Hospital to build teenage cancer unit

Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust has announced plans to open a teenage cancer unit at Southampton General Hospital in 2013.

The unit designed by charity Teenage Cancer Trust, has been approved by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. Cancer patients aged between 16 and 24 living in Hampshire, Dorset, the Channel Islands, South Wiltshire, Isle of Wight and parts of West Sussex will be treated there.

It will cost £2.4 million to build and set up. The 10-bed facility will have six en suite inpatient bedrooms so that family and friends can stay over. There will also be four day care spaces, social and recreation areas with a kitchen and dining area, and a family sitting room.

Local communities are now being asked to support the charity in the final stage of its multi-million pound fundraising appeal. To date Teenage Cancer Trust's Southampton Appeal has raised £1.7 million, with £500,000 donated by Channel Islanders.

A further £700,000 urgently needs to be raised before the unit becomes operational. Enabling work has now begun with the main construction starting in October and a completion date set for summer 2013.

Project ID: 12237475