CANCER charity Hope for Tomorrow, based in Tetbury, received the highest award for business and enterprise, the Queen's Award.
A special award ceremony was held on June 30 at the charity's offices in Tetbury, and the charity was presented with its Queen's Award for Enterprise (Innovation category).
Dame Janet Trotter, DBE, Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire and former chair of the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, presented the award on behalf of HM The Queen to Christine Mills, MBE, founder and trustee of the charity.
Hope for Tomorrow launched the world’s first Mobile Chemotherapy Unit (MCU) in Gloucestershire in 2007.
Today, there are ten units operating in partnership with NHS trusts around the country.
The charity brings vital cancer treatments closer to patients, reducing travel, waiting times and the stresses and strains of busy hospitals.
(Dame Janet Trotter presenting the award to Christine Mills, founder of Hope for Tomorrow)
Accepting the Award, Christine Mills said: “I am so proud to accept the award for us all today. It is a huge recognition for what we do for patients.
"It is for everybody who has been part of our journey: staff, trustees, supporters, patrons, the nursing teams and our partners in the NHS. Without them we wouldn’t be here today.
"Our simple and innovative business model has enabled the public sector to adopt our Mobile Chemotherapy Units, easing pressure on oncology units, staff, and most importantly, patients.
“We hope the Award will help us achieve our aim of having at least one unit in every county by 2025."
Speaking of how she started up the charity, she said: "My husband had cancer and we travelled from our home in Tetbury to Cheltenham.
"One of the stresses was the journey time. I wanted to help with travelling, so we got a team together.
"Dame Trotter was the chair of the Gloucestershire Hospital Trust at the time and she helped by embracing the project."
Dame Janet Trotter said: “I have known Hope for Tomorrow since it was founded and admire greatly the way this innovation helps cancer patients to receive a better experience at a critical time.
"It is a charity and a business with a purpose that I believe in.
"I know many people who have cancer and who have found receiving chemotherapy very traumatic. The MCUs are designed to make the experience better.
"My mother had cancer late in life and this sort of facility would have been wonderful for her.
"Much of my support for the project is remembance of those who had a hard experience at a really critical time in their lives."
The Queen’s Awards are made annually and are given for the highest levels of excellence demonstrated in each category: innovation, sustainability and international trade.
(One of the mobile chemotherapy units operated by Hope for Tomorrow)
Dr Sean Elyan, consultant oncologist and medical director of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was instrumental in helping Hope for Tomorrow set up their first unit in Cheltenham in 2007.
He said: “The charity has achieved a huge amount through its dedication, efficiency and focus on patient centred care, increasing both capacity and flexibility of service for the NHS Trusts it partners.
"I look forward to seeing more Hope for Tomorrow Units reaching more cancer patients around the country.”
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