• Swindon & Wiltshire Property
• Tuesday April 23 2024
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Dyson Cancer Centre opens at Bath hospital

The Dyson Cancer Centre at the Royal United Hospitals in Bath has opened its doors to patients following a £4 million donation from the James Dyson Foundation.

The opening of the £50 million centre means that for the first time all non-surgical cancer departments will work together under one roof.

These the RUH’s oncology, chemotherapy and radiotherapy services, a 22-bed inpatient ward and dedicated pharmacy.

A research team and nuclear medicine and physics teams will also be based at the centre.

The James Dyson Foundation has a long-standing relationship with the RUH and gave £4 million towards the new Cancer Centre.

James Dyson said: “Both of my parents died far too young from cancer, so I’ve always tried to support causes that involve treating or researching this terrible disease.

“Bath and the South West desperately needed a new cancer hospital to serve 500,000 people and carry out cutting-edge research – and I was pleased we could continue helping the RUH, after the success of the Dyson Centre for Neonatal Care.

“The Dyson Cancer Centre has state-of-the-art equipment, such as CT gamma scanners, which allow patients to have two specialist scans at the same time. It will also be home to vital research programmes in nuclear medicine and medical physics, and more than 60 live clinical trials – all under one roof.

“In a way, I hope no one has to come to it. But if they do, I hope the Dyson Cancer Centre will be an uplifting place – one filled with light, art, space and views of nature – for patients and their families, as well as the hospital staff who care for them.”

Macmillan Cancer Support charity donated £1.5 million and a further £1 million was donated by the Medlock Charitable Trust.

RUHX, the official charity of the trust, raised £5 million for the project, and £40 million came from government funding.

Andrew Hollowood, deputy CEO and medical director at the RUH, said: “The Dyson Cancer Centre is a state-of-the-art building, designed by patients and medical staff, to enhance the care we can offer to the 500,000 people we serve in the surrounding counties of Bath.

“What has been developed in combination with the James Dyson Foundation builds on our long-standing, 14-year relationship.

“Once the Dyson Neonatal Centre was up and running, and we saw the great impact of its unique layout and pioneering design, we started to think about how we could bring this format to life for cancer care.

“With Sir James and Lady Deirdre Dyson as our patrons, we are proud to welcome our first patients to the Dyson Cancer Centre.”

Dyson is based in Hullavington, Wiltshire and is investing £100 million in a new R&D hub in Bristol.