#transformingcancercare - with a world class cancer centre for our community

Cancer Centre Campaign

TRANSFORMING the Cancer Centre Campaign

Our vision is a place where our patients and their loved ones are supported and cared for by experts throughout their cancer journey.

We want to provide one integrated Cancer Centre that combines first-class radiotherapy, chemotherapy and medical treatments alongside a range of complementary therapies, information, support and advice for people affected by cancer.

Colchester Hospitals Charity (CoHoC) is leading the drive to fund a purpose-built Cancer Centre. We are asking everyone concerned about cancer to join us in our campaign to create a world-class new home for cancer treatments and therapies. Click here to see a short video about the Cancer Centre Campaign.

TRANSFORMING the Cancer Centre

Colchester Hospitals Charity has £330,000 left to raise to build a fully integrated treatment and support centre for all cancer patients.  A pledge of £1 million from a generous local supporter means we are now well on our way to achieving our target of £3.25 million. Building is due to start later in 2018 and it is hoped that it will open in 2019.

There are many ways to support the Campaign in this final stage of the fundraising including joining the 2019 Club , organising or taking part in a fundraising event or making a donation.

The Cancer Centre will bring together chemotherapy, haematology and radiotherapy alongside a unique wellness centre. At its core the Cancer Centre will provide somewhere that combines first-class NHS treatments in a therapeutic environment with space for people living with cancer to explore a complementary range of therapies, information, support and advice, all under one roof. We are asking everyone concerned about cancer to join us in our Campaign to bring the very best cancer care and facilities to our community by supporting the Cancer Centre.

 

cancer centre

 

TRANSFORMING cancer services

When the Cancer Centre is finished, all cancer services will be centralised in a single complex. In 2014 the Trust opened a state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre at Colchester General Hospital. In 2018/19 this will be extended into a Cancer Centre bringing chemotherapy, haematology and radiotherapy together underone roof with a counselling and support service for patients and their loved ones.

A purpose-built state-of-the-art Cancer Centre will ensure a significantly better experience for patients, their families and carers, enabling the best possible holistic and multi-disciplinary care to be provided by an integrated team. It will care for everyone, regardless of cancer type, severity, or prognosis. It will provide a wide range of support and complementary services to help patients cope with diagnosis and treatments, as well as preparing people for life after cancer.

TRANSFORMING Cancer Care

Within the Cancer Centre there will be a wide range of support and complementary services, such as information services providing high quality, up-to-date cancer and related support information for patients, families and carers before diagnosis, on diagnosis, through treatment and afterwards. Support groups such as Look Good Feel Better and Talking Heads will provide opportunities to share experiences and anxieties.

Advice and complementary therapies including massage, Reiki, aromatherapy and classes to aid relaxation will be available free of charge. Workshops to help patients express and understand how they feel about their illness will be provided by voluntary organisations.

 

 

contact us

 

“I want a cancer centre where my patients and their families feel relaxed and secure, in a calm healing place" VANESSA BRADBURY, CHEMOTHERAPY SISTER
“I want a cancer centre where my patients and their families feel relaxed and secure, in a calm healing place”
VANESSA BRADBURY, CHEMOTHERAPY SISTER

TRANSFORMING our patients’ journey

Our designs are for an environment which is efficient and attractive, comfortable and welcoming. The current facilities in the Mary Barron Chemotherapy Suite & Haematology Day Unit are cramped and hectic with little space for friends and family to accompany loved ones and no space to expand alongside the increasing numbers of patients.

The Cancer Centre is not just bricks and mortar. It is about the people who use it and the care given to patients and their families. We know people don’t want to come to hospital but we want to make it as good an experience as possible. Wellness will be centred on our patients’ needs.

Co-located cancer services will help ensure the best possible holistic and multi-disciplinary care by combining expert clinical teams.  We will be able to achieve optimal clinical care and cost-effectiveness from having co-located services. Staff will be able to integrate and communicate across closely located service areas to achieve key strategic objectives for cancer care. 

TRANSFORMING our plans for the Cancer Centre

The original plan for the Cancer Centre was to build it over two floors at a cost of just over £4.5 million. As this price would rise by the time we completed the fundraising, we asked our project team to go back to the drawing board to see if there were any savings to be made.  They took up the challenge to revise their designs.

We are delighted to say that not only have they achieved this but they have also have managed to cap the cost at £3.25 million a saving of £1.25 million. Through imaginative and efficient use of previously underused space, the Cancer Centre will retain all the elements of the original plan. The new plans provide chemotherapy and haematology on one floor above the Radiotherapy Department with wellness services and counselling rooms on the ground floor adjacent to radiotherapy and easily accessible to inpatients and out-patients.

This means we will soon:

  • provide better, more holistic care for all of our cancer patients
  • make a significant investment in Colchester General Hospital
  • bring care for blood cancers  and solid tumours together under one roof for the first time
  • have a new Cancer Centre for north east Essex
  • provide more opportunities for our patients to take part in clinical trials 

 

Click to support

If the fundraising target is not reached or is exceeded funds raised to date will be used to improve facilities and services for chemotherapy and haematology patients at Colchester General Hospital in line with the aims and ambitions of the fundraising appeal. Should you have any concerns please contact the fundraising office.

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