The first radiotherapy patients will stay in the new €4 million Cancer Care West lodge in the grounds of University College Hospital Galway (UCHG) in the early part of next year.
Work on the Inis Aoibhinn residence and cancer support centre, beside the clinical sciences building at the hospital, is due for completion by Christmas and commissioning by next February.
Cancer Care West executive director Jim Sweeney said the facility would be open to receive patients and their family members or friends from early March.
"At that stage, we will be in a position to welcome up to 30 cancer patients receiving radiotherapy at UCHG each week for the duration of their therapy.
"We will be welcoming patients from a wide geographical area up to Donegal, down to Limerick and out to the midlands," he said.
Mr Sweeney said radiotherapy treatment usually took place for short periods five days a week for about seven weeks. Because of this, there was a great need for a residence where patients could stay during treatment.
"We are committed to completing and furnishing the building to a high and comfortable standard. We have one opportunity to do this well and that is now, to ensure that we can provide the best level of comfort for patients."
The Inis Aoibhinn residence will comprise 30 en-suite bedrooms with facilities for a patient's partner or guest to share as well as therapy rooms where patients can avail of counselling, massage or reflexology.
Mr Sweeney added that the centre had received a large collection of paintings and sculptures from about 120 artists through Conor Kenny of the Kenny Gallery. "He spoke to a wide range of artists that the gallery has built a relationship with over many years and they have kindly agreed to provide original works of art which will be hung to improve the overall environment of the building," he said.
This gesture was typical of the kind of support that Cancer Care West had been receiving from the people of Galway, Mr Sweeney said.
