Home opens for patients' families

Billy's House is a short distance from the hospital

A charity has opened a home where children in the East Midlands undergoing cancer treatment can stay with their families.

Billy's House was named after a Derbyshire boy who was diagnosed with cancer when he was aged just three.

The home is a few minutes' from the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham.

Six families can stay at the house and Billy's parents were determined to help the cancer charity Clic Sargent to set up the house.

Laura Greenall, whose son the house is named after, said the family had to endure a 100-mile round trip when he was receiving treatment.

Billy's House will help families in the East Midlands

Ms Greenall said the family became determined to help others facing a similar situation.

A house just minutes away from the Queen's Medical Centre was earmarked as an ideal site for a Clic Sargent Home from Home.

By mid-2008 plans had been approved to build an extension and carry out some internal alterations to the property.

Details of the home were completed in late 2008, and the builders started on site on 2 February 2009.