Tickled pink!

Making a start . . . (from left) Tony Scott (site foreman Projects Ltd), Rita Bottomley (fundraiser) and Maria Bramley (consultant breast surgeon)

£151,000 cancer unit extension gets under way

THE long-awaited extension to Oldham’s Victoria Breast Care Unit is finally underway.

Dedicated fundraisers from Link4Pink raked in £151,000 with a myriad of moneymaking events over the last two years to turn the dream into a reality.

Yesterday they gathered to witness the cutting of the first sod to build a conservatory extension which will see an end to the cramped and difficult conditions the service runs from.

Based at the Royal Oldham Hospital, the service is highly spoken of by many of the women treated there.

But it has struggled for space since it opened in 2007, and consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon Maria Bramley launched an appeal soon afterwards to build a bright and airy conservatory.

Celebrating the start of building, she said: “Attending the unit can be an anxious time for patients and their relatives and it is important that we do all we can to make their visit as comfortable as possible.

“Patients undergoing treatment or awaiting results may be at the hospital all day and will therefore welcome the relaxing environment that the new conservatory will provide.

“It is wonderful that we are at the stage of being able to get this project off the ground, and it’s a credit to the hard work of all our fundraisers and the generosity of the public.”

Her sentiments were echoed by a delighted Rita Bottomley, Link4Pink appeal committee chairman, who has been a driving force behind the appeal.

She said: “Of course we could not have done this without all the wonderful people in Oldham and Rochdale who have raised money on our behalf.

“Donations both big and small are equally appreciated and I thank everybody from the bottom of my heart.”

The Victoria Breast Unit provides a diagnostic service for patients with breast problems, and continued care for patients with breast cancer.

The Link4Pink appeal busted its original £60,000 target last September, which meant revised plans could bring a bigger and better extension to improve the waiting area than was first envisaged.

It still needs £9,000 to cover the cost, but fundraisers are confident they can hit the target before the bills need to be paid.

Link4Pink will continue to raise money to support the unit, and pay for medical equipment and patient comforts.

A separate donation of £13,000 from the Woman of Oldham Committee will be used for landscaping.