THE family of cancer patient Shauni McGregor take comfort from knowing their loved one is being cared for at the Churchill’s Cancer Centre, which this week will celebrate its 10th anniversary.
Ms McGregor, 64, from Chipping Norton, has just completed the first of six cycles of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in January - though doctors have warned the treatment will be palliative rather than curative.
Ms McGregor’s sister Jenny Leigh said: “We know they are absolutely giving their best shot at making sure she has as long and as good a quality in her time left.”
She added: “The first meeting Shauni had with the consultant a multi disciplinary meeting; so the physiotherapy was there, specialist nurses were there, the family - it was extraordinary really.
“Everyone knew exactly how it was all joined up, there was no rush to it.
“The physiotherapists have met with us afterwards for further questions, they’ve all been fantastic.”
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Ms McGregor, a mother-of-two, added: “Its all so joined up - everybody knows everything about you.
“When you go to see someone they know everything, you’re not just a number to them, you’re a person.”
Since the cancer centre opened almost exactly 10 years ago it has transformed cancer care in the region and is now considered to be among the best facilities in the world.
A decade ago patients receiving cancer treamtnet involivng chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery would have had to make multiple trips to different hospitals during their diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
However, thanks to the cancer centre, which treats around 300 people per day, patients in Oxford now benefit from a far more cohesive treatment pathway.
Clinical lead for Oncology, and brain tumour consultant at the Churchill, Dr Claire Hobbs, has overseen much of the improvements made over the last decade and said: “The chemo and radiotherapy used to be very separate.
“The consultant oncologists looking after the same patients but not necessarily working together, so what’s happened is we’ve actually integrated all the oncologists . So we now sit together as a team.
“From a patient’s point of view, I hope, it means they’re less anxious and have more certainty of what’s planned for them and what the treatment will involve.”
Clinical lead for Oncology at OUH, Dr Claire Hobbs
That certainty, says Ms McGregor, has provided her the foundation to focus on the things that are important to her.
Since her diagnosis she has sung at a charity concert - her first public performance which raised hundreds of pounds for the hospital - and now aims to take up piano tutoring again.
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She said: “It’s something I’ve always loved.
“And there are other things I want to do like visit the Eden Project - so there’s still plenty to come.”
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