A charity funded clinic helping local former cancer patients suffering with life-impacting treatment side-effects has received further grants, allowing it to keep offering its services into its second year.

A grant of £6,000 from the Medicash Foundation and a further £1,000 from Lakeland charity the Taylor, Newton & Hibbert Charity has been awarded to Rosemere Cancer Foundation for its Late Effects PRD (Pelvic Radiation Disease) clinic at the Royal Preston Hospital.

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In February 2020, the charity committed to funding the set-up and running costs of the clinic, a commitment of £283,521, for a three-year period, enabling it to prove its case for permanent funding from various local hospital trusts across the two counties referring patients to it.

Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic began, severely restricting Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s ability to fundraise, putting the clinic’s entire future in jeopardy.

Rosemere fundraiser Rebecca Arestidou, tasked with applying for grants to keep the clinic open, said: “The support from national and local charities for the PRD clinic has been fantastic.

“The bodies I have been in touch with such as the Medicash Foundation and the Taylor, Newton & Hibbert Charity have all understood the clinic’s value and how it is trying to improve the quality of life of so many former cancer patients from our region.

“Their willingness to support us financially has been very moving and at a
practical level, very much appreciated.

“Our funding commitment to the clinic, as well as having to support other smaller projects, has been a huge worry but we now have the funds to ensure the clinic’s immediate future, which we hope will take us past the current lockdown period to a time when we are able to get back to fundraising events.

“So many people have worked so hard to ensure we can continue to offer the clinic’s services that I would urge anyone suffering PRD symptoms to simply contact their consultant and ask for a clinic referral. It could make a big difference to their quality of life.”

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Approximately half of all patients who undergo radical radiotherapy to the pelvic area for cancers such as cervical, womb and other gynaecological cancers, prostate cancer and bowel and bladder cancers, are likely to be left with life impacting side-effects to some degree post treatment.

Caused by damage to healthy cells that were near to their cancer, these side-effects can include incontinence, diarrhoea, constipation, excessive wind, bloating, tummy cramps and bleeding from the bottom.

Rebecca, has also secured grants from Lancashire’s ‘Lancashire Responding’ Covid-19 Community Support Fund, the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund, the Hospital Saturday Fund and the Harold and Alice Bridges Charity.

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