Applause for councillor who reveals ‘lived experience’ during debate on cancer appeal
A councillor was given a round of applause when he spoke of his ‘lived experience’ of cancer services during a debate which united politicians at Telford & Wrekin Council.
Councillor Paul Watling added his ‘100 per cent support’ to a motion supporting the £5 million Sunflower Appeal that aims to bring cancer services to the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford.
Councillor Watling (Labour, Madeley & Sutton Hill) said he spoke not just as a councillor but also as “somebody who has just got lived experience of the Lingen Davies Centre and those who work there”.
The councillor, the cabinet member for adult social care and health, added: “I spent 30 years managing multidisciplinary teams in different parts of the country and to see that multidisciplinary team working the way it has worked for me over the last nine months has been incredible.”
Councillor Watling added that his support for Councillor Ollive Vickers’ motion at full council last Thursday, July 17, also “sends a message to our health colleagues that we believe the people of Telford and Wrekin deserve a better service”.
He said that 30 per cent of the people in his ward don’t have a car.
This means if they need cancer treatment they would face a two-and-a-half-hour journey to get treatment at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, at least one hour on the site, and then a similar return journey.
“I support it 100 per cent,” Councillor Watling added.
Councillor Kelly Middleton told her Labour colleague: “It’s good to see you in the chamber and looking well.”
Councillor Ollie Vickers (Labour, Donnington) called on the whole council to commit to support Lingen Davies in its fundraising efforts as part of the Sunflower Appeal.
It would mean “most chemotherapy patients living in and around Telford can be treated at the PRH”.
Councillor Corrine Chikandamina (Labour, The Nedge) said she is a “proud NHS worker” and added that the addition of 30 chemotherapy bays would “double capacity” for cancer patients.
Conservative and Lib Dem councillors added their support as the motion was carried.
The £5m Sunflower Appeal for the Lingen Davies Cancer Centre in Telford is the charity’s biggest appeal in its history. It aims to have it up and running by 2029.
Lingen Davies said that not only will the centre offer up to 30 chemotherapy bays, it will also offer outpatient clinics, a specialist Urology Investigations Unit, and a Lung Diagnostic Centre.
The services will be created in addition to the existing services and clinics running at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
