Tom and Julie Malone, stars of one of the nation’s favourite reality TV programmes, are set to open The Christie Charity’s Garden of Hope Christmas installation in Manchester on Saturday 5 December 2026 at 4pm.
The opening marks the start of a 2-week immersive display of glowing white roses dedicated to love, hope and remembrance and celebrating the lives of loved ones touched by cancer. Thousands of personal tributes will come together to form a peaceful sanctuary in St John’s Gardens on Lower Byrom Street in the city centre.
The installation is made up of 2,500 pre-lit white roses with each one displaying a message dedicated to someone special.
The Malones have a deep connection to The Christie hospital, with Julie’s father Cyril (affectionally known as Sid) being diagnosed with lung cancer in the late 1990s.
Initially told there was little that could be done, Sid sought a second opinion at The Christie where he was offered the opportunity to take part in a clinical trial.
The experimental treatment gave him 6 additional months of good-quality time with his family; without the side effects they had feared. It gave them precious time together, as well as the chance to prepare for what lay ahead.
For Julie, the extra 6 months made all the difference in the world. She said: “Those extra 6 months with our dad meant everything to us. We were devastated by his diagnosis, but The Christie gave us time together that we might not otherwise have had. We had time to talk, to process what was happening, to prepare and to say the things that mattered. I cannot thank The Christie enough for giving that to us.”
Since then, cancer has continued to touch the lives of those around them, including family members and close friends who have received care at The Christie. The consistent positive experiences and the impact The Christie Charity funding has had on supporting cancer care, treatment and research inspired the Malones to support The Garden of Hope.
Tom said: “The Garden of Hope is a lovely way to remember who we’ve lost, celebrate those still with us and show support for everyone affected by cancer whilst raising money for the sensational work that goes on at The Christie. It’s a pleasure to be attending; we just want to give back and make a difference where we can.”
From Saturday 5 to Friday 18 December, the Garden of Hope will transform St John’s Gardens into a peaceful space to pause, reflect and remember. For those unable to visit the garden in person, roses can be pre-ordered online at The Christie Charity Garden of Hope.
People can dedicate their own glowing white rose for a minimum donation of £20. Each dedication includes a personalised message on a rose displayed in the garden and a commemorative Christmas tree decoration to keep as a lasting memento.
All funds raised from the Garden of Hope will go towards the construction of a world leading scanning centre; helping to ensure Christie cancer patients continue to receive world-class care.
The new multi-million pound scanning centre will provide significantly more capacity for patients and their loved ones while affording The Christie more physical space to introduce the latest in imaging technology, including a new state-of-the-art scanner; one of the first of its kind in an NHS hospital.
To diagnose and treat cancer effectively, it is vital that clinicians and patients have access to the latest scanning technology. Advanced imaging allows doctors to better understand the full extent of a patient’s disease, plan treatment more precisely, monitor progress and improve outcomes.
By improving precision and reducing damage to healthy tissue, a new scanning centre will help deliver kinder, gentler cancer care while enabling patients to live longer, fuller lives with the people they love.
Julie said: “We’ve come such a long way in terms of treating cancer. The new scanning centre The Christie Charity is fundraising for will make such a huge difference to patients and their families. We can’t take our eye off the ball now. We need to keep pushing to make cancer a thing of the past.”
The Garden of Hope, sponsored by Kellands (Hale) Limited, and kindly supported by Quantum Live Productions and Taurus Security Group, will be open daily from 4pm to 7pm from Saturday 5 December to Friday 18 December 2026.
To support the scanning centre appeal, please visit our new scanning and imaging centre appeal or ring 0161 446 3988.
The Christie Charity supports the work of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust providing enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds. This includes money for care and treatment, research, education, and extra patient services. Gifts from the public make a huge difference to the care and treatment that The Christie is able to provide to cancer patients and their families.