'Medical research centre will save lives of cancer and heart disease patients'
THE lives of cancer and heart disease patients in East Yorkshire will be saved thanks to a new medical centre, experts say.
Patients across the region will soon have access to groundbreaking drugs up to four years before they hit pharmacy shelves, significantly improving their chances of survival.
This will be just one of the benefits the multi-million pound Hull and East Yorkshire Medical Research and Teaching Centre will offer when it officially opens its doors this month.
The opening of the centre, in the grounds of Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, will be the culmination of almost six years of hard work and dedication by a team of supporters and trustees of the Daisy Appeal, a former Mail charity of the year.
It will be the first dedicated facility of its kind in the area, initially holding clinical research trials into heart disease and cancer – two of the region's biggest killers.
Appeal chairman Professor Nick Stafford said: “This centre will be a lifesaver for some patients and will significantly benefit the number of people in this region with cancer and heart disease.
“There is no doubt Hull has very high incidences of cancer compared to other areas in the UK, particularly lung and colorectal cancer, and the same goes for heart disease.
“By having early access to clinical trials, we will be able to get patients exposed to treatments that otherwise would only be available to them three or four years down the line, after clinical trials have been held.”
The centre will be officially opened by opened by Health Secretary and Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson on Friday, July 25.
Mr Johnson said: “Lives will be saved here and if you put this together with the oncology centre, it will be a real cancer centre of excellence.”
The total cost of the building, including equipment and fittings, was around £7.5m. So far, £5.9m has been raised and all fundraising efforts are now being directed towards raising a further £1.5m to £2m for specialist equipment.
Prof Stafford said the centre would not have come to fruition without the overwhelming support for the Daisy Appeal of communities, businesses and hospital staff.
10 Comments
by Mike, hull
Saturday, January 16 2010, 5:09PM
“Ironic that a £250,000 donation came from a charity that invests hundreds of thousands of pounds in the Imperial Tobacco Company...?”
by Hughjarsse, Anlaby
Friday, July 04 2008, 8:31PM
“Lets hope there is enough money alloted to keep this flagship enterprise afloat, through personal experience I have found that they cannot manage to cope with normal services at Castle Hill because of lack of funds etc.”
by Neil, Hull
Friday, July 04 2008, 3:36PM
“"Yawn"”
by David, Hull
Friday, July 04 2008, 1:30PM
“Jon, maybe not, but they are useful for prolonging the existence of those who have ruined their health with fags, alcohol and junk food.”
by Ian, Hull
Friday, July 04 2008, 12:38PM
“Mark, I get that "Communist Russia - no freedom of speech" type feeling.”
by Jon, Hull
Friday, July 04 2008, 12:36PM
“David, research centres are not much good when it comes to bombing foreigners though.”
by Mark, Hessle
Friday, July 04 2008, 10:24AM
“Does anyone else get that 'told off by teacher' feeling when they remove all the comments from a story?”
by David, Hull
Friday, July 04 2008, 10:00AM
“Interesting to note the well over five hundred thousand of these centres could be built for the cost of the two aircraft carriers that the taxpayers are going to pay for.”
by Jon, Beverley
Friday, July 04 2008, 8:24AM
“It would be a complete waste of money if it didn't save lives, after all isn't that what medical research is for.”
by Ray, Hull
Friday, July 04 2008, 7:58AM
“On a positive note very good news, on a negative note it's a shame the Dermatology service looks like it is going to suffer terribly from the closing down of the PRH, still not knowing where it is going and what services it will be providing to the thousands and thousands of people in this region that use it! I also feel very sorry for the staff who have no idea what they'll be doing when the proposed closure end of August happens. they are a magnificent team of selfless caring people and have looked after me very well since i moved here from the South 17 years ago. Lets hear what Alan Johnson thinks of that shall we?”