DOUBLE Olympian and Commonwealth Games medalist Liz Yelling has officially launched a new cancer care centre in Poole.

Liz cut the ribbon at BMI The Harbour Hospital’s new £350,000 unit, where winners of the Daily Echo photography competition were finally revealed.

“I was really honoured to be asked to open the cancer centre,” said Liz. “Unfortunately cancer affects so many of us now so it is great to see such a great new facility on our doorstep”

Hospital executive director Dan Stonell said he was delighted to be able to treat patients in the new facility.

“The hospital offers a wide range of treatments and specialities but we are exceptionally proud of the cancer care delivered by our dedicated team of specialist nurses and consultants, which can now be delivered in a purpose-built unit with brand new bedrooms, a new consulting room and chemotherapy pods,” he added.

The new centre provides care for patients in three new air-conditioned bedrooms with en suite wet rooms and four self-contained pods each with a wireless television and designated chair for chemotherapy treatment.

Patient James Doherty, aged 44, from Poole, has been coming to The Harbour Hospital for chemotherapy since December.

He said: “I really like the idea of the pods. Sometimes I’m only here for an hour so I don’t need a whole room. Being able to jump in a chair is much nicer and far more sociable.”

Meanwhile, oncology nurse Clare Martin, who said staff were very proud of the facilities they can now offer patients, explained: “The pods are ideal for patients having chemotherapy for two hours or less. The chairs have been designed specifically for the treatment, there are wireless headphones and flat screen television’s and a family room for friends and family to use too.

“We are a small but very close knit team of nurses so we get to know our patients exceptionally well. It is not just the physical treatment side of things that we take care of - we are there to support our patients in lots of other ways and we are the glue that sticks their cancer journey together from the start.”

As part of the launch the hospital held a photography competition with the Daily Echo. More than 500 photographers entered, with the top ten invited to the launch event.

In third place was Dean Holland with his photograph of Corfe Castle, second place was taken by John Lewis for his snap of the Twin Sails Bridge and first place was awarded to Brian Terrey, for his stunning coastal picture of the Jurassic Coast’s Durdle Door.

“I was so chuffed to even get to the top 30, let alone win,” said Brian, a ceramics and floor tiler. “I’d been in my van that day and thought it would make a nice shot but I almost gave up when it started spitting with rain. Then the sun hit the rocks and I thought I would make a go of it. I really wasn’t expecting to win and I’m so pleased that my photo might bring a bit of happiness to a patient having treatment in the cancer centre.”