How we help

Friends of ANCHOR has delivered direct support to ANCHOR patients and staff since 1997.

The ANCHOR Unit (Aberdeen and North Centre for Haematology, Oncology and Radiotherapy) is a collective of specialised wards and clinics within Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. It is the central hub of cancer and haematology care for the north of Scotland.

Our person-centred wellbeing services are freely available for every patient within the ANCHOR Unit, with programmes also available for the staff caring for them. We invest in medical equipment and pioneering research to push the boundaries in how we diagnose, treat and care for people, while our pledge to promote clinical excellence includes funded development programmes for NHS clinical staff to enhance knowledge and expertise.

Our founding aim was, and remains to this day, to provide the best possible treatment, care and support to patients.

Uniquely, every penny of every pound donated to Friends of ANCHOR goes to the cause because our administration costs, including the salaries of the six fundraising team members, are fully covered by Aberdeen company Balmoral Group - as they have been since the charity was founded.

Watch our interview with committee member and retired chief nurse Yvonne Wright, to find out how we support ANCHOR patients and staff thanks to your donations and fundraising.

Pioneering research
Medical equipment
Person-centred wellbeing
Clinical excellence
Meet the committee

Pioneering research

Partnering with the local universities to fund innovative research to improve understanding of the cause, develop the care and discover treatment breakthroughs.

An annual commitment of up to

to fund multiple pilot research projects that play a critical role in the future of cancer management, allowing scientists to build compelling cases for major funding. Studies like these form the building blocks of future breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment.

Our clinical fellowships are granted for a period of up to

to support fellows through their research endeavours

Since 2010, we've invested almost

into pilot research projects that expand the boundaries of what we know about cancer and haematology diseases.

More: Pilot Research Projects

Medical equipment

Investing in leading technologies and equipment, over and above the NHS core budget, to ensure Aberdeen Royal Infirmary continues as a leading hospital for cancer and haematology care.

The continued support of the latest diagnostic equipment including a spend totalling

for the Head and Neck Clinic in funding endoscopes and laryngoscopes

Nuclear Medicine investment brought a first for Scotland last year with funding totalling over

to equip the department with a radiopharmaceutical dose administration system for more effective cancer diagnosis and treatment

Supporting the Gastroenterology department to the tune of

for advanced diagnosis and treatment for patients with upper intestinal cancers

Person-centred wellbeing

Enhancing person-centred wellbeing for patients and staff through dedicated support and services, including specialised complementary therapies, mindfulness and emotional and practical support.

Specialist wellbeing services and provision totalling an average of

per year, completely free to ANCHOR patients.

Over the past five years alone, we've invested

into our patient wellbeing services and provisions.

Clinical excellence

Placing a continued focus on clinical excellence for NHS staff with funded development programmes and training opportunities to enhance knowledge and expertise.

A yearly commitment of around

for our Clinical Nurse Scholarship programme which enhances skills, knowledge and expertise.