LONG-SERVING cancer consultant Dr Kate Wheeler said the hospital had transformed outcomes for youngsters over the years and called for more funding to help the children.

Dr Wheeler has been a consultant paediatric oncologist – a cancer consultant – at Oxford Children's Hospital since the day it opened and has been working for the trust since 1988.

The 63-year-old often delivers difficult news to parents and said her job was a ‘tough and challenging’ one.

But she also said it was ‘incredibly rewarding’ when patients get the all-clear – an outcome which has only increased in likelihood since the hospital was built.

She said: “The hospital has made a hugely positive difference to patient care for us.

“Suddenly we had all the specialists and everything we needed on the same site – before we were having to take children in ambulances between the JR and the Radcliffe Infirmary to see Ear, Nose and Throat consultants.

“More children are benefitting from more intensive treatment to optimise their chances of survival – and we are now up to 78 per cent.

“We are also able to provide better care for the families as well as improved medical care for the children.”

She added that it was ‘essential’ parents could stay near to their children and backed the campaign to fund more bed for in a proposed Ronald McDonald House extension.

Dr Wheeler and the staff on Kamran’s Ward and across the hospital have looked after hundreds of children battling cancer over the past ten years.

The team includes seven consultants among a multitude of other professionals, including nurses and play specialists.

She praised the generosity of the community over the years for making their roles in supporting children easier and called on people to once again dig deep for the hospital.

“The OX5 Run in particular has been great and there was a very good entry from the consultant paediatrics a few years ago.

“The funds are constantly being used to support children staying at the hospital either through equipment or paying for toys for them.”

The Newbury woman said: “We need to bring our equipment up to date – our MRI scanning equipment for example is 10 years out of date.

“The NHS won’t pay for this and a lot has changed in terms of technology since the hospital opened, we didn’t have iPhones back then.”