Over 14,000 people every year are treated for cancer at University College Hospital and our patients come from across the UK. University College Hospital is one of the two UK centres that will host the National Proton Radiotherapy Service treating a large number of paediatric and adult patients. University College Hospital aims to ensure that all people with cancer, and their families and carers receive a world-class service from diagnosis through treatment and beyond.  To achieve this aim and to support our patients, the University College Hospital Cancer Fund was created in 2014 to assist with important areas of work above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide. The main aim is to make a difference to all cancer patients at UCH by investing in projects that enhance our patients and carers' experience, whilst advancing our services through funding additional medical equipment and staff training.

I am joining a group of staff from UCH cycling the equivalent of London to Bristol, while climbing Ben Nevis four times on the way. As a new Oncology Consultant at UCLH I realise how important smaller charities like this are. They can fund projects that are difficult to fund through bigger charities such as:

• Apps to help children understand what will happen to them in hospital
• Training staff for end-of-life conversations
• Providing a support service to help nursing staff develop their career
• Seed funding for research bursaries to fund clinical research.  

In particular the UCH Cancer Fund supports "The Cotton Rooms" a patient hotel so that patients and their families do not have to travel long distances for care when they must attend the hospital frequently such as outpatient radiotherapy treatments. This will be particularly important when the Proton Radiotherapy Service is operational in the Summer of 2020. 

All your donations will go to the charity as we are self funding the trip. So please help support the good work this charity does.