Centre design will catch the eye
Wednesday 15th August 2007An eye-catching striking modern design - with an eco-friendly grass roof has been put forward for a pioneering palliative care centre at the James Paget University Hospital.
The idea comes from Norwich and London-based LSI Architects, which won a competition, involving 13 rivals, to develop a design for the centre planned for the grounds of the hospital.
JPH Trust chairman John Hemming said they were looking for a design that was bold and made a statement that palliative care was an important part of what they did.
The aim was to create a calm and comforting environment with lots of interior and exterior space. The inner and outer gardens were an important part of the design.
The £1.5m appeal for the centre, which will cater for the 220,000 people living in Yarmouth and Waveney, was launched last October and two recent pledges amounting to £60,000, along with the £8,000 proceeds of the hospital fete, have taken the total so far to about £200,000.
Mr Hemming said that donations had taken off in the past two or three months and they were aiming to have the centre built and open by 2010.
It will include a communal area, four clinics, rooms for complementary therapies, quiet and counselling rooms and even an anger room with a punch bag.
He said it would be a one-stop shop for patients visiting the hospital for tests and assessments or to undergo treatment.
Because of the ageing population there were increasing numbers of people with life-shortening illnesses, but with advances in cancer drugs, many were living with their conditions for months and sometimes years.
Mr Hemming said they wanted to give a quality of life back to such people, and it was estimated that at least 10,000 patients would benefit from the centre annually.
Fundraising co-ordinator Jenny Westgate said her 20-strong team of volunteers was growing all the time, but she was still keen to find more helpers, and people willing to undertake sponsored events such as the London Marathon.
For details of events or to become a volunteer, contact Ms Westgate on 01493 453348.
