THIS is what Derry’s new €90 million radiotherapy centre will look like when it is finished later this year.
It is being built at Altnagelvin hospital and is earmarked to open this autumn, treating patients from Donegal.
The new centre will create employment for 215 people.
The North’s Western Trust today released computer generated images of the new development.
The centre will treat patients on both sides of the border.
The huge state of the art project is being jointly funded by the Stormont Executive and the Irish Government.
Once open, patients in Donegal will no longer have to make the arduous journey for treatment in either Galway or Dublin.
Dr Andrew Reilly, Head of Radiotherapy Physics at the Western Trust, said the building will be world-class.
“This centre will have the best available equipment anywhere in the world,” he said.
“It will house the best available imaging, to visualise the tumour and make sure we’ve targeted it correctly, and the best possible delivery equipment that will be able to deliver radiation doses with pinpoint accuracy.”
The centre will treat patients across Donegal, Derry, Antrim and Fermanagh.
Western Trust Radiotherapy Unit manager Una Cardin said: “Because of where this unit is placed, it will actually reduce travelling times for patients.
“A majority of patients will no longer have to stay away from home Monday to Friday, when they’re receiving radiotherapy because they’ll be closer to home and it makes it more accessible.
“Hopefully that will improve patients’ quality of life while they’re receiving treatment here at the unit.”
