Nearly £3.5m raised for Macmillan Cancer Support
An impressive sum of money totalling almost £3.5m has been raised in support of Macmillan Cancer Support over the past year – thanks to the efforts of kind-hearted local people.
One of the latest developments for the charity, to which some of the money will go towards, is the new state-of-the-art Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Cancer Centre which will bring together vital treatment, care and support in one purpose-built facility – providing joined up services closer to home.
Macmillan has committed £2.5 million to help build the new centre at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital. Building work began at the end of last year and the centre is due to open in autumn 2016.
Gini Smith, Macmillan Fundraising Manager for Derbyshire said:-
“Because of all your help, in 2015 Macmillan was able to commit £3,429,658 in Derbyshire helping to support the 41,248 people living with or beyond cancer locally. That means there are now around 40 Macmillan professionals working in Derbyshire.
“I just want to say a personal thank you to everyone who hosted or attended coffee mornings, volunteered their time, took part in challenge events, braved the shave, went sober for October, put a pound in a collection box, or held their own events to raise money for Macmillan.”
Speaking about the new Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Cancer Centre, Sheree Hall, Macmillan lead cancer nurse at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, said:-
“Our facilities were built almost thirty years ago when we had neither the number of patients nor the vast array of treatment options. Currently, patients have to visit different parts of the hospital for treatment, usually on different days. It will be a dream come true to have all our cancer services under one roof.”
Gini concluded; “Macmillan’s ambition is to reach and improve the lives of everyone living with cancer. By 2030, the number of people living with the disease will have doubled, so it’s a huge task to support each and every one of those in some way.
‘With the support of local fundraisers and volunteers, we can keep funding new cancer centres like the Chesterfield Royal Macmillan Cancer Centre and team up with partners like the Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to provide the best cancer care possible here in your community. With your help, we can make sure no one in Derbyshire has to face cancer alone.’
If you’re interested in holding or attending a fundraising event, getting involved with a fundraising group or committee, or would like to choose Macmillan as your charity of the year, please contact Gini Smith on 07790 018400 or email gsmith@macmillan.org.uk
Anyone who has questions about cancer can call the Macmillan Support Line free on 0808 808 00 00, Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm or by visiting macmillan.org.uk.
