ACTIVITIES & ACHIEVEMENTS

The activities of the charity have continued to focus on Patients Welfare and Amenities and Cancer Research.

Patients Welfare and Amenities:

Following on from the completion of successful projects in 1997/98 and previous years the charity has continued to provide improvements and enhancements to patients facilities. In 1998/99 such schemes have included provision of more comfortable seating in wards and out-patient areas, improved in-patient facilities (including new televisions, hi-fi system and satellite subscription) and enhancements such as new defibrillating, blood pressure and heart monitoring equipment.

Cancer Research:

The charity continued its long standing support for cancer research though 1998/99. The largest single item of research related expenditure has been a contribution of £35,000 to purchase equipment in support of a research project operated in conjunction with the Christie Hospital, Paterson Institute, Victoria University of Manchester and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology @ST). The primary objective is the establishment of a leading centre in the North West, focused on Positron Emission Tomography (PET) based biomedical research. Other research expenditure has included purchase of computer and photographic equipment for colorectal and breast research.

Also in 1998/99 the Trustees decided to invest £100,000 per annum to support the Centre's Research and Development (R & D) programme. Historically the majority of external research sponsorship has been from drug companies in support of Chemotherapy trials. The emphasis for the new investment was to be the relatively less well funded area of Radiotherapy research.

Due to initial phasing of projects only £68,000 was spent on research in 1998/99. However, the continuation of the dosimetry and CT simulation projects, coupled with expansion of research in other areas, indicates a commitment to R & D in excess of this figure. As a result the contribution towards R & D in future years is forecast to rise threefold. This will assist the charity in adhering to its Reserves Policy.