Among them are sunny vistas of the River Ribble running through Avenham Park, of Longton Nature Reserve and the view from Beacon Fell, of Lancaster’s Crook-O-Lune and the sweep to Arnside as well as of Lake Windermere.
All the images the new wall masking windows open out on to were chosen by patients surveyed last November as part of the Rooting for Radiotherapy project, which is investigating the benefits of green social prescribing and nature based interventions for radiotherapy patients.
Specialist therapeutic radiographer Katie Fisher, who received £5,862 from Rosemere Cancer Foundation to install the new windows with their picturesque views, explained: “There’s a lot of recent documented evidence to show that spending time in nature – even if that’s just looking at natural images - can have positive impacts on physiological and psychological outcomes for those suffering with long-term health conditions such as cancer.
“This is recognised in the NHS Long-Term Plan, which supports green social prescribing to improve the health and well-being of the population through spending time in nature. When we surveyed our own radiotherapy patients last autumn, 80% indicated they would like to see more greenery in the department with one comment stating ‘more nature, less clinical’.”
Katie added: “With the support of Rosemere Cancer Foundation, we have worked to achieve this by celebrating some of the best local greenspaces as chosen by patient vote.”
Dan Hill, chief officer of Rosemere Cancer Foundation and head of charities for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said; “We’re delighted to support this greenspaces project. HRH the Princess of Wales has talked extensively about how spending time in nature has helped her in her cancer journey and we hope patients, who come to Rosemere Cancer Centre from throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria to undergo radiotherapy treatment, will benefit from the latest efforts by Katie and her team to make the department less clinical by bringing the outdoors indoors.”
Rosemere Cancer Foundation works to bring world class cancer treatments and services to cancer patients from throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria being treated not only at Rosemere Cancer Centre, which is Lancashire and South Cumbria’s specialist regional cancer treatment and radiotherapy centre at the Royal Preston Hospital, but also at another eight local hospital cancer units across the two counties.
The charity funds cutting-edge equipment, clinical research, staff training and innovative services and initiatives that the NHS cannot afford in order to make patients’ cancer journey more effective, comfortable and stress-free. For further information on its work, including how to make a donation, visit www.rosemere.org.uk
1. Contributed
Waiting room with a trio of views from left to right, Longton Nature Reserve, across Arnside and the Ribble as it runs through Avenham Park Photo: Submitted
4. Contributed
Also at the entrance is this window framing the Crook-O-Lune Photo: Submitted