Skye Cancer Care is a charity based on the Isle of Skye.

The Isle of Skye has a population of about 10,000.

Most of the island is more than 100 miles from the nearest district general hospital and from a hospice (both in Inverness), with journey times of two to three hours. Skye Cancer Care was set up to “support and facilitate the provision of hospice-type care in Skye for persons with incurable life-limiting disease (especially, but not limited to, those with cancer) by raising funds for the establishment of facilities for such care” at the local cottage hospital and in the community.

We managed to upgrade Room 5 in Portree Hospital - click on “Room 5 tab” above for details. Unfortunately the continuing uncertainty over the future of Skye Hospitals has blocked further developments of this type. Meantime we continue to fund further training in Palliative Care for health professionals in Skye and Lochalsh, and the supply of specialist equipment for use in caring for those needing palliative care in community and hospital.

We liaise closely with relevant health and welfare providers (in both voluntary and statutory sectors) and are funding specialist training in terminal care for local medical and nursing staff, and the upgrading of a room in a local hospital.

The main aim of the charity is to establish and improve palliative care on the Isle of Skye. The Highland Health Board has all ready agreed to set aside one room at Portree Hospital for palliative care, Skye Cancer Care will be furnishing this room and providing financial support for the training of doctors and nurses in palliative care.

The response from the local community to this project has been excellent.