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THE Daily Echo is today backing the launch of an ambitious and far reaching charity appeal - to raise more than £1m for a new teenage cancer unit in Southampton.
The Teenage Cancer Trust wants to provide state-of-the-art facilities for brave young people in the south of England who are going through gruelling treatment.
But to realise their dream of a new unit at Southampton General Hospital, they need to reach £1.3m through local fundraising alone.
Organisers are plotting a huge launch party at the Rose Bowl tomorrow in a bid to give the campaign an early boost.
The Echo is also throwing its weight behind the appeal and asking generous readers to dip in to their pockets and show their support.
Once completed the unit would provide day care and inpatient facilities including recreational areas, a kitchen and dining room, entertainment area and broadband connectivity.
It is hoped it will provide the kind of environment where young people will feel comfortable recovering from treatment and make long stays at hospital more bearable.
Simon Davies, chief executive of the Teenage Cancer Trust, said: "In many cases, cancer in teenagers is not picked up early enough and symptoms can be dismissed as growing pains or sports injuries. Yet cancer is the most common cause of non-accidental death in teenagers and young adults in the UK.
"Teenage and young adult patients have particular needs that are different to those of adults and children.
"They need specialist care because of the rarity of their tumours and also for the particular psychological and social problems they can experience.
"This is why it is so important that we provide the right facilities, and need your help to do so."
Six teenagers are diagnosed with cancer each day, that's more than 2,000 every year. But these young patients don't stop being teenagers just because they get cancer.
Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) ensures that young cancer patients get the best possible care in hospital and the chance to do all the things that other teenagers do.
TCT funds specialist teenage cancer units in NHS hospitals, with the aim being to give every young person with cancer access to a unit and improve survival rates - TCT currently has nine units around the country and is planning to open a further 14 units by 2012.
Teenage Cancer Trust's South of England appeal launch will be taking place at the Rose Bowl tomorrow night. If you are interested in attending or would like to find out more about how you can get involved with the South of England appeal, please contact Helen Haynes on 07943 817274 or email helenhaynes@ teenagecancertrust.org
11:31am Tuesday 15th July 2008
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