Work has begun on the £30 million Sir Bobby Robson Institute at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.
The institute will be one to cancer trials in the region, providing an increase in space and specialist facilities which will enable 50 per cent more research.
Part of Newcastle Hospitals, the institute will support NHS patients from the North East, north Cumbria and North Yorkshire.
Construction is being financed by The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity. More than £26.5 million has been raised to support the project, including £2 million donation from the Barbour Foundation.
The institute will bring together the current Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre and the hospital’s cancer and blood disorders (oncology and haematology) research teams.
Mark Robson, Sir Bobby’s son and chair of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation said: "This is a momentous day and I can only imagine what my dad would be feeling if he was here. We’re so proud that his legacy in setting up the Foundation has brought us to this point and I know he’d be incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us.
“He’d be thrilled by the ambition of this institute, and he’d be telling us to enjoy this moment and then get out there and get the rest of the funds needed to finish this job. We’re winning but we haven’t heard the final whistle yet.
“We began our fundraising for the institute with £20 million already raised by our Foundation’s long-standing supporters and fundraisers, which is phenomenal. All those coffee mornings, sponsored runs and heartfelt donations helped us to get here, and we can’t thank them enough.
“And now, over the past few months, a group of incredible founding donors have come forward to help us reach £26.5 million."
Professor Ruth Plummer, consultant medical oncologist at Newcastle Hospitals treated Sir Bobby for cancer in 2008. She asked for his help with undertaking a clinical trial for a new cancer drug.
She said: “When Sir Bobby first set up his foundation it was initially to help us raise half a million to equip our current cancer drug trials unit.
“Since then, demand for cancer clinical trials has continued to increase both locally and internationally.
“We have the specialist expertise and experience in Newcastle to do even more trials and the new institute will make a huge difference in allowing us to provide more access for patients, giving people a chance to try an innovative treatment that could work for them while also being part of something bigger in terms of developing new cancer treatments.
“Quite simply, more research means we move forward with more options and better outcomes for patients, improving what we can provide now and in the future.”
