Areas We Fund
Here at Velindre Cancer Charity, we are proud to support the life-changing work of Velindre Cancer Services. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, fundraisers and supporters, we are investing in impactful projects and services that go beyond NHS funding. Our goal is to support patients and families at every step of their journey, ensuring that everyone at our Hospital of Hope receives exceptional care and achieves the best possible outcomes. By investing in supportive care services, empowering Velindre’s staff to become future leaders, funding innovative technologies, and driving forward transformative research and clinical trials, we are making a real difference to those affected by cancer in Wales and beyond.
Patient and Family Supportive Care and Wellbeing
With your help, we fund essential supportive care and wellbeing services at Velindre. These services provide a lifeline to patients and families facing the wide-reaching impacts of a cancer diagnosis. We are committed to continually investing in these services to ensure exceptional care for all. Our existing services include wig vouchers for those experiencing hair loss, pastoral and spiritual care services and staff roles dedicated to patient support and welfare rights advice.
Your support also funds 100% of the children’s resources at the centre, as well as therapeutic services like clinical psychology and counselling, complementary therapies and an Arts in Health coordinator. By supporting us, you give patients the emotional, physical and practical support they need throughout every step of their cancer pathway.
You help us fund:
- An entire team of clinical psychologists and counsellors, including a dedicated staff psychologist, providing essential one-to-one care for patients and staff
- Children and family resources like specialist education books, lion teddies, toiletries, new pyjamas and digital devices to keep in touch with loved ones
- Multi-faith services, including a fully funded chaplaincy, and the cost of any special occasions like weddings, anniversaries and birthdays
- Wig vouchers and headscarves for patients experiencing hair thinning or hair loss
- The Arts in Health welfare programme, which focuses on positively impacting the mental health and wellbeing of patients, families and staff through artwork and dedicated creative activities and spaces
- 3 complementary therapists and a dedicated on-site therapy room
- The Patient Engagement Team and Velindre Volunteers Programme
Developing Leaders of the Future
As the Hospital of Hope, our staff are at the heart of what we do. Your support allows us to invest in their growth, providing opportunities, specialist roles and innovative projects that drive excellence in cancer care. By funding research roles, professorships and study opportunities, we enable our staff to lead ground-breaking projects and service improvements that directly benefit patients. We fund initiatives like the Velindre Oncology Academy, which offers cancer-specific education to the entire cancer workforce across Wales.
We also fund 50% of the Clinical Nurse Specialists at Velindre. These experienced nurses are a vital resource for patients and their families, providing clinical and compassionate care, whilst driving innovation and ensuring effective multidisciplinary communication across teams.
Together, we are empowering Velindre’s staff to become future leaders in cancer care and ensuring the best possible outcomes for patients and their families.
Some of the roles you fund:
- 50% of all Clinical Nurse Specialists at Velindre
- Supportive Care Lead Nurse, Michele Pengelly
- Patient Information Support Manager, Leigh Porter
- Welfare Rights Advice roles
- The Velindre Oncology Academy team, partly funded for 3 years to deliver the launch of the educational programme
- Clinical research roles and professorships
- 3 PhD roles in healthcare research and 1 PhD role in lung cancer research
- The Arts in Health Coordinator, Sally Thelwell
- Our Innovations team who support cutting-edge projects that enhance patient experience and care
Ground-Breaking Research & Clinical Trials
Every year, we invest over £1 million into pioneering research and clinical trials, providing hope to patients and their families. By supporting Velindre to collaborate with research centres, universities and other specialist hospitals, we ensure that patients directly benefit from the latest advancements in cancer research and new treatments, whether it’s by extending the time they have with their loved ones, reducing their side effects or transforming their treatment outcomes.
Together, we will put Velindre and its patients at the forefront of cancer research in Wales—working towards a future where we achieve Victory Over Cancer.
We proudly contribute funding to over 40 active clinical trials, including:
- QuicDNA lung cancer research project
- FAKTION breast cancer clinical trial
- PEARL head and neck cancer clinical trial
- Concorde lung cancer trial
- HIT Meso lung cancer clinical trial
- APPROACH brain tumour clinical trial
- A personalised colorectal cancer vaccine clinical trial
- and so many more!
Cutting-Edge Equipment, Environments and Technologies
Your support helps to fund cutting-edge equipment, enhanced environments and innovative new technologies that deliver the latest treatments and care to patients, as well as improving their experiences at the centre. By funding spaces like a patient garden and a dedicated family room on-site, we create comfortable and peaceful sanctuaries so patients and their loved ones can spend much-needed quality time together—offering comfort, dignity and support during challenging times.
You help us fund:
- Two dedicated family and relative rooms providing a safe space for quality family time in a non-clinical setting
- All maintenance of hospital gardens and green spaces to provide relaxing outdoor environments for patients and staff to enjoy
- All Velindre’s scalp-cooling machines
- A Pre-agreed Supportive Care Escalation Plan project, using QR code wristband technology to improve quick response care for palliative patients
- The state-of-the-art Cardiff Cancer Research Hub, hosting some of our leading clinical trials and treatments.
