CLAN Cancer visit (In memory of Mike Flinn)

I visited the CLAN Cancer in Aberdeen on 6th August to present a cheque for £1,000 in memory of Mike Flinn, long standing Association Member of The Hospital Saturday Fund. Very sadly, Mike passed away unexpectedly in July and it was his family’s wish that any donations should support the work of CLAN Cancer. Mike was a great supporter of both the Health Plan and Charity in the North East of Scotland. He even persuaded First Bus to paint two buses with CLAN Cancer’s livery including the HSF health plan logo.

CLAN Cancer supports anyone of any age, affected by any type of cancer. This includes people affected personally or as a carer, family member or close friend and all their services are available free of charge.

From CLAN House in Aberdeen and their centres in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Fraserburgh, Inverurie, Kirkwall, Lerwick, Peterhead and Stonehaven, the services they provide reach and support people across North East Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN House is a Help Centre and a place to meet for all people touched by cancer in the North East of Scotland. The centre was built 7 years ago at a cost of £4m. The facilities at CLAN House include counselling, a specialist children’s section and many different therapies. The administration and fundraising departments are also based at CLAN House.

Next door to CLAN House is CLAN Haven. This is a residential facility that has 27 beds, 15 of which are used for patients undergoing radiotherapy. CLAN is paid by the NHS for accommodating these patients and transporting them to hospital. CLAN has an agreement with Aberdeen Hospital that all their residents undergo radiotherapy in the morning, so that all the patients can attend together and have the afternoon free.

CLAN Haven is very important to the people who live in the huge region that the Charity supports, which includes the Scottish Islands of Shetland and Orkney, as a cancer patient does not have to spend many weeks in hospital. CLAN even pays for residents’ food. The other rooms are used for people with other issues caused by cancer. CLAN funds the £2.5m it costs to run the charity almost entirely from fundraising. Their Charity shops, which are based right across the region, help with this massive task.