Marcs skin cancer helpline under review

A national funding helpline for skin cancer sufferers based in Wiltshire is under review after some of its funding was pulled.

The Salisbury-based Melanoma and Related Cancers of the Skin (Marcs) line is funded by Wessex Cancer Trust.

The trust said the line had grown too large for it to continue to support it and its funding will end in December.

A Marcs line spokesman said they were reviewing the service to see how it could meet patients' needs in future.

He said he was unable to comment any further at present.

The helpline service is run from Salisbury District Hospital.

Trust chief executive Sally Hall said the trust had given the service about £500,000 in funding since 1993.

She added: "We're a regional charity and Marcs line had gone national. There are more than 80 nurses around the country who are involved with it.

"They've got more opportunity to raise money as a national organisation than just in a small local charity such as ourselves.

"We are hopeful that somebody else will pick up the funding."