History

The charity was founded in 1994 and thanks to the generosity of our supporters, since then we have raised over £9 million which has been used to benefit local patients and people with cancer throughout the UK and around the world.

Initially fundraising was focused on providing the region with a then state-of-the-art scanner and virtual simulator.

We built the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Research Centre which opened in 1999 at a cost of £2 million and now enables a multimillion pound programme of cancer research across all cancer types. The Cancer Charity continues to support the core work of this facility year on year.

In 2001 the Cancer Appeal (as the Cancer Charity was then called) reached its target to help fund the Teenage Cancer Trust Unit to care for patients aged 16-25. The Unit was formally opened by the Duchess of York.

An innovative new programme of research investigating health issues for adults who have recovered from cancer, called 'Survive and Thrive' is the first of its kind in the UK.

In 2003 the Cancer Appeal successfully funded a £500,000 project to establish a Radiotherapy Imaging Centre at Weston Park.

2004 sees a multi-million pound development in the radiotherapy department including a project on Positron Emission Tomography (PET) for radiotherapy treatment planning; the installation of a new 3D ultrasound Image Guided Radiotherapy system for improving the accuracy of prostrate treatments; the installation of a new multi-slice CT scanner and the refurbishment of the Radiotherapy Treatment Hall.

Your donations enabled The Cancer Support Centre providing practical and emotional help for all people with cancer and their supporters to open in 2005. The Cancer Charity continues to fund the core running costs of this service year on year. The centre runs a drop in service and a number of courses, complementary therapies and advice sessions for anyone affected by cancer.

In 2007 we completed a £1 Million Appeal for the new Chemotherapy Suite here at Weston Park Hospital ensuring the most modern and up-to-date facilities for this treatment.