THE first centre dedicated to offering support and advice on issues surrounding cancer is to open in Derwentside.

The Cancer Information Centre will open in Shotley Bridge Hospital, near Consett. It aims to provide a non-clinical, friendly environment for cancer patients, relatives, and carers of people with cancer.

It will also provide support for health care professionals, and people who want to know anything about cancer from prevention to treatment.

Gill Lumsden, cancer information and support manager for County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, is in charge of the project.

She said: "People can come and seek information that they may feel unable to ask their doctor or nurse, perhaps due to time limitations in clinics, or they may prefer to independently prepare themselves with as much information as they need at that time, and at their pace."

The centre will be staffed by Ms Lumsden, who is a nurse with a background in cancer care, along with a team of trained volunteers.

The project is a partnership with the Northern Cancer Network and Macmillan Cancer Relief.

It will see a second Cancer Information Centre open at the University Hospital of North Durham later in the year, and it is expected that a third will provide a similar information and support service at the new Chester-le-Street community hospital.

Ms Lumsden is launching a recruitment drive for volunteers to help staff all three sites.

"Volunteers are essential to the ethos and structure of the centres, bringing informality, accessibility and a sense of not being constrained by time or appointments," she said.

"They will be local people and will have often, but not always, been patients or carers themselves.

"The understanding that they will offer people visiting the centre will be as valuable as the specialist knowledge I'll be offering."

An open day to showcase the service to potential volunteers takes place in Rafters Restaurant, Shotley Bridge Hospital, on Monday, March 29, from 3.30pm until 5.30pm.