The Christie at Salford, one of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust’s local treatment centres, is celebrates its 15th birthday this July.
The Christie at Salford – which is a radiotherapy treatment centre – cost £18m and was funded by donations to The Christie Charity. A further £6m of equipment was invested between 2022 and 2024 to replace two radiotherapy machines and a scanner.
The number of patients treated at the centre has grown significantly since it opened, from 760 patients in the first 12 months to around 1,650 patients in 2025. The Christie at Salford also offers stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), a specialised way of giving radiotherapy to brain tumours, in collaboration with Salford Royal.
In total, the 35-strong team of radiographers, support workers, nurses, clinicians, engineers, physicists, and admin staff has delivered treatment to over 19,000 patients since it opened.
The Christie at Salford is one part of our long-term plan to bring more cancer treatment and care into people’s homes and communities, whilst maintaining direct access to expertise and oversight of The Christie as a specialist cancer centre.
Previously, patients across Greater Manchester and the surrounding areas could only have radiotherapy at The Christie’s site in Withington, south Manchester. By bringing care closer to home, patients need to travel less and can get back to their daily lives more quickly. Outpatient clinics, which used to be held in Withington, have also been moved to Salford to make access to Christie staff even easier.
“Reaching our 15th anniversary is a proud moment for the entire team,” comments Jemma Shardlow, Lead Therapeutic Radiographer at The Christie at Salford. “When we opened our doors in 2011, our mission was to bring radiotherapy treatment closer to the people of Salford and the surrounding areas. We aim to offer patients an environment that is welcoming and friendly, where they feel supported at every stage of their treatment.”
“Over the past 15 years, we’ve had the privilege of caring for thousands of patients and their families during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. This milestone also belongs to our incredible staff, whose compassion and dedication shine through every single day. We remain committed to delivering exceptional care for many years to come,” adds Jemma.
Katie’s story
Katie Greenwood, a 29-year-old small business owner and reading enthusiast from Bolton, had radiotherapy for breast cancer at The Christie at Salford as part of her treatment.
She found a lump after being encouraged to check her breasts by a post she saw on social media. Katie kept an eye on the lump for a couple of months, but it didn’t go away, so she went to see her GP in March 2025.
“The doctor was great and referred me on for further tests, but because I was only 28 at the time he didn’t seem too concerned. It was only when I got to the hospital and had to have multiple tests – a mammogram, biopsy and two ultrasounds – that I realised something was wrong."
When the results of the biopsy came back, Katie was told she had breast cancer.
“I was referred to The Christie, and my consultant told me that the cancer was aggressive but highly treatable and that my treatment would involve chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. It was a lot to take in.”
Katie, who has been with her partner Rich for 4 years, says that the team at The Christie helped her to regain some control at a very overwhelming and difficult time.
“When it came to my radiotherapy, I was given the choice of where to go, which was great. I picked The Christie at Salford because it’s much closer to where I live, which made getting to and from appointments much easier. I have my own business making candles and fragrances inspired by different books and the team there were great at planning the appointments around my life, rather than the other way round.
“I approached my treatment with a positive mindset. It might sound strange, but I wanted to make the most of it. Being able to have a laugh with my team or other patients felt like a rebellion.
“Radiotherapy can make you feel quite vulnerable, but the radiographers really put me at ease, and I can’t thank them enough for that. I had 15 sessions and began to look forward to seeing who was treating me as they were all so lovely. It takes a special kind of person to work in cancer care, and everyone I came across at The Christie was great.”
Katie’s radiotherapy was followed by more chemotherapy, which she is due to finish in September. She’ll remain on hormone therapy for ten years.
“When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t think I would still be having some form of treatment until I was nearly 40. Cancer affects you in so many ways that you don’t even expect. Part of my treatment is putting me into medical menopause, so I had fertility preservation treatment before my first chemo in case I want to have kids in the future.”
Katie wants to encourage people of any age to go to the GP if they feel something is not right with their breasts or chest.
“I was worried, so I went to get it checked out. I know asking for further tests or opinions is scary, but advocating for yourself might just save your life. Although breast cancer mainly affects women, anyone with a chest can get it, so it’s important that you know what's normal for you and go to the doctor if you notice anything unusual.”