Ranil Jayawardena met with the Mark Jones from the Ark Cancer Centre Charity to find out about the centre and learn about the incredible fundraising they are doing that will not just benefit the residents of North East Hampshire, but residents from further afield too.
The Ark Cancer Centre Charity is raising £5 million towards a cancer centre, to be built by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Their involvement will ensure the provision of a range of complementary and support therapies in one inspirational building that will offer a therapeutic, healing environment.
Chemotherapy treatment is already available in Basingstoke and Winchester, but patients have to travel to Southampton or Guildford for radiotherapy. This can mean a journey every day for up to six weeks when patients are feeling unwell and vulnerable.
Their approach will be to ensure that all support services and complementary therapies are available alongside the chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments in one unique local cancer centre.
Ranil said: ‘The Ark Cancer Centre Charity are doing an amazing job; and I will be working with them to ensure that people from all over Hampshire know about them. Raising awareness of their work is vital in getting enough funds to build the Centre, which will benefit our whole community.’