Launch of £30,000 campaign to fund face-lift for cancer care unit where patients from Burnley treated

A £30,000 appeal, to transform cancer care for patients across Burnley and East Lancashire, has been launched.
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East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust treats over 700,000 patients a year across five hospital sites.

The Chemotherapy Unit at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital provides treatment for both oncology and haematology patients, who live within the East Lancashire area.

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The appeal is to completely redesign and refurbish the unit above and beyond the NHS standard enabling patients and their relatives to receive cancer care in a high-quality environment.

The cancer care team at RBH who are ( left to right) Katy Tyson, Lisa Murphy, Samantha Green, Ruth Brierley, Emma Leigh and Claire JohnsonThe cancer care team at RBH who are ( left to right) Katy Tyson, Lisa Murphy, Samantha Green, Ruth Brierley, Emma Leigh and Claire Johnson
The cancer care team at RBH who are ( left to right) Katy Tyson, Lisa Murphy, Samantha Green, Ruth Brierley, Emma Leigh and Claire Johnson

The plans for the new space embraces flexible treatment areas, space for family and friends to accompany patients during treatment and with that naturally brings the best possible environment for patient care.

Through fundraising, ELHT&Me, the official hospital charity, is able to fund projects which touch the lives of the thousands of people cared for by the hospitals and local community services each year.

This includes providing state-of-the-art medical equipment, enhancing treatment facilities for patients, funding research, supporting staff development/training, and enhancing the hospital environment for all.

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Sharon, a former patient who was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2020, spoke of her shock at seeing how many people were coming in and out of the chemotherapy unit during my time there – both men and women, old and young.

Now after beating cancer during covid, Sharon is urging the whole community of East Lancashire to support the appeal.

Royal Blackburn’s Chemotherapy Unit’s staff is determined to achieve their fundraising goal.

The team are undertaking lots of fundraising activities including the big NHS walk and the Blackburn 10k in order to get a date set for the refurbishment.

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Ward sister, Ruth Brierley has appealed for the community to support the campaign. She said: “We have plans drawn up for a brand new light, spacious, comfortable lounge area with beautiful views.

"Your donations will help to create this more relaxing and positive environment for our patients whilst receiving

treatment.

"Any donations, a penny or a pound, will be gratefully received.”

Speaking from the personal experience of losing a loved one to cancer ELHT&Me’s charity manager, Denise Gee said: "Everybody knows somebody who has been touched by cancer.

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"This appeal gives our community the opportunity to support our future state-of-the-art chemotherapy unit.”

To make a donation to the appeal please click HEREIf you can help with the appeal in other ways, please call 01254 732140 and to find out more about the charity and the work it does or to get involved visit https://elht.nhs.uk/charity