Appeal hits first target of £10,000

THE Christie’s at Oldham campaign has hit its first £10,000 mark, just seven weeks after the appeal was launched.

Generous Oldhamers have taken the cause to their hearts, and hundreds of people have already made a contribution or organised a fund-raising event to boost the coffers.

Jacky Plant, Oldham’s fund-raising officer from the Christie, said: “This is a brilliant start, and we really need people to keep up the enthusiasm so the appeal hits its target.

“We can always count on the people of Oldham to come up trumps, and I would like to thank everyone for their support so far for this vital service.”

The money will help to buy two high-tech pieces of equipment earmarked for the £17 million radiotherapy centre currently under construction at the Royal Oldham Hospital. The centre is due to open next spring, and will enable medics to treat 70 patients every day in Oldham, instead of them having to make a daily trek to Withington to have their treatment at the Christie Hospital.

The linear accelerator machines, which are used to administer radiotherapy treatment to patients, each cost £1.3 million, and the Christie teamed up with the Oldham Chronicle to run a £100,000 appeal towards their cost.