£5m campaign for dedicated Telford cancer centre launches at Parliament event with speech by Health Secretary
A Shropshire cancer charity has taken its major £5m fundraising campaign to Parliament.
Shaun Davies, MP for Telford, hosted the launch of the Lingen Davies Sunflower Appeal in Parliament.
The event featured a keynote speech from Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
The £5 million campaign aims to raise funds to establish Telford’s own dedicated cancer centre at Princess Royal Hospital, doubling chemotherapy treatment capacity across the region, and sparing patients the long journeys currently required to access care at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital's Lingen Davies Cancer Centre.
The new cancer centre would make life-changing treatment and support far more accessible for Telford residents, a cause Mr Davies has backed.
He said: "Today I was proud to stand up for Telford and stand shoulder to shoulder with every volunteer, trustee, and supporter driving this campaign forward.
"Cancer affects one in two of us - this is a statistic that should make us all pause. No-one in Telford should have to face gruelling cancer treatment and then travel long distances just to access the care they need.
"Every resident deserves to access medical services on their doorstep, and that’s exactly why I’m so proud to support the Sunflower Appeal.
"Bringing the Lingen Davies Cancer Centre to Princess Royal Hospital will transform lives, giving Telford and wider Shropshire patients the care, support, and dignity they deserve.”
The launch in Westminster brought together Lingen Davies supporters, charity representatives, volunteers, trustees, local businesses, and MPs from across Shropshire.
Mr Davies is also using his 2025 charity Christmas card initiative, which will officially launch in December, to raise awareness of the appeal.
Speaking following the launch Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: “Lingen Davies leads the way in cancer support and is a source of local and national pride.
"Their work is key to delivering on this Government’s national cancer plan, especially in bringing cancer treatment to Telford.
"I’m only too happy to support their Sunflower Appeal, which will save countless lives across the region, and to support the work of Shaun Davies to help them raise the funds they need.”
Tim Cooper, chair of trustees for Lingen Davies, said: "The Lingen Davies Sunflower Appeal will ensure that many more people in our region can access the treatment and care they need, sooner, easier, and closer to home.
"Delivering a dedicated new cancer centre in Telford will not only better support the people living there, but also enable residents in the rest of Shropshire, and those in Mid Wales who must travel to Shrewsbury for treatment, easier access to vital, life-saving services.
"We are honoured to have been invited to Westminster this afternoon to showcase the passion, drive and commitment of Lingen Davies to making a positive difference to lives impacted by cancer throughout our region."
Pete Jackson, a cancer patient and Lingen Davies trustee, added: “It was great to be in Parliament, invited by Shaun to the launch this fundraising appeal. It was wonderful to see people from Telford in London promoting the charity’s fantastic work, and for me personally, to talk about my book Keep on Keeping On, which shares my journey as a cancer patient.”
For more information about the Sunflower Appeal and how to support it, visit www.lingendavies.co.uk.