ANDREW BATCHELOR: Dundee is quietly changing the world thanks to huge cancer breakthrough

Since the news broke about the progress on Dundee's personalised cancer treatment trial a couple of days ago, I don’t think I’ve ever felt prouder to be from Dundee.

Watching Ninewells Hospital complete Europe’s first personalised cancer treatment stopped me in my tracks. This wasn’t just another news item scrolling by. This was our city. Our hospital. Our researchers. And a woman who is now cancer free after receiving treatment designed specifically for her.

Let that sink in for a moment. A treatment tailored down to an individual tumour, delivered here in Dundee. Not in one of the world’s mega-cities. Not in a place people instinctively expect global breakthroughs to happen. Right here, in Tayside.

It says something profound about who we are.

For years, Dundee has built a reputation in life sciences. The University of Dundee is internationally respected for its medical research. Ninewells has long been known for innovation and clinical trials. But sometimes we don’t fully appreciate what that actually means. It means that patients here can access cutting-edge, world-leading treatment. It means that knowledge generated in our city can shape care across the globe.

And yet, we have a habit of talking ourselves down.

We focus on what isn’t working. We dwell on what needs fixed. Yes, challenges exist. Every city has them. But when something like this happens, we should allow ourselves to feel pride without qualification. A personalised cancer treatment delivered in Dundee that could help change how cancer is treated worldwide is not a small achievement. It is extraordinary.

Dundee has always been a city of inventors and pioneers. From industrial breakthroughs to video games, from comics to biomedical science, we repeatedly prove that innovation doesn’t require size - it requires talent, ambition and belief. What happened at Ninewells is simply the latest chapter in that story.

Being from Dundee means being part of a place that quietly gets on with big things. We may not always shout about it. We may not always see it ourselves. But the world is watching.

And on days like this, we should stop, take a breath, and say it clearly - we are capable of leading.