Supporting people affected by cancer since 1993
The Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre was opened in June 1993 to provide support and information to people affected by cancer. It was one of the first centres of its kind.
The LJMC provides a service that supports patients and their families and helps them cope with all aspects of the disease from diagnosis, through treatment and beyond.
A number of pilot studies had been undertaken to establish patients’ concerns. Consultation over two years identified that patients wanted improved access to information, and improved communication with and between the healthcare professionals that were treating them.
The philosophy of the LJMC is to promote patient empowerment and self-help by encouraging patients to seek information, and providing them with the support they need to process this information at their own pace.
Working closely our colleagues in Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, the LJMC promotes this patient-centred approach through the treating team, thereby offering holistic care throughout the cancer journey.
The centre was named after Lynda Jackson, a patient at Mount Vernon Hospital who died at the age of 31. Her family and friends raised a substantial amount of money in her memory to launch the fundraising for the centre that was to come to bear her name.
The remaining money was provided by Macmillan Cancer Relief (now Macmillan Cancer Support). Macmillan has further supported the LJMC by funding the extension to the centre which was completed in 2002 and has also provided startup funding for some posts.
Mission statement
The aim of the LJMC is to meet the support and information needs of people affected by cancer by offering:
- Support which is responsive to the wishes of patients, their families and friends
- Information which is accurate, up-to-date and relevant to the individual
- A service which is available at any stage of a patient’s illness
The centre works closely with the NHS to ensure that conventional treatments and procedures are fully integrated with a complementary approach that deals with the patient as a whole person, and not just with the disease.