A HOSPITAL cancer unit has received a financial boost from Tata Steel.

The company, which owns Corus, has donated £4,000 to the Holistic Cancer Care Centre in James Cook University Hospital.

The centre delivers a range of complementary therapies such as reflexology, counselling, acupuncture and aromatherapy to work alongside the traditional treatments of chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy.

Teesside site director for Tata Steel, Dave Nicol, said: "Cancer sadly affects a lot of people, whether they personally suffer from the illness or know someone who has.

"Holistic means paying attention to the whole person, both physically and emotionally and that is what the employees and practitioners at the centre do.

"It is sometimes easy to forget that this illness can affect people in many different ways and the centre helps cancer patients and their main carer to also deal with the emotional aftermath of cancer."

Lynne Gray, the centres deputy manager, said: "We are extremely grateful for the help we receive from local people through fundraising and donations. It enables the centre to continue to provide the service to cancer patients and their main carers."