Wales first Teenage Cancer Trust unit to open this Spring

23/01/09

Young cancer patients are celebrating today with the news that Teenage Cancer Trust’s first Welsh unit will be opening in Cardiff this spring. It is the first time specific provision has been made for teenagers and young people with cancer in Wales.

To celebrate the new unit Antony Costa, of boy band Blue and ‘I’m A Celebrity’ fame, welcomed a special train onto Platform Zero at Cardiff Central Station. ‘Teenage Spirit’, a bright blue locomotive, specially painted in the colours of Teenage Cancer Trust by DB Schenker, Britain’s largest rail operator, has been travelling around the country to raise awareness of the charity. The train was welcomed into the station by a number of young people with cancer who will benefit from the new unit, accompanied by Antony Costa and Simon Davies, Teenage Cancer Trust’s Chief Executive.

The state-of-the-art unit, which will care for young people with cancer from across Wales, is a result of years of tireless fundraising by Teenage Cancer Trust and supporters around the country. Since launching an ambitious appeal in 2004, the charity has been raising funds towards the cost of the £3million unit, a figure now achieved.

Opening at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Teenage Cancer Trust’s unit will have eight inpatient beds and day care facilities for 15 to 24 year olds. Using the latest technology, ‘The Skypad’ has been built on stilts between the adult and paediatric oncology centres. It will include all the usual features of a Teenage Cancer Trust unit, including out-patient facilities, a chill out zone, rooms for family and friends to stay, a private kitchen and access to media facilities such as the internet, TV and music.

Speaking on the day, Antony Costa said: ‘I am honoured to be celebrating this milestone with Teenage Cancer Trust today. This new unit will provide much needed support to young cancer patients in Wales, and is a step towards ensuring that all teenagers diagnosed with cancer in the UK have access to one of these specialist units. It will make such a difference for these young people to be in an environment with others their own age, who they can share their experiences with.’

Welsh fundraiser, Eiddwen Evans, who has helped raise the majority of the money needed to build the unit said, “I am delighted that after such a huge amount of support from people across the country, we can announce today that Wales first Teenage Cancer Trust unit will be opening this spring. I am delighted that young people in Wales will have access to such a fantastic facility.”

Christian Evelyn from Cardiff, now 20, was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 17. He said, “I can’t fault the nursing care I received whilst I was in hospital but my experience would have been so much better had I been with other people my age -I felt so isolated.

Christian continues, “The facilities Teenage Cancer Trust provide make such a difference. It was important for me to continue my life as normal, and for other young people the unit will mean this can happen. I am delighted about today’s announcement; it will make such a difference to the lives of so many young people and their friends and families.”

Simon Davies, Chief Executive of Teenage Cancer Trust adds, “Today’s announcement is a major step forward for cancer care in Wales. We don’t believe that teenagers should have to stop being teenagers, just because they have cancer. So life in a Teenage Cancer Trust unit is intended to be as close as possible to a young person’s life outside. Everything about our units is designed to give young people the very best chance of a positive outcome.”

He continues, “I would like to specifically thank Eiddwen Evans for all her hard work and dedication since the appeal was launched. We couldn’t have done this without her.”

David Francis, Chair of Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust said: ‘We are delighted that young cancer patients will now benefit from this specially designed Teenage Cancer Trust unit. We are sure this will make a big difference to the teenagers and young people we treat and also their families, making a difficult time in their lives a bit easier.’

Every day in the UK, six young people will have to face a cancer diagnosis. This is a rising figure and there are already more young people than children with the disease. Teenage Cancer Trust understands that teenage cancer requires specialist care in an environment suited to their needs.

Teenage Cancer Trust funds specialist teenage cancer units in NHS hospitals that are designed to give teenagers the very best chance of a positive outcome. It is estimates that, with the current units around the UK, only half of the young people diagnosed with cancer now have access to this dedicated, specialist support. The charity aims to build enough units so that, by 2012, every young person with cancer will be treated on one.

Donations are still desperately needed for the upkeep of Teenage Cancer Trust’s unit once it has opened – all donations can be sent to Teenage Cancer Trust c/o Eidwwen Evans, 75 Oakleigh Park South, Whetstone, LONDON N20 9JL.