Major milestone for Christie at Macclesfield as highest building point reached
The £26m centre should be open to patients by December
A MAJOR milestone has been reached in the building of the Christie at Macclesfield cancer centre.
The structural frame for the new £26m facility has been completed and the project has reached its highest point in the construction process.
Lorraine Johnson, a Christie patient and fundraiser from Macclesfield, was invited to view the progress being made at the centre, which will open in December 2021.
She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and had treatment but during a routine scan in 2018 it was found she had secondary breast cancer in her spine. This has also recently spread to her lungs.
Lorraine worked at the Broken Cross Club until retiring last year and colleagues there have raised more than £2,000 towards the new cancer centre.
It is hoped that this fundraising will continue when Covid restrictions allow.
Lorraine said: “I am thrilled to be invited to mark this important point in the building of the new cancer centre. A lot of work has been done since last summer when the site was flat.
"Having looked at what the Christie is planning to do here, the new facilities look superb. The Christie at Macclesfield will make a huge difference to patients like me.
"Being treated in Macclesfield, rather than having to travel to the Christie in Withington, will be less stressful and time consuming for patients. It’s a fantastic project."
Lorraine was joined by Darren Bugg, head of capital at the Christie, who is overseeing the project and Louise Dawson from the Christie charity, which needs to raise £23m towards the £26m project.
When the centre opens it will offer 40,000 appointments a year.
Lousie said: "We are delighted with the progress that is being made building the Christie at Macclesfield.
“As a charity, we have been hit hard by COVID-19. The loss of income directly impacts the support we can offer the hospital.
"We have never needed our supporters more - each and every penny raised makes a difference to patients like Lorraine and thousands of others. Cancer doesn’t stop for a pandemic.”
The construction of the new cancer centre is being carried out by VINCI Construction UK.
