Supporters from across the region attended the Westminster launch of the £5million Lingen Davies Sunflower Appeal yesterday, 11 November, where Secretary of State for Health Wes Streeting delivered a keynote speech.
More than 60 delegates, including members of the House of Lords, MPs, corporate supporters, fundraisers and volunteers heard about the importance of the Appeal for patients across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, and Mid Wales.
Lingen Davies Cancer Support’s Sunflower Appeal will deliver the dedicated Lingen Davies Cancer Centre at The Princess Royal Hospital in Telford. It will have a state-of-the-art chemotherapy day unit, outpatients’ clinics, and urology and lung diagnostic clinics – all in addition to those services currently offered at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital’s Lingen Davies Cancer Centre.
Tim Cooper, Chair of the charity’s Board of Trustees, Naomi Atkin, CEO of Lingen Davies, Shaun Davies MP for Telford, all spoke about the life-changing importance of the new Sunflower Appeal to deliver a dedicated Cancer Centre at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford. Guests also heard a firsthand account of living with cancer from 30-year-old Sophie Jones, the face of the campaign.
Shaun Davies, MP for Telford, said: “Cancer affects 1 in 2 of us, this is a statistic that should make us all pause; no one should have to face gruelling cancer treatment and then travel long distances just to access the care they need.
“Every resident deserves to access medical services on their doorstep, and that’s exactly why I’m so proud to support the Sunflower Appeal. Bringing the Lingen Davies Cancer Centre to Princess Royal Hospital will transform lives, giving Telford and wider Shropshire patients the care, support, and dignity they deserve.”
Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care added: “Lingen Davies leads the way in cancer support and is a source of local and national pride. Their work is key to delivering on this Government’s national cancer plan, especially in bringing cancer treatment to Telford. I’m only too happy to support their Sunflower Appeal, which will save countless lives across the region, and to support the work of Shaun Davies to help them raise the funds they need.”
Naomi Atkin, CEO of Lingen Davies, said: “We’re tremendously grateful to Shaun Davies, MP for Telford, for giving Lingen Davies the opportunity to attend Westminster for this very special launch of our Sunflower Appeal.
“We were privileged to be joined by Wes Streeting who shared his own cancer experience with guests, and I thank him for making time to support us. On behalf of our current patients, and those who will be diagnosed with cancer in the future, thank you to everyone for joining us today, and to those who have already donated to this appeal,” she added.
For more information about supporting the work of the charity and donating to the Sunflower Appeal visit lingendavies.co.uk or call 01743 492396.
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