Rhinos chief hails plan for stadium cancer centre

A new cancer treatment centre is proposed for Headingley Stadium, bringing advanced radiotherapy technology to Leeds.

The plan is part of a wider health initiative at the ground, aiming to make treatment easier to reach for people across the city.

The Leeds Cancer Programme - a partnership between the Macmillan charity, the NHS, Leeds City Council and others - said about 27,000 people in Leeds were living with cancer or receiving aftercare, with more than 4,100 new diagnoses each year.

Leeds Rhinos chief executive Jamie Jones-Buchanan said: "Headingley has brought people together for generations, and I want people facing cancer to feel that same sense of care when they walk through the door."

The rugby boss said: "If you are going through something as tough as cancer, being somewhere familiar can make a huge difference.

"The project aims to support people at their most difficult moments.

"I hope people will feel cared for when they come to Headingley."

The centre would be run by cancer care specialists Icon Group, and would offer radiotherapy and advanced oncology imaging, including PET‑CT scanning.

Icon chief executive Mark Middleton said: "There are people often waiting months to access radiotherapy. We want to be part of the solution."

The care provider already operates a similar centre in London and said the Leeds site would use the same technology found in major international cancer centres.

Icon has appointed Dame Linda Pollard, former chair of Leeds Hospitals NHS Trust, as a strategic adviser to support its work in the city.

Paul Caddick, chairman of Caddick Group and Leeds Rhinos, said the stadium's role in the city made it a natural fit.

"Headingley means something to people in Leeds, and that sense of familiarity can help when you are facing something as serious as cancer," he said.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.