Hope for Tomorrow have recently launched a new state of the art Mobile Chemotherapy Assessment Unit as well as a Mobile Chemotherapy Support Vehicle.
The Charity’s first Mobile Chemotherapy Unit, known as the MCU (see “Promotional video”) has now treated more than 1,500 patients and saved them travelling in excess of 40,000 miles. The first Unit was launched in February 2007 by Charity Patron and legendary British racing driver Sir Stirling Moss OBE.
The new Unit and Support Vehicle will help to bring chemotherapy assessment, treatment and support closer to the homes of hundreds more cancer patients in the region, and as the Mobile Chemotherapy Unit Project continues to grow, nationally.
The vision to bring chemotherapy treatment closer to patients was a joint one. Dr Sean Elyan, Medical Director of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Consultant Oncologist had the dream, and Christine Mills, Founder of Hope for Tomorrow, turned that dream into a reality.
In a unique partnership, the Units are owned by Hope for Tomorrow and are operated by the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The highly skilled MCU team is based at Cheltenham General Hospital.
The first MCU currently treats patients in Cirencester, Ross-on-Wye and the Dilke Memorial Hospital near Cinderford in Gloucestershire. A fourth day is being added imminently.
Previously patients often had to travel many miles to their nearest busy Oncology Centre, having to rely on family, friends - or even public transport - to get there. Patients tell us that this frequently meant that their chemotherapy treatment took over a whole day. With the Mobile Chemotherapy Unit they tell us that their treatment can be incorporated into a day, rather than taking up a whole day. The Charity has the backing of a number of high profile supporters including former Chairman of Vodafone Lord MacLaurin DL, who is also the Chairman of the Trustees of Hope for Tomorrow.
These Units are designed and fitted with the latest technology to provide the highest quality treatment in a hygienic, safe and comfortable environment for patients and staff. Both the Mobile Chemotherapy Unit and the Chemotherapy Assessment Unit have Mercedes-Benz chassis.
Dr Sean Elyan said: “The principle of the Mobile Chemotherapy Unit has met with wide national and international acclaim and support. The pressure to expand this service is considerable. The model has the ability to address the aspiration of treatment delivered close to the patient whilst maintaining the appropriate and ever more rigorous standards of care expected by national bodies and patients alike”.
Charity Founder Christine said: “This is an incredibly exciting and worthwhile project and we are certain that with the extra funding we aim to achieve, we can accelerate our target to have MCU coverage throughout the country”.
“The progress the Charity has made to date is remarkable, and would not have been possible without the commitment of Hope for Tomorrow, the Oncology team at the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and our fantastic supporters”.
Christine Mills and Hope for Tomorrow would like to thank all our supporters for helping us to expand our ground-breaking MCU project.
Able to accommodate 5 patients at a time, 20 a day, the specially built facility will travel to selected locations in the three counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire bringing life-saving treatment to patients in the area where they live.
