THE president of Basingstoke Deane Rotary Club is making an emotive call for backing for a cancer treatment centre in the town after her own experience fighting the disease.

Lindy Richardson has recently completed 23 sessions of radiotherapy at Southampton General Hospital to treat her bowel cancer and is now encouraging people to help raise funds to deliver the cancer treatment centre being supported by the Ark Cancer Centre Charity.

One of the main reasons for her plea to help the charity is that it would create a closer centre for people with cancer who live in and around Basingstoke to go to.

Lindy’s journey to Southampton General was at least a three hour round trip, with it sometimes taking five or six hours when there were delays.

Lindy wrote in a post on Facebook: “Its not just tiring at a time when you are already unwell but expensive, it must be an added stress to those on a limited income at a time when they really don’t need the extra stress.

“Southampton General is a great hospital, the staff are skilled, dedicated and above all endlessly kind, they make a tough time bearable.

“The problem is the treatment is in Southampton not in Basingstoke.

“We need all they have in Basingstoke, so my friends if you are still reading please do everything to you can to support the work of the Ark Cancer Charity who are working to get a much needed cancer treatment centre here in Basingstoke so people in north Hampshire can be treated nearer home.

“It will make such a difference, let’s make it happen.”

The Ark Cancer Centre Charity is raising £5million towards a new cancer treatment centre, which will offer an array of treatments and services.

The new centre will largely be funded by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and it will most likely be built on the existing Basingstoke hospital site.

Merv Rees, Ark Cancer Centre Charity trustee, said: “Everyone at Ark Cancer Centre Charity wishes Lindy well.

“She is a great supporter of the charity, and it is courageous of her to share her story and raise even greater awareness of Ark and the cancer treatment centre project.

“Her words are moving and inspirational, and they explain exactly why we need to build this much-needed centre in the Basingstoke area.”

Lindy also thanked family and friends for their support during her treatment.