FOURTEEN months after the start of a major fundraising campaign, the Macmillan cancer charity has announced the appointment of County Durham's first dedicated palliative care consultant.

When the Macmillan County Durham appeal was launched at Auckland Castle in October, the main objective of the three-year £600,000 appeal was to appoint a palliative care consultant to work with terminally ill cancer patients and to fund two more Macmillan nurses.

Previously, County Durham was alone among English counties in not having a palliative care consultant of its own.

Although Macmillan supporters are celebrating the news of Dr Jennifer Skinner's appointment, the fundraising battle is not over.

Caroline Peacock, fund-raising officer with Macmillan Cancer Relief, said the appointment was made possible thanks to match funding from the Durham Dales and Sedgefield Primary Care Trusts.

However, because of the size of County Durham, it had been decided to carry on the campaign to appoint a second consultant.

The fundraising is heading for the half-way total - it has now reached about £270,000, which means there is still another £330,000 required.

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