SAVE THE HAVEN

Founder Dom Valdez needs to raise £25,000 in the next three weeks.

He already has emergency plans to secure some of this money but is desperately trying to make up the shortfall - just to keep the centre afloat.

Each year, he has to find £150,000 towards running costs as the health authority only funds half the cost of each cancer bed.

"We need immediate help," said Dom, who has struggled to run the centre since it opened 19 years ago.

"We are trying all avenues to raise this money.

"We are reassuring residents and visitors there is no imminent danger of us closing.

"We will continue to give our patients the best possible care. They will never go short."

Dom's loyal team of 45 staff have pledged to do all they can to help.

His highly-skilled professional nurses have even offered to work without wages during the crisis.

And this week, the World stepped in to help him launch a borough-wide appeal to Save the Haven.

Dom says he is already indebted to the local community of Runcorn and Widnes for helping him create a haven for cancer sufferers.

"We have never had lords or ladies behind us. It has always been the ordinary people who have given us their support," said Dom.

"I will always be eternally grateful to our old friends who have never let us down. I hate having to ask for more money, but we are really desperate."

Sadly, the recent big job losses at ICI, Duni and Golden Wonder have had a devastating effect on the centre's fund-raising.

"These workers have all donated thousands of pounds over the years," said Dom. "With everything closing down and so many jobs going, it's a constant struggle to survive."

The longest serving nurse Jean Morenan has cared for cancer patients at Halton Haven for 15 years.

She said: "The Haven has always been like a big family. We have loyalty to Dom and the centre to keep it going.

"The care patients receive here is next to none. I would hate to see anything happen. There isn't anywhere else like it in Halton.

"We are doing a service for the Government. We shouldn't have to struggle for cash."

She said nurses looking after cancer patients have to gain a special qualification in palliative care.

"By the time patients come to us, they have had enough of hospitals. We do all the medical treatments. We are all highly qualified but we try to make it home from home, giving them the best of care in a home environment.

"You've got to get involved with the families. Cancer is something which affects the whole family."

Day care nursing sister Aisla Gurrell said Halton Haven's day care centre provides a vital lifeline to housebound cancer patients.

Transport is provided to ferry them into the centre where they receive support from other sufferers.

They pay just £1 for transport and £1 for a hot cooked lunch.

She said: "What we offer is unique. There is no nurse-run day care unit in the area.

"Cancer patients know they can get support from each other here. They say it is a lifeline. It can be very isolated when you are diagnosed with cancer and live on your own.

"They have all made great friends here and keep in touch on the phone. They know they can tell each other they've had a terrible day and people here understand exactly what they're going through."

IF YOU would like to help Halton Haven, here are some fund-raising ideas you may like to try:

Perhaps you could have a spring clean and sell your unwanted items at a car boot sale?

You could invite your friends and neighbours to a coffee morning or bring and buy?

Why not raffle that unwanted Christmas gift?

Think of something unusual and organise a sponsored event.

Whether it is big or small, all your efforts will be greatly appreciated.

And we want to hear about them.

Ring our newsroom on 0151-907 8525, send us a fax on 0151-907 8526 or an e-mail to smccann@worldgroup.co.uk and tell us how you can help our World appeal to Save the Haven.

Week by week, we will be publishing stories of how our readers rally round to ensure the borough's cancer sufferers will continue to receive the best possible care.

We will also be keeping a tally of all the money raised so you will be able to see how every penny counts.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.