BBC News Online: UK: Wales

£8.5m lottery boost for cancer projects

A total of 47 different projects have been awarded grants from the New Opportunities Fund.

They range from a new cancer centre at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital to a group offering support to young children in families affected by the disease.

Money will be used to help cancer prevention, detection, treatment and care.

Wales board member Tom Davies said : "The money being invested in cancer services will protect patients' health by raising awareness of risks as well as improving early detection and diagnosis.

"It will also provide practical support and advice for those with cancer and their families."

Welsh Assembly Health Minister Jane Hutt said : "This is wonderful news for all those affected by cancer in Wales.

Emotional support

"Money is going to projects in all five of the present health authorities and will make a huge difference to improving the prevention of cancer, to the speed of initial detection and to the care needed for the patients and families if diagnosed."

South east Wales will see the creation of a group offering emotional and practical support for young children in families affected by cancer.

A total of £62,156 will be spent over three years to appoint experts to help.

One of the people behind the project, Peggy Tapper - who fought cancer successfully - said not enough was being done to care for the children of cancer sufferers.

'Shoulder to cry on'

"The children can be the forgotten ones," she said.

"It affects them more than you think. They don't want to bother mum or dad with their own problems as they think they have enough on their plate - but they do need someone they can turn to for support, advice and as a shoulder to cry on sometimes."

Llandough Hospital near Cardiff in south Wales has been granted £361,455 to improve the present chemotherapy suite and make it more efficient and patient-friendly.

North Wales' Wrexham Maelor Hospital will get £1,416,000 for their Shooting Star Appeal - a scheme to construct the first dedicated cancer unit to cater for patients in an area that at present is suffering with the highest mortality rates in Wales.

North and south Wales also see the joint working of four trusts to install video conferencing equipment at the three acute hospitals in the north and at Velindre in the south.

Scanning methods

The £266,000 will enable patients to be diagnosed and treated by specialists from where they are based without the need for patients to travel great distances and incur expense.

In mid Wales, ultra sound equipment for cancer care will be provided thanks to the £111,625 being awarded.

The Ceredigion and Mid Wales NHS Trust will now be able to introduce a variety of scanning methods and deal with more patients.

West Wales is being awarded £121,750 to provide a laser therapy service for the treatment of head and neck cancer.

Promoting awareness

Based at Morriston Hospital, it will ensure a significant improvement on existing treatments, reduce waiting times and allow treatment on a day-patient basis.

The New Opportunities Fund's 'Cancer Prevention, Treatment and Care' programme has received hundreds of applications since being launched in the summer of 1999.

The programme was created to improve access to screening and treatment, provide equipment, promote awareness of cancer prevention and help individuals and families cope with the impact of cancer on their lives by supporting care for those with cancer.

Research undertaken showed a staggering 75% of those purchasing lottery tickets wanted money raised to go towards health and education projects, focusing on cancer in particular.

Where the money will go: