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Patient Care

We are committed to ensuring that patients can avail of the best treatment and care available by funding vital medical staff and equipment.

Our work in patient care ensures that anyone going through cancer has the best care available to them when they need it most.

Friends of the Cancer Centre’s doctors, clinical nurse specialists and nurses provide expert medical care and support to hundreds of patients each year. We also support the work of staff on the ground through the on-going funding of vital medical equipment, ensuring that staff have the equipment they need to diagnose and treat patients.

Meet some of our wonderful staff below and read how they, as well as the vital equipment we support, are making a difference to patients. 

Professor Suneil Jain

Consultant Clinical Oncologist
Professor Jain is a Consultant Oncologist in the Cancer Centre and a Clinical Reader at Queens University Belfast. His post has been supported by Friends of the Cancer Centre since 2013 and he specialises in the treatment of prostate cancer. He delivers advanced external beam radiotherapy and is one of two oncologists in Northern Ireland who treats patients with prostate brachytherapy.

Laura Croan

Advanced Nurse Practitioner for Haematology
Laura provides specialist care for Haematology patients in the Bridgewater Suite. She monitors a range of patients who are attending for treatment, including through SACT prescribing, reviewing Haematology patients for ambulatory care, and providing medical assessment for patients in the Apheresis Suite.

Rachael Anderson

TYA Clinical Nurse Specialist
Rachael acts as a key worker for teenagers and young adults going through cancer. She cares for patients and families through diagnosis, treatment, and beyond by providing advice, support, clinical information, and signposting.

Elaine Shaw

Breast Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist
Elaine is a vital lynchpin in a patient’s care and she has been funded by the charity since 2011. Elaine, who is the Cancer Centre’s only breast oncology CNS, works with the consultant team and is the point of information, guidance and support for patients.

Gemma Potter

Secondary Breast Cancer Nurse
Gemma is the only nurse of her kind in Northern Ireland, providing tailored care for people affected by metastatic breast cancer. She is an accessible point of contact for patients and provides a valuable link between the surgical, oncology and secondary breast cancer services.

Annette Quinn

Breast Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist
Annette works closely with Elaine & Gemma to provide keyworker support for those affected by breast cancer, their families and carers. She provides advice on a range of needs, and can signpost to other supportive services.

Mel McNally

Urology Clinical Nurse Specialist
Mel specialises in kidney and testicular cancer, working closely with urology consultants to offer vital care and support to patients. Melanie has also established her own nurse-led clinics which allow her to see more patients and help reduce waiting times.

Shelley Mooney

Uro-Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist
Shelley specialises in supporting men with prostate cancer and she is on hand to offer advice, guidance, and support throughout a patient's treatment. Shelley also holds health and wellbeing events for men who have finished their treatment, ensuring they have the information and support they need post-treatment.

Olivia McLaughlin

Uro-Oncology Nurse
Olivia works alongside Shelley to care for those with prostate and bladder cancers. She provides psychosocial support for patients and their families at all stages of diagnosis, treatment and beyond.

Claire Duffy

Head & Neck Clinical Nurse Specialist
Claire joined us in 2017 and she is a vital source of support for patients dealing with head and neck cancer. She is an important link between clinical teams, ensuring patients have access to the right care and support when they need it. Her own nurse-led clinics allow her to see more patients with this complex cancer.

Gillian Lindsay

Head & Neck Clinical Nurse Specialist
Gillian provides specialist care and support for patients and their families affected by Head & Neck cancers. With these often complex cancers, Gillian provides crucial psychosocial support to help patients have the best quality of life during their treatment and beyond.

Soraya Manourcheri

Head & Neck Clinical Nurse Specialist
Soraya provides specialist care and support for patients and their families affected by Head & Neck cancers at Antrim Area Hospital. Soraya is the first nurse funded by the charity in the Northern Trust.

Stephanie Todd

Lung Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist
Stephanie provides care and support for lung cancer patients and their families. Acting as their keyworker, she offers advice, guidance and support through diagnosis, treatment and follow up.

Aoibhín Branagan

Lung Cancer Nurse
Aoibhín works alongside Stephanie in providing key worker support for lung cancer patients in the Belfast Trust. Aoibhín is based at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, and provides vital care through diagnosis, treatment and follow up.

Laura Craig

Gynae Oncology Nurse
Laura cares for patients with Gynae cancers at the Belfast City Hospital. She supports patients, their families and carers through diagnosis, treatment and beyond.

Andrea Patterson

Lymphoma Nurse Specialist
Andrea provides a dedicated support system for lymphoma patients. She works closely with her patients and their carers and families, acting as a keyworker. She cares for their needs and signposts to other supportive services during their treatment and beyond.

Lorraine McKenna

Leukaemia Nurse Specialist
Lorraine works as part of the haematology team at the Belfast City Hospital to care for those affected by leukaemia attending Bridgewater Suite or as an inpatient on Ward 10 North, and their families.

Aisling McGarvey

Upper GI Nurse
Aisling cares for patients with Upper GI cancers at the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry/Londonderry. She provides vital support for patients and their families, helping to guide them through the treatment process.

Natalie Hughes

Head & Neck Cancer Speech & Language Therapist
Natalie plays a key role as part of the multidisciplinary team supporting Head & Neck cancer patients. Natalie's care includes addressing any issues patients may have with communicating, as well as swallowing.

Vital Equipment

for treatment areas
Friends of the Cancer Centre has previously funded a range of vital equipment for Cancer Services, ensuring staff have the resources to meet patient demand. This has included nebulisers, observation monitors, and ECG machines, all of which are crucial for ensuring that staff can carry out their work and safely monitor patients.

Pressure Reducing Cushions

for Occupational Therapy
Friends of the Cancer Centre has recently supported the Occupational Therapy team in the NI Cancer Centre with the purchase of new pressure reducing cushions. The cushions, made from high density foam which disperses pressure when sitting, have become an important resource for the team when supporting rectal cancer patients.

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Friends of the Cancer Centre is a registered company limited by guarantee in Northern Ireland. Company number NI616925. Registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC101345.

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