05 October 2026

The newly redeveloped Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Care Centre at York Hospital is now open.

The centre has been co-designed with people affected by cancer and their families, whose experiences and insight have helped to shape not only the services it will offer but also everything from the layout, furniture, colour schemes and artwork. The result is a more welcoming, calm, non-clinical and inclusive environment, offering more comprehensive support for thousands of people living with cancer and their loved ones across the region each year.

His Majesty The King, in his role as Royal Patron of Macmillan Cancer Support, has already visited the centre to see its progress. He met patients and their family members who were involved in its design, spoke with Macmillan health professionals and cancer nurse specialists, and planted a Macmillan Rose in the centre’s purpose-built garden. The visit highlighted the importance of creating cancer services around the needs and experiences of the people who use them.

Angie Lunt, from Riccall in York, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 and was part of the community engagement group that helped shape the plans for the new centre. She said:

“When I was going through cancer, the centre was pivotal in my recovery, supporting both my physical health and mental wellbeing. Having somewhere safe, welcoming and non-clinical to go, where you can take a moment to reflect and process what you’re going through, makes such a difference.

“I’m incredibly proud to have used my own experience to help shape a centre that will support so many people and their families in the future. It was also a huge honour to be part of the redevelopment, and I’ll always remember meeting His Majesty The King and planting a rose with him in the garden there. It was a very special moment, and to now see the centre open and supporting others makes me incredibly proud.”

Gemma Peters, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “The opening of the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Care Centre is a wonderful milestone for people living with cancer across York and the wider region, and shows what’s possible when local communities are truly at the heart of shaping care. People with lived experience of cancer have helped design not just the services, but the feel of the space too, creating somewhere welcoming, comfortable and built around what people with cancer actually need.

“We’re incredibly proud of everyone who has helped bring this vision to life. The centre will bring more cancer care and support closer to people, making it easier for them to access the help they need when they need it. We were honoured to welcome our patron, His Majesty The King, and see him meet some of the people who helped shape the centre. We look forward to seeing it make a lasting difference to people living with cancer and their families.”

Clare Smith, Chief Executive, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"It is wonderful to see the new Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Care Centre open and welcoming patients and their families. Now that it's fully operational, it will be a 'home from home' for those affected by cancer, providing personalised services designed and delivered to care for the whole person, and not just their cancer, in a calm and compassionate setting.

"A cancer diagnosis has a tremendous impact on an individual's life; not just physically, but also emotionally and mentally. The centre now brings together under one roof individualised care and support for people across York, Scarborough and our wider rural and coastal communities."

Colm Gough, Macmillan Personalised Cancer Care Lead, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“This centre will help us reach more people with the right support, in the right place, at the right time. It has been designed by the people who will come here, and every detail has been shaped by the experiences and ideas of local people affected by cancer.

“It's fantastic to see patients, families, and carers now coming through the doors and experiencing the transformation of the space for themselves. We’ve worked hard to create a warm, peaceful and welcoming environment, and our teams who work here do an incredible job of helping everyone who walks in feel listened to, supported, and reassured."

The £2.4m expansion and refurbishment have been delivered through a partnership between York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support, in response to growing demand across York and the wider region.

The Trust serves urban areas including York and Scarborough, as well as coastal towns, market towns and remote rural communities with higher-than-average older populations and greater levels of frailty and complex health needs. The expanded centre will help provide better, fairer cancer care and will be operated by the existing Cancer Wellbeing Support Service, giving more people access to information and support to help them navigate cancer treatment with confidence.

The redevelopment has been funded by Macmillan Cancer Support through generous public donations, including support from Lady Ogden and the Sir Robert Ogden Charitable Foundation and York and Scarborough Hospitals Charity, in partnership with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

If you would like to find out more about the support available, the new centre is open for drop-in support Monday-Friday 08:00-16:30. You can also ring the team on 01904 721166, or find out more information at https://www.yorkhospitals.nhs.uk/our-services/organdonation/a-z-of-services/cancer-care1/