Duchess opens teenage cancer unit
Updated on 29 June 2009
The Duchess of York was joined by rock stars Roger Daltrey and Kelly Jones to open a specialist teenage cancer unit.
Teenage Cancer Trust's £3 million 'Skypad', at the University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff, is the only facility of its kind in Wales.
Sarah, Duchess of York and The Who frontman Daltrey, are both patrons of the charity while Jones, of the Stereophonics, is an active supporter.
They toured the unit - called a 'Skypad' because it is on stilts between the adult and paediatric oncology centres - and met with both patients and staff.
The Duchess said: "The true celebrities are the young teenagers right here. They think this is important because it gives teenagers self respect.
"They're just going through an extraordinary growing spurt, they hit adolescence and suddenly they get cancer and are put on wards with granny on the right, toddlers on the left with nappy changes all night, and granny with her false teeth in a jar.
"No-one listens to to them and it's time teenagers were listened to. Why is it teenagers have such a bad rap? It really annoys me. Teenage Cancer Trust units are crucial," said the Duchess, who opened the charity's first unit in Middlesex in 1990.
The 'Skypad' is the result of years of fundraising by the charity and its supporters. Daltrey said it was important that the fundraising does not stop now the unit is open.
"This is your community, your teenagers. If you keep waiting for someone up in Westminster or your parliament in Wales to make things better for you, it's never going to happen. Haven't you sussed that yet?"
The 'Skypad', which opened to patients in May, cares for young people with cancer from across south Wales. It has eight inpatient beds and day care facilities for 14 to 25-year-olds, out-patient facilities, a chill out zone, a private kitchen, and access to media facilities such as the internet, television and music.
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