A VITAL £1.5m cancer centre, which opened one year ago, has helped hundreds of breast cancer patients through the trauma of diagnosis and treatment.
The Marina Dalglish Centre, at Aintree Hospital, opened last June, after marathon fundraising efforts, and over 1,000 visits have been made by cancer sufferers to the unit.
Mrs Dalglish – wife of Liverpool football legend Kenny – herself had breast cancer and was determined to provide a special centre in Liverpool to ease the pain of treatment.
She was treated at the old chemotherapy site in Walton, which was in desperate need of updating.
She describes the new centre as a “spa” in appearance, which will soon offer alternative therapies to patients, such as massage.
The Marina Dalglish Appeal is now raising funds for a new radiography unit based at Aintree, in conjunction with Clatterbridge.
“I am so happy that so many women have benefited from the services and environment at the centre, it makes it so worthwhile,” she said.
“Five years ago, I had breast cancer and afterwards I thought I would raise funds to give something back to hospital staff – it has snowballed from there.
“We could not have done this without the people of Liverpool and other areas of the UK. The response was, and still is, unbelievable.
“Our next goal is very important. Services at Clatterbridge are great, but it is difficult for people travelling there from the other side of Liverpool for treatment. We need radiotherapy services based in Liverpool.”
Health officials are planing to build a £15m cancer treatment facility at Aintree, a move designed to bring radiotherapy facilities closer to patients, thereby cutting travelling times, and the appeals funds will go into this pot.
Melanie Warwick, acting Cancer Services Manager for the hospital Trust, said: “Since the centre opened, we have seen so many patients who have been comforted by the environment, it is so important for them and aids their recovery.
“The alternative therapies we are about to offer will help too. The whole place will make people more relaxed and takes their minds off the chemo.
“Before this, patients had to go to our Walton site for breast cancer treatment, and there is no comparison.
“We are very thankful to Marina and the public who made this place possible.”
