THE $35 million Shoalhaven Cancer Care Centre will be open to the public for the first time on Monday, September 16.
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The first of two special open days will include tours of the facility for people involved in fund-raising for the centre or who made donations.
The local community raised $1.7 million towards the project.
Designed to treat cancer patients requiring chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the centre is in Scenic Drive between Shoalhaven Hospital and the Nowra Showground.
Linear Accelerator Appeal public officer Paul Dean, who along with the late Dr Ray Cleary, was a co-founder of the LINAC Committee, said the open day was a way of thanking people who donated time and money.
“It is an exciting time, we are so close to the cancer centre opening, which is just fantastic,” he said.
“The open day on September 16 is purely for people and groups that helped with the fund-raising for the centre.
“And it is not an official day. There will be no official proceedings, it is a chance for them to go through the facility and see exactly where the money has been spent.”
The open day will include tours of the centre and the 10 accommodation units.
“Tours will be staged throughout the day,” Mr Dean said.
“It is a great opportunity for anyone who was part of LINAC’s journey and fund-raising efforts to have a tour of this wonderful facility.”
Mr Dean said to date the committee had funded the accommodation block at the centre worth $1.1 million.
He said that meant the committee still had $600,000 from its fund-raising efforts left in the bank and was looking into other items or equipment to fund for the centre.
Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the centre last month, touring the state of the art facility, but locals and the media were refused entry by NSW Health.
There will also be a general open day on Friday, September 20.
The official opening is expected to be held at the end of October or in early November, with the centre beginning services in mid-November.