£850k for Maggie's cancer centre at Velindre Cardiff site

Velindre Cancer Centre in Whitchurch

An interim cancer centre providing emotional and practical support will be built in Cardiff after an £850,000 cash injection was announced by the Welsh Government.

The new Maggie's Centre would be based on the Velindre Cancer Care site.

It will support people in south east Wales temporarily, with a permanent solution due as part of the Velindre development, expected to open in 2022.

Maggie's Centres are independent but work with the NHS across the UK.

Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said: "Many of us know someone who has battled cancer and have seen first hand the impact it has on not only them, but also their friends and families.

A permanent solution will be sought as part of the new Velindre development due to open in 2022

"We know that cancer is affecting increasing numbers of people in Wales. We are proud that cancer survival rates continue to improve, but we know there is always more work to do."

A centre already exists in Swansea and Maggie's chief executive Laura Lee said more and more people had been travelling significant distances for that support over the past few years.

Maggie's Centres, which are based across the UK, follow the ideas laid out by cancer suffered and activist Maggie Keswick Jencks.