A FUND aimed at transforming the lives of people with cancer can hit £2m by Christmas, the hospital’s fundraising boss has said.

Great Western Hospital’s Brighter Futures charity needs to raise £2.9m to buy state-of-the-art cancer busting radiotherapy machines.

The life-saving kit will mean that those suffering from the disease do not have to make the gruelling 70-mile round trip to Oxford for radiotherapy treatment.

Already, generous fundraisers have raised £1.8m.

But Catherine Newman, head of fundraising at GWH, said it would be her “Christmas wish” to hit the £2m mark by Christmas Day.

The ambitious target is achievable, she said.

Catherine, who joined the hospital in March, said: “Over the past few months we’ve seen an incredible increase in donations.”

It’s a surprise for Catherine, a seasoned fundraiser of 18 years. Normally, the summer is when charities see donations tail off, as people leave for their holidays.

But this year Swindonians have smashed expectations. “Over the summer we’ve raised over £300,000,” Catherine said. “When you start to see numbers like that, you start to think we will hit our target.”

She thanked all the year’s fundraisers. She’s hoping that the bumper summer, which saw Swindon Half Marathon runners alone raise £12,000 for Brighter Futures, will take the appeal to £2m.

“The finish line will then be in sight,” she said of reaching the figure.

“I would love to go home at Christmas and think we’re almost there.”

Catherine said of the £2.9m target: “It’s felt so far away. The guys have worked incredibly hard. They’ve all worked for two-and-a-half years now to make this campaign a success.”

Hospital fundraisers expect to complete their appeal sometime next year.

When they do, it will be a personal victory for Catherine.

Cancer is a cause close to Catherine’s heart. Four years ago, she lost her father to the disease.

“I know what it’s like to hear those awful words,” she said of learning about the diagnosis.

“For me, the radiotherapy appeal feels like a personal quest. When you’ve gone through cancer as a family, you want to change it for others. It’s the one disease that unites us all.”

Visiting Oxford’s Churchill Hospital when she started her job at GWH was “emotional”, she said.

Catherine spoke to patients in the waiting room who had travelled from Swindon and watched as clinician’s fired up the multi-million pound radiotherapy machines.

“I remember coming home and crying as I told my husband about the experience. The visit made it feel so real.”

Over the next three months, Catherine and her team hope to raise £200,000.

To help get them there, the GWH fundraisers have organised a series of events aimed at delighting families – and raising cash.

They will be in the main entrance of GWH on October 13, selling knitted pumpkins – perched, bobble-hats such as those on Terry’s Chocolate Oranges donated by the Dorcan Way Morrisons store.

The pumpkin treats, which will be sold for £3 each, have all been knitted by the hospital’s knitting volunteers.

“We have got this army of knitters out and about,” said Catherine – who added that the knitters’ success had inspired the fundraising team to also take up the hobby.

A month before Christmas Day – on Saturday, November 25 – they will hold a Christmas Fair at Stratton’s Grange Community Centre, from 10am to 3pm.

The free event features 40 craft stalls, selling stocking fillers. The hospital’s Harmony Choir will belt out Christmas bangers.

In a bid to attract sponsorship from businesses, the hospital has refreshed its “Cream Tea in a Box” scheme, which this summer raised £300.

Replacing the scone and jam with a mince pie, hot chocolate, candy cane and a cracker, they are billing it as “Christmas in a Box”. The scheme has been sponsored by town centre lawyers Bower and Bailey.

But the angel on the tree will be the annual Reindeer Run.

This year held on Sunday, December 3 – the first day of Advent – it will see up to a thousand antler-wearing runners tackle a five kilometre course, running from Coate Water to the hospital.

Last year, the run raised £20,000 for Brighter Futures – and Catherine’s Christmas wish is to smash that sum.

“It’s the one event any member of the family can get involved in, whether you’re three years old or 100 years old,” she added.