Haematology Unit
The increasing incidence of Leukaemia and related disease in the South West rendered facilities inadequate at the RD&E and a new unit was constructed which was 2/3rds (£1.5 million) funded by ELF. Building commenced in November 2000 and the Haematology Centre "opened for business" at the end of April 2002. The Haematology Centre, was officially opened by HRH, The Princess Royal in September 2003. ELF must raise some £550,000 each year to maintain our support for sufferers, and to develop new services.
The New Haematology Unit, is one of the most modern and innovative in Europe. It will be a centre of excellence for research projects into the causes and treatment of leukaemia in addition to providing 16 beds, a 12-bed Day Care Unit and a Clinic to treat outpatients. It was designed by Architects, Lacey Hickie & Caley, not to look like a hospital, through the use of curves and colours (22 in all). A gigantic 350 sq metres courtyard will feature the Nuffield Hospital donated patience garden which won a silver-gilt award at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Show in 1999.
The building has received many accolades, perhaps the one with which ELF and the staff is most delighted came from Professor John Lilleyman, President of the Royal College of Pathology, he claimed that “the facility was without doubt the best in Europe”. It has become a centre of excellence for research projects into the causes and treatment of leukaemia in addition to providing 16 beds, a 12-bed Day Care Unit and a Clinic to treat outpatients. It has been designed not to look like a hospital, through the use of curves and colours. A gigantic 350 sq metres courtyard features the Nuffield Hospital donated patience garden.
It has been hailed by Dr Mike Potter, Director of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Consultant Haematologist at Royal Marsden NHS Trust, as “an extremely good facility, state of the art."