The North West Cancer Centre is marking its 10th anniversary. Since opening in 2016, the centre has provided specialist cancer care closer to home for patients across the North West and County Donegal.

The centre now treats more than 1,400 new oncology patients each year and delivers cancer treatment to over 6,500 patients annually. Its haematology service supports more than 600 new patients each year, provides treatment and review appointments for over 9,300 patients, and offers specialist virtual advice to more than 1,100 patients.

Since opening, more than 5,600 patients from across the North West have received radiotherapy locally, including over 1,200 from County Donegal.

Lesley Mitchell, Assistant Director at the North West Cancer Centre, said the facility demonstrates successful healthcare collaboration, allowing patients to access specialist care closer to home while working with specialist centres in Belfast, Letterkenny, Galway and Dublin.

She said the centre has continually evolved over the past decade, introducing services and programmes to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life. These include early regional implementation of image guided radiotherapy and patient dosimetry, rehabilitation for breast and prostate cancer patients, expanded specialist radiotherapy treatments, and dedicated Allied Health Professional support. She also noted the centre's growing reputation for research and innovation, providing local patients with access to clinical trials and new treatment opportunities.

Mitchell highlighted several achievements, including ESMO Centre of Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care accreditation, the Macmillan Quality Improvement Award, and the radiotherapy physics team being one of two departments in the UK to achieve accreditation to BS70000: Medical Physics requirements for Quality, Safety and Competence.

She said staff, partners and supporters were proud of the past decade and that the centre remains committed to embracing new technologies, expanding research and maintaining high standards of cancer care for future generations.