Skye Cancer Care – The Isle of Skye has a population of about 10,000.
Most of the island is more than 100 miles from the nearest district general hospital and from a hospice (both in Inverness), with journey times of two to three hours.
Skye Cancer Care was set up to “support and facilitate the provision of hospice-type care in Skye for persons with incurable life-limiting disease (especially, but not limited to, those with cancer) by raising funds for the establishment of facilities for such care” at the local cottage hospital and in the community.
We liaise closely with relevant health and welfare providers (in both voluntary and statutory sectors) and are funding specialist training in terminal care for local medical and nursing staff, and the upgrading of a room in a local hospital.
The main aim of the charity is to establish and improve palliative care on the Isle of Skye.
The Highland Health Board has all ready agreed to set aside one room at Portree Hospital for palliative care, Skye Cancer Care will be furnishing this room and providing financial support for the training of doctors and nurses in palliative care.
The response from the local community to this project has been excellent.
About
Skye Cancer Care was set up by Barbara Campbell and Margaret Duguid two local Skye girls, who through their own experience felt the need for Hospice Care on Skye, and have been fundraising successfully in North Skye.
This organisation is not directly connected with the Highland Hospice.
Skye Cancer Care aim is for all funds raised to be used on the Island and it has been agreed that ward 5 in Portree Hospital will be made available for palliative care for cancer patients, to avoid the need to go all the way to the Hospice in Inverness.
There will be costs involved in redecoration and new furnishings, but the larger costs will involve training nurses and doctors in palliative care, through courses run by Stirling University for the nurses and Dr Crichton of Portree Medical Centre started this training programme in Wales in August 2010.
In summary, our aim in Skye Cancer Care is to provide the same level of care for terminal cancer patients as they would receive at the Hospice in Inverness, but without all the costs and disruption to families.
Skye Cancer Care comittee members:
Chairman ~ David Sime
Vice Chairman ~ Dr.I.MacDougal
Secretary ~ Hugh Clark
Treasurer ~ David Taylor