Macmillan Cancer Support Centre opens in Pontefract Hospital

Tracey Strutt cutting the ribbon on the new Macmillan Support Centre in Pontefract.

The new Macmillan Cancer Support Centre has officially opened at Pontefract Hospital.

It means there is now a dedicated Macmillan hub in all three Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust (MYTT) sites, offering advice, information and support to anyone affected by cancer.

The ribbon was cut by Tracey Strutt, a resident in the Pontefract area. Tracey was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2016 and had little hope of a positive outcome. Ten years on and she is still living with cancer, supported by her family who have raised more than £27,500 for Macmillan Cancer Research.

The new hub has been made possible by funding Macmillan Cancer Support and MY Hospitals Charity.

The support centre has been in use in recent weeks, but was formally opened by Tracey, alongside MYTT Board Chair, Keith Ramsay and Keeley Clawson, MYTT Lead Cancer Nurse.

"The Macmillan Support Centre at Pontefract is open Monday, Tuesday and Friday, and provides local information and advice to cancer patients and their families,” said Kimberley Priestley, Macmillan information and support service manager for MYTT.

“The support can be emotional, financial or practical and we work with local community partners to ensure they get the right care in the right place.

“This service is essential for patients and their families who are living with the impact of a cancer diagnosis and often find themselves feeling shocked and overwhelmed as they try to navigate their way through treatment. The service is there to support them and link them in with other services who can help reduce the stress and burden of the issues that having a cancer diagnosis can bring.”

“I’m so proud that we’ve now got something in the town,” said Tracey.

“I’m hoping that people on the unit and people who are not even having treatment and want to talk to somebody about cancer and cancer treatment can pop in here, talk to somebody and get some helpful advice.”

“MY Hospitals Charity are incredibly proud to have supported the opening of the new Macmillan Cancer Support Centre at Pontefract Hospital,” said Kathryn Box, Funding and Impact Manager at MY Hospitals Charity.

“This milestone has only been made possible thanks to the generosity of our amazing donors, whose continued support enables us to improve care across our hospitals and in the community.

“We are truly grateful to every individual and organisation who helped make this possible.”

Find out more about the Macmillan Cancer Support Centres on our website.