‘Calm and easy. Much less stressful than going to hospital.’
– Lorna Secker, Patient
Each MCCU can treat up to four patients at any one point and up to twenty patients can receive their valuable treatment each day.
Alongside the MCCUs, we also provide a Nurses Support Vehicle (NSV) to each NHS Trust Partner. These vehicles are imperative for nursing teams to travel independently to and from the MCCU. It also allows the nurses to have use of a dedicated vehicle to transport any additional supplies or equipment that may be required.
We are proud to be partnered with 11 Hospital Trusts and provide each one with its own Mobile Cancer Care Unit and Nurses Support Vehicle. To see where each of the units visit, please see our ‘Locations’ page.
Each unit is given an identity through a name inspired by, or in memory of, someone affected by cancer.
Details of our MCCUs and partnerships are given below:
Gloucestershire – Helen
- The world’s first Mobile Cancer Care Unit
- Partnered with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Launched by charity Patron, Sir Stirling Moss OBE, in February 2007
- Named ‘Helen’ in memory of a dear friend of our charity founder, who sadly passed away from cancer
- Helen was re-launched in 2017 to mark the charity’s 10th anniversary of being in operation; she was upgraded to a Generation Two MCCU to mark the occasion
- Based at Gloucester Royal Hospital
South Wiltshire– Kayleigh
- Partnered with Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
- Launched by a dear friend of the charity, Murray Walker, in May 2012
- Named in memory of a young woman from Chippenham, who sadly passed away from cancer
- Based at Salisbury District Hospital
East Kent – Caron
- Partnered with East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
- Launched by Michael Keating, son of charity Patron, Gloria Hunniford, OBE, since October 2012
- ‘Caron’ was given her name in memory of Caron Keating, Gloria’s daughter, who sadly passed away from cancer
- Based at Kent and Canterbury Hospital
Lincoln – Elaine
- Partnered with the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
- Launched by Phil Anyon, a senior member of the Mark Masons, in April 2014
- ‘Elaine’ was chosen for this unit in memory of Phil’s wife who sadly passed away from cancer
- Based at Lincoln County Hospital
West Suffolk – Frisbey
- Partnered with the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
- Launched by Martin Brundle, a Patron for Hope for Tomorrow, in March 2016
- The name ‘Frisbey’ was chosen for this unit in memory of Martin’s grandmother who sadly passed away from cancer
- Based at West Suffolk Hospital
East Suffolk and North Essex – Maureen
- Partnered with the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- Launched by Liz Burton in July 2016 and named in memory of her sister, Maureen Dore
- Maureen was a patient representative as part of the original MCCU project team in 2006, with Dr Sean Elyan and charity founder, Christine Mills
- Based at Colchester General Hospital
West Yorkshire – Linda
- Partnered with Airedale NHS Foundation Trust
- Launched in October 2018 by Wendy Booth
- Named ‘Linda’ in memory of the late wife of Captain Dan Conley, Councillor Linda Conley, who sadly passed away from cancer and was also a loyal supporter of Hope for Tomorrow
- Based at Airedale General Hospital
West Yorkshire – Christine
- Partnered with Airedale NHS Foundation Trust
- Piloting the next generation of Mobile Cancer Care, this unit incorporates an enhanced set of features, allowing a far more diverse range of cancer support and services.
- Launched in November 2021
- Named ‘Christine’ in memory of the late Christine Mills MBE, Founder of Hope for Tomorrow
- Based at Airedale General Hospital
Norfolk & Norwich – Amara
- Officially launched in 2021
- Partnered with Norfolk & Norwich University NHS Foundation Trust
- Delivered to the Trust on 22nd October 2020.
- Named ‘Amara’ in memory of John Gillo’s, Provincial Grand Master for Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, wife.
- Based at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
James Paget -Jewel
- Officially launched in September 2022
- Partnered with James Paget NHS Foundation Trust
- Fully funded by Bristol Myers Squibb, they launched a competition for their employees to name the unit after an inspiring woman.
- Named Jewel after Jewel Plummer Cobb (January 1924 to January 2017). Jewel’s research included work on the relationship between melanin and skin damage, and on the effects of hormones, ultraviolet light, and chemotherapy agents on cell division. Jewel discovered that methotrexate was effective in the treatment of certain skin cancers, lung cancers, and childhood leukaemia. This drug is still being used in chemotherapy today
- Based at James Paget Hospital