01.06.2015:

Friday was a happy day for cancer patients in Denmark. The first cut was sod for The Danish Centre for Particle Therapy at Aarhus University Hospital. From 2018, the centre will offer highly specialised particle radiotherapy to patients with cancer from all over Denmark.

A new Danish Centre for Particle Therapy will soon be ready at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark. Friday the Chairman of the Regional Council in Central Denmark Region Bent Hansen cut the first sod of the future centre for particle radiotherapy.

The centre will be 80,000 square feet and the only of its kind in Denmark. In the future, patients with cancer from all over Denmark will have the opportunity to receive highly specialised treatment here. Today, Danish patients have to go abroad to be treated with particle radiotherapy The establishment of a Danish Centre for Particle Therapy will be an important improvement in the treatment of patients with cancer from all over Denmark, says Bent Hansen, Chairman of the Regional Council in Central Denmark Region.

- The building of this centre is a milestone in cancer therapy in Denmark. It is a happy day for patients with cancer who in future will be offered highly qualified particle radiotherapy in Denmark.

The centre will be situated in Central Denmark Region, but will treat patients from all over the five Danish regions. That is why the national collaboration on the establishment of centre is very important, says Bent Hansen.

- We are looking forward to collaborating with the other Danish regions and other stakeholders in this area and I can assure you that we will do our very best to make the best solution and provide the optimal treatment for our patients.

About the Danish Centre for Particle Therapy
The Danish Centre for Particle Therapy will be built on a 90.000 square feet building site just next to Department of Oncology at Aarhus University Hospital. The 80.000 square feet centre will be equipped with a proton accelerator, three treatment rooms, research facilities and facilities for patients, relatives and clinical staff. The Danish Centre for Particle Therapy is the result of a close collaboration between Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus University and Central Denmark Region.

The proton accelerator plays a decisive role for the construction of the facility. Varian Medical Systems will supply the equipment for the centre but the turnkey contractor will be found in August 2015.The design of the building has not yet been decided. The total estimated costs for establishing the particle centre is estimated to be DKK 800 million. Construction costs will amount to approximately DKK 325 million. The A.P. Møller Foundation has donated DKK 250 million for the proton accelerator.

Timeline Danish Centre for Particle Therapy

• 2011 The Danish government decides to establish a centre for particle radiotherapy in Denmark
• 2012 An international expert committee decides to locate the centre at Aarhus University Hospital
• 2013 The Danish Parliament approves on the budget for 2014 that Central Denmark Region starts the project
• 2014 Varian Medical Systems is chosen to supply the proton accelerator
• 2015 – May Cutting the first sod for the Danish Centre for Particle Therapy
• 2015 – August Announcement of the contractor of the Danish Centre for Particle Therapy
• 2016 – March Casting the foundation of the Danish Centre for Particle Therapy
• 2017 Preparing equipment for patient treatment
• 2018 Patient treatment is expected to begin

Further information

• Bent Hansen, Chairman of Regional Council, Central Denmark Region. Tel. +45 7841 0010 / + 45 4031 3707 / Bent.hansen@rr.rm.dk
• Frank Skriver Mikkelsen, Project Director The New University Hospital. Tel. +45 7846 9800 / +45 3012 6509. frank.skriver.mikkelsen@dnu.rm.dk
• Contact information of members of Regional Council, Central Denmark Region