The London Cancer Hub: beating cancer in Sutton

There are many reasons why I am proud to be a resident of Sutton and Leader of the Council. One of things I particularly take pride in is that we are home to some of the UK’s top cancer doctors and scientists, carrying out world-leading cancer care and research. 

This exciting, groundbreaking and life saving research is happening in Belmont at the London Cancer Hub, a partnership between the Council, The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and supported by The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Many of you will know or have heard of The Royal Marsden, and like me, some of you will have experienced their excellent cancer care. But what many people don’t know is that alongside The Royal Marsden, the Maggie Centre and Oak Cancer Centre (all of which provide cancer research, treatment and care) sits the ICR and its Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery. Both are full of scientists from across the globe working hard to find the next cancer cure. Only a few weeks ago I was on the campus attending the opening of Brain Tumour Research, the company's fourth centre of excellence, focusing on identifying new treatments for brain tumours in children and young adults. 

If that wasn't enough, we also have The Innovation Gateway. Opened by the Council in November 2021, this dedicated space, made up of modern, sophisticated laboratories  that, I am delighted to say, are now full of different organisations researching and developing new ways to detect and treat cancer.  It is truly fascinating and immensely exciting to see what is happening in our borough.

But our ambitions for the London Cancer Hub do not stop there. This week, councillors unanimously selected our preferred investment partner to deliver the next phase of the London Cancer Hub. Once completed, our large life sciences campus will feature green, vibrant public spaces with a focus on wellbeing, creating an attractive place to work and visit, a healing environment for patients, as well as delivering significant education and economic benefits and new jobs for our residents. And finding new ways to beat cancer.

So it is safe to say that Sutton is on track to becoming an internationally recognised centre for the treatment and cure of cancer, discovering new drugs and saving lives. This is something I know we can all be proud of.