A £4.5MILLION appeal has been launched to create a cancer centre in Colchester.

The public appeal, which is the biggest in the history of Colchester General Hospital, aims to raise enough money to bring cancer services – including chemotherapy and radiotherapy – together.

It would also have facilities to help cancer patients and their families come to terms with the life-threatening illness – and help them have a good quality of life once their treatment has been completed.

The new centre would be built on top of the radiotherapy centre – but first the Colchester Hospital Charity needs to hit its ambitious target.

The appeal organisers are asking everyone to dig deep to give as much as they can to the appeal, which is being supported by the Gazette.

 

Gazette:

Sir John Ashworth, who is chairman of the Cancer Centre Campaign, said: “It is about quality of life.

“With treatment, there is a gratitude of being alive, but there are also side effects.

“This is about trying to get back the quality of life before the illness.”

Sir John said the harsh facts were the NHS could not afford to build to centre.

He added: “There is continuing pressure on NHS budgets and the focus for the NHS money is to pay for cures.

“Inevitably, quality of life comes second, but it is not secondary to the patients.”

Consultant oncologist Dr Mukesh added: “Patients can find their treatment difficult.

“Some patients have to have chemo and radiotherapy simultaneously.

“It can leave them feeling nauseous and exhausted.

“To have all the treatment on the same site would be highly beneficial.

“I think it is vital to give the patients support during their treatment and afterwards.

“Cancer can affect the whole family, financially and psychologically.

“The treatment may be effective, but there are lots of other ways cancer can impact on a family.”

Gazette:

 

 

THE cancer centre would be built on top of two parts of Colchester General Hospital’s new radiotherapy centre.

It would mean chemotherapy treatment – currently a quarter of a mile away on the hospital campus – could be provided in the same part of the hospital.

Other medical treatments, including clinical haemotology services, could also be provided there, as well as a range of complementary therapies, such as acupunture, yoga and massage.

The centre would have room for the Macmillan nurses who give support and advice – both practical and emotional – to patients and their families.

And it is hoped voluntary groups, such as Look Good Feel Better where cancer patients are givenmakeovers, could be based there.

Expert nutrition and diet advice could be provided there along with a talking shop to allow patients and family members to share experience and anxieties.

Groups of patients and former patients could also use the centre to provide understanding, support and advice.

 

Gazette:

 

! MORE than one in three people in the UK will develop a form of cancer in their lifetime.

! Between July 2013 and June 2014, 13,464 people were seen at Colchester General Hospital with suspected cancers.

! 2,143 cancer diagnoses were given to 2,113 people who went on to be treated for their cancer – 1,169 men and 944 women– 30 people received more than one diagnosis.

! The most commonly treated tumours are urological cancer in men (497) and breast cancer in women (351).

! The hospital treated 3,610 patients during the 12 months from July 2013.

! Some patients received more than one treatment, meaning there was a total of 4,631 treatments – each course of radiotherapy or chemotherapy counts as one treatment.

! 1,774 patients received radiotherapy, including 575 for breast cancer, 402 for urological cancers and 326 for lung cancer.

! 1,228 underwent surgery, including 351 breast cancer patients, 408 urology patients and 200 gatro-intestinal patients.

! 768 underwent chemotherapy, including 154 for breast cancer, 197 for haematological cancer, 116 for lung cancer, 112 for gastrointestinal cancer and 50 for urological cancer.

 

 

 

DONATIONS are needed to help raise £4.5million for a new cancer centre.

To give money, text GAZE11 £10 to 70070 to donate to the Cancer Centre Campaign (or chose a different amount).

Cheques can be made payable to CoHoC Cancer Centre Campaign and sent to: Colchester Hospitals Charity, Villa 10, Turner Road, Colchester, CO4 5JL Donations can be made online by going to www.CohoC.org.uk This will take you to a secure online payment processing site – Justgiving.com where you can make a donation or set up a fundraising page for your own event.

Money can also be paid in person at the Cashier’s Office in the reception area of Colchester General Hospital.

Please tell the cashier your name and address and that your donation is for the Cancer Centre Campaign.