A local cancer charity which has more than 3,000 visits a year is celebrating 20 years at its headquarters in Aigburth.
Liverpool Sunflowers is a cancer support charity based on Aigburth Road which offers free advice and guidance services, counselling, and alternative therapies for cancer sufferers, their families, friends and carers.
The charity was set up in 1983 by two women who had recently been bereaved. They realised there was no support following the death of their husbands and decided to form a cancer support group. The group had a number of venues in the early stages, all based in and around the Woolton area.
It moved to its current home in 1993 in order to more effectively support cancer sufferers and their families in Merseyside, which has one of the highest rates for cancer in the UK.
Joan Elmer, project director at Liverpool Sunflowers and a cancer survivor herself, told JMU Journalism: “We are absolutely delighted to be celebrating such a significant milestone and to still be going strong after 30 years in the city.
“Our base here on Aigburth Road has made such a crucial difference to the work that the charity does, as it has provided a safe haven for cancer sufferers, their families, friends and carers and somewhere for all to come together in their battle against cancer.
“We are keen to continue supporting cancer sufferers and their loved ones but in order for that to happen, we need people’s support. Almost everyone will know at least one person who has been affected by cancer, and with national cancer rates steadily increasing, Sunflowers is experiencing more enquiries than ever.
“We really want to carry on supporting people in Merseyside at what can be a very sad, lonely and frightening time in their lives. We are therefore urging people to get behind us in any way they can so we can further establish our services in the region.
“With their support we can look forward to helping people for another 20 years.”