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Velindre Cancer Centre
One in three people will receive the earth-shattering diagnosis of cancer at some stage in their lives. However, breakthroughs in medical research mean that more and more people are living, not dying, with cancer. Velindre Cancer Centre's work has made it a runner-up in joint second place for our 2007 Integrated Health Awards.
Velindre patientI would not have taken the time to confront some of my issues if I had not received the treatment I have. It has provided a different perspective.
Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff provides specialist non-surgical cancer services for the people of South East Wales, serving a population of 1.5 million people. The centre helps patients to deal with the physical and psychological effects of cancer and to live well, within the limits of their condition.
At Velindre, rehabilitation is given equal priority alongside diagnosis and treatment. The service aims to helps patients and their families to live with cancer and the treatment of it, through the process of diagnosis and treatment, to cure, or to continuing illness and in some cases death. Every effort is made to ensure a positive patient experience to broaden the patient’s horizons and to enhance motivation and wellbeing.
Velindre patientThe reflexology sessions have been invaluable to me. The time since my treatment finished has been emotionally very difficult and the sessions have helped a great deal.
Central to the success of the service is its multidisciplinary ethos which provides holistic support to patients from diagnosis and throughout their cancer journey, helping them to maximise the benefits of treatment, and manage the unpleasant and often painful side effects that the treatment produces.
The therapy services team, who have an exemplary multi-disciplinary approach, provide treatment interventions to in-patients on busy wards, in out-patient departments and community-based outreach clinics for people who have problems with mobility or in cases where continual trips to and from hospital are becoming stressful. 
The services provided include physiotherapy, dietetics, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and complementary therapies. All complementary therapists working or volunteering at the service undergo specialist training in oncology and palliative care, provided at the Centre.
