Beating cancer in Wales: a history

  • Macmillan Cancer Support Founded

    Macmillan Cancer Support Founded
    MACMILLAN founded by Douglas Macmillan under the name of the Society for the Prevention and Relief of Cancer
  • Marie Curie Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases is established

    Marie Curie Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases is established
    MARIE CURIE Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases is established, specialising in the radiological treatment of women suffering from cancer and allied diseases. The Marie Curie International Memorial was formally established on 6 July 1948, after the hospital was destroyed in an air raid in 1944.
  • Tenovus founded

    Tenovus founded
    TENOVUS founded though didn’t focus their charitable efforts on cancer until the 1960s
  • Velindre hospital opens

    Velindre hospital opens
    VELINDRE Hospital opens. Two orthovoltage (X-ray therapy) machines and a single ward patient block.
  • Marie curie launches day and night nursing service

    Marie curie launches day and night nursing service
    Following a joint national survey carried out with the Queen's Institute of District Nursing, MARIE CURIE began running its own day and night home nursing service.
  • The first Marie Curie Home for cancer patients was opened in Wales

    The first Marie Curie Home for cancer patients was opened in Wales
    The first Marie Curie Home for cancer patients was opened in Fife in 1952. During the 1950s and early 1960s, the charity opened nine more Marie Curie Homes in adapted buildings, including at Holme Tower, Penarth in 1959 - now known as the Marie Curie - Cardiff and the Vale Hospice.
  • First Linear Accelerator (Linac) installed at Velindre

    First Linear Accelerator (Linac) installed at Velindre
    First Linear Accelerator (Linac) installed at VELINDRE along with a new library, physics laboratories and diagnostic radiology suite
  • TENOVUS set up the institute for Cancer Research in Cardiff

    TENOVUS set up the institute for Cancer Research in Cardiff
    TENOVUS set up the institute for Cancer Research in Cardiff
  • Cancer Research Wales Founded

    Cancer Research Wales Founded
    Cancer Research Wales founded at Velindre Hospital
  • Tenovus funded scientists developed Tamoxifen as a breast cancer treatment

    Tenovus funded scientists developed Tamoxifen as a breast cancer treatment
    Tenovus funded scientists developed Tamoxifen as a breast cancer treatment
  • First Macmillan nurse appointed

    First Macmillan nurse appointed
    Macmillan Cancer Support appointed its first Macmillan nurse to support people with cancer
  • Tenovus pioneered mobile screening

    Tenovus pioneered mobile screening
    Tenovus pioneered mobile screening taking cervical screening to communities across Wales throughout the 80s
  • Macmillan nursing teams expanded

    Macmillan nursing teams expanded
    Macmillan invests £2.5m to expand Macmillan nursing teams across the UK
  • Princess Margaret opens new ward at Velindre

    Princess Margaret opens new ward at Velindre
    A new ward of 28 beds was opened at VELINDRE by Princess Margaret, and appropriately named the Princess Margaret Ward. Fully equipped Diagnostic Radiology Unit. New two-storey block
  • 1,000th Macmillan nurse appointed

    1,000th Macmillan nurse appointed
    Macmillan appoints its 1,000th Macmillan nurse.
  • Velindre Trials Unit opens

    Velindre Trials Unit opens
    Velindre Trials Unit opens. Dedicated Early Phase Trial Unit opened in 2013. Welsh patients could access early phase trials in Wales for the first time and not have to travel to England.
  • Cancer Research Wales Chair of Oncology Appointed

    Cancer Research Wales Chair of Oncology Appointed
    Prof Malcolm Mason OBE - appointed as Cancer Research Wales Chair of Oncology - went on to transform how prostate cancer patients are treated across the world.
  • Cancer Research Wales laboratories opened

    Cancer Research Wales laboratories opened
    Cancer Research Wales laboratories opened at Velindre Cancer Centre and helped the hospital gain centre of excellence status.
  • Cancer Research UK founded

    Cancer Research UK founded
    Cancer Research UK formed by merger of Imperial Cancer Research Fund and The Cancer Research Campaign
  • Cardiff joins Stratified Medicine Programme

    Cardiff joins Stratified Medicine Programme
    Cardiff become a technical hub for the Cancer Research UK Stratified Medicine Programme
  • Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres launched

    Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres launched
    Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC) launched including one in Cardiff jointly funded by CRUK and Department of Health in Wales
  • Tenovus launched their mobile unit treatment facility

    Tenovus launched their mobile unit treatment facility
    Tenovus launched their mobile unit treatment facility
  • Marie Curie begins funding palliative care research

    Marie Curie begins funding palliative care research
    Marie Curie begins funding palliative care research – investigations focused on improving care for people approaching the end of their lives. Marie Curie researchers were amongst the pioneers in this very new field.
  • Cancer Research UK starts funding Cancer Clinical Trials Unit

    Cancer Research UK starts funding Cancer Clinical Trials Unit
    Cancer Research UK starts funding Cancer Clinical Trials Unit at Cardiff University
  • Cancer Research UK funds research nurses in Wales

    Cancer Research UK funds research nurses in Wales
    Cancer Research UK starts funding 14 research nurses based around Wales to support patients on clinical trials
  • Macmillan Chemotherapy Unit at opens at Prince Charles Hospital

    Macmillan Chemotherapy Unit at opens at Prince Charles Hospital
    Macmillan opens its Macmillan Chemotherapy Unit at Prince Charles Hospital.
  • ECSCRI founded

    ECSCRI founded
    The European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute is founded at Cardiff University
  • ECSCRI moves

    ECSCRI moves
    In August the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute moves into new state of the art labs in Cardiff University's Hadyn Ellis Building.
  • ECSCRI's first patent on anti-metastatic agent filed

    ECSCRI's first patent on anti-metastatic agent filed
    The European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute's first patent on anti-metastatic agent filed.
  • First patient treated in Wales with Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy

    First patient treated in Wales with Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy
    First patient treated in Wales with Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) at Velindre Cancer Hospital
  • Tiziana launched on AIM

    Tiziana launched on AIM
    The European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute's Richard Clarkson was the co-founder of Tiziana which was launched on the London Stock Exchange in April.
  • Marie Curie launched its strategic plan for 2014-19

    Marie Curie launched its strategic plan for 2014-19
    Marie Curie launched its strategic plan for 2014-19 setting out its response to the challenges faced by people living with a terminal illness today. Marie Curie plans to offer care and support to more people, reach them sooner after their diagnosis and help them in different ways.
  • Wales cancer Research Centre founded

    Wales cancer Research Centre founded
    The Wales Cancer Research Centre is launched, funded by Welsh Government through Health and Care research Wales.
  • Prognostic biomarker in breast cancer patent filed

    Prognostic biomarker in breast cancer patent filed
    The European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute's patent application for prognostic biomarker in breast cancer is filed.
  • Translational Research Committee's first meeting

    Translational Research Committee's first meeting
    The European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute holds its first meeting of the Translational Research Committee
  • Potential anti-metastatic agent developed

    Potential anti-metastatic agent developed
    Cancer Research Wales funded scientists in Cardiff, develop CB1, the first in its class potential anti-metastatic agent.
  • Alan Clarke memorial

    Alan Clarke memorial
    The European Cancer Stem Cell Research's director, Alan Clarke, sadly passes away, and a memorial symposium is held in his honour
  • Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre's funding renewed

    Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre's funding renewed
    The Cardiff Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre's funding is renewed for five years