York cancer charity opens free seaside retreat for patients and families (From York Press)

York cancer charity opens free seaside retreat for patients and families

11:12am Friday 15th March 2013 in News By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

CANCER patients from York now have the opportunity to take a well-earned break by the sea after a local charity bought an apartment in Whitby to celebrate its 25th year.

York Against Cancer has used the £125,000 it raised during 2012 to buy a luxurious sea-view apartment on Whitby’s West Cliff, which will be available for free for cancer patients and their families to enjoy some respite following treatment.

Julie Russell, general manager at the Huntington-based charity, said: “We had our 25th birthday last year and decided that during the year we wanted to raise money for something in particular.

“We asked around and from all the ideas that we got this one seemed to be the most appealing.

“We fund care for people with cancer and we thought this would be a great aspect of that and an idea which would be popular with our supporters.”

The charity went house-hunting in Scarborough and Whitby, but Mrs Russell said staff fell in love with the apartment in Whitby as soon as they walked through the door and saw the sea views.

The three-bedroom apartment will be available for booking from mid-April, to those eligible to stay at the facility.

Mrs Russell said: “We had a very very busy year fundraising last year and managed to raise £125,000 through lots and lots of activities. Obviously it didn’t buy the property outright, but it went a long way towards it. We are thrilled with it and want to help as many people as we can.”

She said: “We will accept referrals from patients who have been diagnosed with cancer, or currently receiving treatment for cancer or who are within one year of their last treatment.”

For more details go to yorkagainstcancer.org.uk