A decade of cancer care at Chelsea and Westminster

This year marks the 10th anniversary of The Macmillan Centre at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Built in 2003 with generous funding from Macmillan Cancer Support, the centre has helped over 20,000 people through its information, counselling and complementary therapy services.

Russ Hargreaves (Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Manager) has been humbled while looking back at the centre’s achievements: “The centre has not only survived but has thrived through the enormous generosity of a small number of dedicated volunteers. These people turn up week in and week out, offering their valuable time and skills to cancer patients and their relatives.

During this time, the centre has been awarded a Quality Environment Mark and was the recipient of one of the first Governors’ Quality Awards for making a significant improvement in patient care.

Russ Hargreaves continues: “We have welcomed thousands of visitors, regardless of whether they are a patient of Chelsea and Westminster. Indeed, many of our service users come to us from the Royal Marsden and Charing Cross Hospitals.

“Wherever someone has been affected by cancer, be they a patient, carer or member of staff, we have always tried our best to relieve some of the enormous stresses and strains of a cancer diagnosis”.

We have also established a busy Welfare and Benefits Advice Clinic and have secured more than £36,000 in grants for patients.

As one visitor put it: “The team helped and continues to help me and my partner through counselling and complementary therapies. The service is a valuable and much-needed part of my life following my partner’s death 18 months ago. I wouldn’t be so brave if I didn’t have your support.”

The centre continues to grow and develop, expanding its counselling services and branching out with a new room on the newly built Kobler Daycare unit, ensuring we reach as many cancer patients as possible.