Action Cancer House opens in Belfast
Gloria Hunniford unveils £2.4 million screening and therapeutic centre
Last updated 26th Sep 2018
A new cancer screening and therapeutic centre has been opened in Belfast.
The £2.4 million facility at Windsor Avenue operates the UK's first 3D digital breast cancer screening as well as complimentary therapies to adults and children.
Counselling, life coaching, complimentary therapies, acupuncture, reflexology, physiotherapy and scar therapy.
Gloria Hunniford OBE officially unveiled the new building on Tuesday afternoon.
The 78-year-old lost her daughter Karen Keating to breast cancer after a seven year battle and is now the patron of the charity.
She told us the disease has had a huge impact on her life:
"At that time, I'm sure there were many young women who had breast cancer but I didn't know any.
"And therefore for Karen to get breast cancer in her thirties, bearing in mind that my mum had died of breast cancer, it was just the most horrendous thing I ever could have heard."
Gloria praised the work of Action Cancer and said she was one of the first to have a mammogram as part of its free screening service for women aged 40-49:
"It's a charity that's ahead of the game.
"It provides this incredible free service for women outside the national health age group.
"When I was in my 40s, I wouldn't have been within the national health brief, now I'm in my 70s I wouldn't be in the national health brief so I can come here for nothing."
The presenter and Loose Women panelist has been involved with the charity for over 40 years, she told us she has dedicated her life to keeping her daughter's memory alive:
"The diagnosis was the worst thing that could happen, this doesn't happen to young people in my mind.
"I tapped into her positivity and I was really positive for her, sadly her very strong battle didn't win through but we set up the foundation in Karen's name and that really is my healing and my coping mechanism."
Ashley Hurst was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago after a free Action Cancer screening.
The Belfast woman urged all women to get checked:
"We're really, really fortunate to have this service and people should use it.
"If you're over 40-49 you should come and have a breast screening at Action Cancer, it might just save your life."