New £12m cancer centre reaches 'significant milestone'

Proposals for a new £12m cancer care centre have reached a "significant milestone" after planning permission was approved.

About £9.8m has already been raised for the new centre at Cheltenham General Hospital, which will include modern consulting rooms, access to digital consultations and a therapeutic garden.

Kevin McNamara, the hospital's chief executive, said it was a "significant milestone" to secure the planning approval.

Cancer patient Gillian Hayward, from Wotton-Under-Edge, is one of the 10,000 people who has donated towards the project, she said: "When someone is telling you how your life is going to change, you want to be in a place where you feel safe, comfortable and secure."

Hayward added she wanted to support the appeal to say thank-you to "the fabulous people who saved my life twice".

The project is mainly being funded by the Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity.

A charity spokesperson said some patients had described the current oncology department's rooms as "small and dark", with clinicians sometimes having to sit on beds when discussing patients' health and futures.

The new centre will include light and spacious consultation rooms, with indoor and outdoor space that offers patients places to think and reflect.

Richard Smith, the charity's associate director, thanked the "amazing community" for their fundraising efforts.

"We are closer than ever to transforming cancer care for our patients and their families, as well as our incredible NHS teams, we are so grateful," Smith said.

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