The Sunrise Appeal has been a beacon of hope for cancer patients in Cornwall since its inception in 2000. Over the past quarter-century, the charity has raised over £3.7 million, significantly enhancing the Sunrise Centre at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.
We’re highlighting key milestones, as well as the vital equipment and services funded through community generosity.
2000: Sunrise Appeal Launches
December: The Sunrise Appeal was launched at the Eden Project, aiming to raise £500,000 towards the new Clinical Oncology Department at the Royal Cornwall Hospital.
2001: Target Reached
July: Radio Cornwall and the Sunrise Appeal launch the ‘Send a Pound’ campaign, asking the 500,000 residents of Cornwall to donate £1 to hit the initial fundraising target.
November: The initial £500,000 finding target to support the development of the Sunrise Centre was reached within a year.
2002: The Sunrise Centre Opens
Spring: The Sunrise Centre opened its doors, providing local patients with access to state-of-the-art cancer treatment without the need to travel to Plymouth or further.
2003: Celebrating One Year
April: The Sunrise Centre celebrates one year open with the delivery of a Delabole slate boulder installed in front of the Centre.
2011-2017: Upgrading Treatment Facilities
The Appeal contributed £646,000 towards major upgrades to a new Linear Accelerator. This included Trubeam, and associated building costs.
£460,000 contributed for further Trubeam upgrades to incorporate tilting couches and allowing for finer precision of treatment.
A grant of £85,000 was contributed to purchase the Idylla Molecular System which allows same day results on patient tests.
2018: Keeping Cancer Care in Cornwall
January: Janet Shephard, one of our founding trustees and former head of Clinical Oncology at the Sunrise Centre, was awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List. This is in recognition of her services to cancer care in Cornwall.
February: The Sunrise Appeal launched the “Keep Cancer Care in Cornwall” campaign to oppose NHS England’s proposal to centralise radiotherapy services for less common cancers, which could have required patients to travel to Plymouth, Exeter, or Bristol.
2020-2022: Advancing Precision Medicine
March: The Sunrise Appeal grants £90,000 towards the creation of the My Sunrise App – providing a support and information link for patients .
2021: Fundraising Fun
June: Sunrise Appeal Treasurer Colin Micklewright took on an 80-Hole golf challenge to celebrate his 80th birthday – raising £10,500!
2022: Improving Patient Experience
December: The Appeal funds an ambient lighting system and Sky Inside backlit ceiling mural for a new CT scanner after research showed that some patients find a different colour lighting more relaxing.
2023: Cutting-Edge Treatment
October: The Sunrise Appeal donates £152,000 to fund Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR) – a type of radiotherapy that can be used to treat medically inoperable cancers.
2024: Continued Innovation
April: The Sunrise Appeal grants £502,000 to the Centre for Surface Guided Radiotherapy – allowing enhanced setup and treatment accuracy, and removing the need for permanent tattoos.
2025: Celebrating 25 Years of Impact
April: The Sunrise Appeal celebrated its 25th anniversary at The Alverton Hotel in Truro, reflecting on its journey and the community’s support.
May: £400,000 grant was announced to support the installation of the HyperSight imaging system, enhancing the precision of radiotherapy treatments at the Sunrise Centre.
