Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Care Centre opens at York Hospital

Having somewhere safe, welcoming and non-clinical to go, where you can take a moment to reflect and process what you’re going through, makes such a difference, said Angie Lunt, reflecting on the opening of the newly redeveloped Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Care Centre at York Hospital. The £2.4m expansion and refurbishment project is now fully open to support patients and their families living with cancer across York, Scarborough, and the wider rural and coastal communities.

Patient Co-Designed £2.4m Facility Opens at York Hospital

The York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust announced that people affected by cancer influenced everything within the facility. Patients and families helped shape the services offered, layout, furniture, color schemes, and artwork to establish a calm, non-clinical environment.

The redevelopment was delivered through a partnership between the trust and Macmillan Cancer Support in response to growing regional demand. Funding for the project came from public donations, alongside contributions from Lady Ogden, the Sir Robert Ogden Charitable Foundation, the York and Scarborough Hospitals Charity, and the NHS trust itself.

Royal Visit Highlights Community-Led Design

Ahead of the public opening, King Charles III visited the facility in his role as Royal Patron of Macmillan Cancer Support. The King met with patients, family members, and cancer nurse specialists involved in the project, and planted a Macmillan Rose in the centre’s purpose-built garden area.

The opening of the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Care Centre is a wonderful milestone for people living with cancer across York and the wider region, and shows what’s possible when local communities are truly at the heart of shaping care, said Gemma Peters, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Personalized Support Under One Roof

The expanded facility aims to function as a home from home, bringing personalized services together under one roof to care for the whole person rather than just the disease. Clare Smith, Chief Executive of the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, noted that a cancer diagnosis impacts individuals physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Angie Lunt, a Riccall resident diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016, recalled that the previous facility was essential to her recovery by supporting both physical health and mental wellbeing. Having served on the community engagement group that helped plan the new centre, she expressed pride in helping shape an environment intended to support future patients and their families.

Colm Gough, Macmillan Personalised Cancer Care Lead at the trust, added that the upgraded centre will help staff reach more people with the right support in the right place and at the right time.