1851
Dr William Marsden founded the first hospital in the world dedicated to the study and treatment of cancer, known then as the Free Cancer Hospital. At the time, the hospital was reliant on charitable donations.
1862
As the need to provide inpatient care grew, Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts, one of the Victorian era’s most influential philanthropists, loaned £3,000 to secure the land for the current site on Fulham Road.
1943
From the hospital’s earliest days, the public gave generously towards appeals to improve treatments, facilities and services for patients.
Support from the public continued even throughout the Second World War, allowing the hospital to continue its life-saving work.
1950s
The Royal Marsden developed chemotherapy drugs busulfan, chlorambucil, melphalan, and carboplatin with its principle academic partner, The Institute of Cancer Research.
These drugs are still widely used today to treat a range of blood, lung, ovarian and other types of cancers across the UK and around the world.
Read more about the work we do and how your support is continuing to save the lives of people with cancer around the world.
1992
Thousands of supporters helped to raise £25 million for the Chelsea Wing as part of a major national fundraising appeal.
The new clinical facilities were opened by Diana, Princess of Wales, who was appointed Patron of The Royal Marsden in 1989.
The appeal funded new wards, a diagnostic imaging centre and outpatient facilities to treat more patients and improve earlier diagnosis.
2007
Donations from supporters helped The Royal Marsden to become the first NHS trust to install the da Vinci S surgical system.
This surgical innovation meant cancer surgery could be performed with greater accuracy and more control than ever before. By allowing surgeons to use minimally invasive techniques, patients can experience less pain and recover faster from surgery.
Did you know?
Further support from the Charity has funded more state-of-the-art equipment, including the da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system. We also launched the first Robotic Surgical Fellowship programme, training the first generation of specialist surgeons to the highest standard with skills to treat patients at The Royal Marsden and beyond.
2008
Thanks to our incredible supporters, we could rebuild the roof and repair extensive damage to other parts of the hospital after a devastating fire in Chelsea broke out in January 2008.
Inspired by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, who visited staff and patients the day after the fire, a huge public campaign helped raise the funds needed to repair the damage.
Support for this campaign also helped to provide more patients with critical care by opening the first highest tier critical care (level 3) unit for cancer in the UK.
2014
Thanks to gifts in Wills from our generous supporters, we awarded £2.6 million to open the West Wing Clinical Research Centre.
The Centre runs groundbreaking clinical trials to ensure patients around the world receive better, more personalised cancer treatment and care.
With your support, The Royal Marsden’s life-saving work continues to revolutionise the way cancer is diagnosed and treated. Find out more about how to get involved.
2016
The Ralph Lauren Centre for Breast Cancer Research opened in Chelsea, funded by our supporters and a generous donation from Ralph Lauren. The Centre aims to improve our understanding of the differences between types of breast cancers to help personalise treatment and care for each patient.
Staff at the Centre are running the TRAK-ER trial, the first-ever breast cancer trial using a blood test to determine which patients are at risk of relapse. Clinicians could use this technique to detect cancer at the very earliest stage, helping patients to receive more effective, personalised treatment with fewer unnecessary side effects.
Read more about the innovative research at The Royal Marsden you help us to support.
2020
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we launched an Emergency Appeal to support patients and staff.
The appeal raised over £2 million, helping to fund vital services at The Royal Marsden, from psychological support to research studies into COVID-19 and cancer.
Did you know?
We funded the CyberKnife, which uses the latest radiotherapy technology to tailor how treatment is delivered to patients. The CyberKnife was used in the groundbreaking PACE-B trial at The Royal Marsden, which showed certain prostate cancer patients can be treated with fewer, higher doses of radiation – cutting treatment time by 75%. Read more about the impressive results.
2023
Opened by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, the Oak Cancer Centre was made possible thanks to our generous supporters who raised over £70 million, including a £25-million donation from Oak Foundation. This state-of-the-art cancer treatment and research centre brings together over 400 researchers across a range of specialties under the same roof as patients and clinicians. Your support is helping to fund research to develop new treatments, diagnose more cancers earlier, and enhance patients’ experience.
Find out more about Richard’s story as the first myeloma patient to be given CAR-T therapy on a clinical trial at The Royal Marsden.
Did you know?
We helped to fund the first robotic genome-testing facility for cancer patients in the UK. This lab is providing faster genomic testing which means people with cancer can receive more personalised treatment sooner. Read more about the groundbreaking technology you’ve helped us to support.
Today
Your continued support helps us fund practice-changing innovation and global firsts in cancer treatment and care, bringing hope to patients and their loved ones.
