Primrose Appeal
The public's imagination was captured as never before in the second Primrose Appeal. When the first Primrose Centre at Bedford Hospital was opened by Professor Bleehen in 1994, it was understood that because it was housed in a temporary building of limited size, it would, in due course, have to be replaced. The Centre has been universally praised, and the dedication of the team and the care provided are outstanding. However, the time came when a replacement facility became essential. The building was too small and could not provide for all the services needed.
The intention was to create a centre that would provide facilities not only for the clinical treatment of cancer, but also for all the support services for patients. Chemotherapy was already given on an outpatient basis, as were transfusions and other treatments and procedures. The aim was to include:
- More spacious comfortable accommodation for patients and carers during treatments including some day beds.
- Increased office and counselling space for Macmillan nurses and support staff.
- A resource and information centre.
There were no plans to provide radiotherapy treatment as the equipment required is extremely expensive and it would not be appropriate to replicate the facilities provided at Cambridge.
The vision, of a high-quality centre that would be the focus for cancer treatment in North Bedfordshire, has been wonderfully realized in the Macmillan Primrose Unit. In cooperation with Macmillan Cancer Relief, who contributed design expertise as well as £0.5 million to the building and a similar sum for extra staff, the project was accomplished in four years and the building opened to the first patients in December 2003.
