Ritchie helps purchase Cancer Lifeline premises

Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie has today provided £105,000 to support the fund raising efforts of Cancer Lifeline in order to purchase their premises.

Cancer Lifeline is a North Belfast-based charity providing a range of services to help individuals and their families cope with the effects of cancer. The group have also raised £80,000 towards the purchase of the premises.

Margaret Ritchie said: “Cancer affects so many people in society today. It is a blight in our communities and an affliction that can have devastating repercussions. Help through counselling, advice and support is a lifeline necessary to cancer sufferers and their families. Cancer Lifeline provide a welcoming home from home for individuals and their families living with cancer, an invaluable service at a time of great need.

“I welcome my department’s support of this community organisation through essential funding to complement monies raised by the group for the purchase of their premises. It will enable them to continue to deliver a much needed and welcome service. The working partnership between my Department and Cancer Lifeline is a good outcome for the community, for the many cancer sufferers and their families who will continue to benefit from the services provided.”

The group was established in October 1999 by local people as a direct response to the lack of accessible support services from mainstream health provision for those diagnosed with cancer in disadvantaged areas of North Belfast.

Cancer Lifeline offers counselling; welfare advice; alternative therapies; information sessions; and education classes. Support groups also help to provide those who are often marginalised, with the confidence, skills and support to take control and improve their quality of life when faced with a cancer diagnosis.

Over the past year over 500 people have availed of the support the group provides.

Commenting on the funding Bernie Montgomery, Chairperson of Cancer Lifeline said: “Cancer Lifeline is delighted that DSD is providing vital part funding to enable us to purchase our project base in Alliance Ave. This will enable us to deliver crucial support services to families coping with a cancer diagnosis in the local community.

“DSD have been very supportive of the work of Cancer Lifeline over the last ten years. Being able to purchase the house provides the North Belfast community with a much needed cancer support service for the future.”

Notes to editors:

1. Over the past five years, the Department for Social Development has awarded Cancer Lifeline a total of £204,000 under the Neighbourhood Renewal Funding Programme for salaries and running costs. Recurrent costs of £50,000 per year are also provided to the organisation by the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust with additional funding being provided by the Lottery.
2. For media enquiries please contact the DSD Press Office tel. 028 9082 9078. Out of office hours please contact the Executive Information Service Duty Press Officer on 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.