a great fan of the York Street Café on Navigation Street.

LUNCHTIME?

For more structured lunch or evening meetings there is nowhere better than the private dining room at Opus restaurant.

POWERWALKING?

It has to be Moseley Park.

WHERE’S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE CITY?

The Soho Road has particularly fantastic West Indian restaurants and bakeries.

AFTERWORK PINT?

The Craven Arms near the Mailbox is a great place to enjoy a pint of pale ale.

HOW CAN THE CITY BE MADE BETTER?

We must continue to tell the story to the rest of the UK and the world of a Birmingham reborn – and nobody does this better than Andy Street, our inspirational West Midlands mayor, specifically. While it’s brilliant news that Camp Hill Chords railway line is opening, public transport in Birmingham must improve. There are many initiatives taking place right now to address this issue and I am confident that when all the relevant works are complete this great city will be firmly established as a fantastic location for both business and leisure. The upcoming Commonwealth Games will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase Birmingham as a truly great city to the rest of the world.