Over the past three years, Paul Milsom and Milsom Hotels have been supporting our local hospital to raise money for the Cancer Centre Campaign, a much needed facility in north Essex.
With the imminent closure of the Essex County Hospital in Lexden Road, the chemotherapy suite will be re-open at the Colchester General Hospital in 2019.
Paul said: “Club 2019 has been launched in a final push to raise money for a Cancer Centre for north Essex. This Campaign is close to my heart and I urge local Colchester businesses to support this worthwhile cause.
“We all have friends, family and colleagues who have been affected by cancer. It’s a traumatic time for patients and their relatives. If it were me or someone I know, I would want them to be treated in an environment that is calm, welcoming and less daunting than the typical NHS clinic or treatment space. Wouldn’t you?
“Colchester General Hospital provides wonderful care and treatments for its cancer patients. But NHS funding is currently stretched to the limit and the resources are not available to provide the level of comfort and privacy that is so important to the well-being of patients, many of whom face lengthy treatments over long periods of time.
“My challenge to you is to raise £2019 by March next year. It could be by a dress down day in the office, organising an event or making a personal donation. When you pledge to contribute £2019 you too can be a member of Club 2019, and show your support for the Cancer Centre Campaign.”
Please read the press release below for the full story behind the campaign.
The Cancer Centre Campaign was launched in 2014 to raise £3.25m to build a new Chemotherapy Suite and Wellness Centre at Colchester General Hospital. These new areas, alongside the £25m Radiotherapy Centre which was opened by Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, (the Trust) in 2014, will create a Cancer Centre fit for the 21st century for people in Colchester and Tendring who are facing cancer.
The Campaign has raised 90% of its £3.25m target and the decision has been made to start building the new centre later this year with completion due in 2019, hence the name of the Club. Coincidently, 2019 is also the 199th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of Essex County Hospital – an earlier philanthropic appeal led by local citizens to improve the health and well-being of residents of Colchester and the surrounding area.
To celebrate the Trust’s decision and continue raising the funds needed the campaign has launched the 2019 Club to attract philanthropic and far-sighted individuals who are able to donate or pledge to raise £2019 or more before March 2019.The campaign has asked local businessman, Paul Milsom who is a dedicated supporter of the Cancer Centre to become its Patron. Paul said “I think local businesses could do more to support our hospital. The new Cancer Centre is a resource that will probably affect us all either closely or in a wider circle; the area is crying out for such a facility.”
Paul is joined by and Peter Wilson, Chairman of the Campaign Committee, both of whom have both committed to donate £2019 in addition to their previous donations. They are inviting local business people to support the Campaign by becoming a member of the 2019 Club. Many businesses will benefit from the region’s rising population but by the same token this puts extra pressure on the Hospital and particularly on services such as chemotherapy. Every business has customers, staff and suppliers as well as family and friends who may need to use the services of the Cancer Centre and we all want people close to us to receive the best care in the best possible environment.
These gifts will transform the care of cancer patients by increasing the number of patients it is possible to treat, creating a comfortable and inspiring environment, improving access to support, advice and information and providing a more efficient working environment for staff.
The 2019 Club will last for until the end of 2019 during which time we want to provide a direct and personal link with the Campaign to our members through a programme of exclusive events
- behind the scenes and tailored tours
- discussions with clinicians and key decision makers
- a chance to meet like-minded people who have also have our hospital at heart
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
If you would like to join the Cancer Centre Campaign’s 2019 Club please get in touch with Caroline Bated [email protected] and she will send you the information.
