Rosemere are delighted to have helped fund a brand new chemotherapy ward which will allow people living with cancer in Chorley better access to treatment. Fundraisers, oncologists, nurses and managers celebrated the grand opening of Chorley and South Ribble District Hospital’s new facility as they cut the ribbon yesterday, symbolising its launch.
“We do declare this chemotherapy unit open,” chimed key fundraising group The Witches of Adlington in unison, as they cut the ribbon. Marina McHugh, 80, Kath Hodson, 71 and Carol Bagshaw, 57 have spent the last three years hosting fundraising events to gather the £31,000 they donated to the Rosemere Cancer Foundation, which topped up the figure to £54,000 to put towards the ward.
“It’s part of a dream come true,” says consultant clinical oncologist Graham Reed speaking after the ribbon was cut. “It’s been 20 years in the making, there’s always been chemotherapy in Preston and the original plan was always to do it here.”
Catherine Silcock, divisional nursing director at Chorley hospital, says that Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is keen to treat patients with cancer in a way which allows them to get on with their day to day routine. She says: “A lot of patients now are living with cancer and so the treatment is part of their lives. It’s really important that people can maintain their quality of life and their standard of living and that the treatments fit in around their ability to work, ability to look after their children, ability to be closer to their family and friends. We’ve had to change the way that we deliver the services over the 20 years since the Rosemere opened.”
For cancer patients in Chorley the new unit will mean that they will be able to have their chemotherapy closer to home, and that waiting times will drop.
Speaking at the launch ceremony Carol, one of the Witches of Adlington, says: “We’re so pleased about the new facility, it’s the best thing for Chorley and the surrounding areas. It’s a legacy to Marj.” Marjorie Taylor, who was diagnosed with Non Hodgkinson’s Lymphoma in 2001, is the reason why the Witches of Adlington fundraising group was established. Having been treated at the Preston-based Rosemere Cancer Foundation, Marjorie wanted to give something back to the foundation as a way of thanks.
Since then the group has raised an incredible £170,000 for Rosemere. However, in 2015 Marjorie sadly died after a 14-year battle with cancer. The Witches successful fundraisers have included fashion shows, table top sales, coffee mornings and even a garden party complete with a gardener who arrived naked but for his wellington boots. As the Witches like to say, they ‘put the fun into fundraising’.
Read more at on the Chorley Guardian Website HERE.