Hi Everyone,
Recently diagnosed, and thinking of asking to be referred to the Royal Marsden in Chelsea. Just wondered if anyone has any experience of this particular hospital.
Viv.
Hi Viv
The Royal Marsden is a centre of excellence and though I’ve not been tretaed there I’ve heard nothing but good reports.
But many other hospitals will give you exactly the same treatment and care, and many of us find attending a local hospital and therfeore avoiding travel has its own enefits.
I think anyone who has doubts about their tretament centre or has a particualry unusual diagnosis should perhaps ask for a second opinion…otherwise I personally think the benefits of being tretaed near home outweigh any drawbacks in not being at one of the top cancer hopsitals. Are you currently being treated in London?
best wishes
Jane
hi vivien
I have been twice referred (at my request for both second opinions in '05 and again in '07) to royal marsden and both times seen an excellent consulant, i felt embarrassed at first to ask my onc as didnt want her to think i was doubtin her experience but she was happy to refer me - i was pressured by my family to do so…anyway, the first time the consultant said exactly the same as my local onc and the second time was in fact more beneficial and he suggested i should go onto biphosphonates and recommended a particular type which was then fed back in way of a report to my local onc, who then agreed and i managed to more or less get straight on the drug (had battles due to funding but thats another story) so I would thoroughly recommend goin for a second opinion although i have to say i totally trust my onc here, but the way i look at it is that the royal mars is supposed to be as janera says ‘centre of excellence’ and they may know more in some areas than others as it specialises in cancer…
not sure this is all relevant having a ‘rambling’ day today!! but hope of some help!!
Rachel 
Hi i asked to be referred to the marsden.
I feel the treatment and consultants i had at my local hospital were just as good as those at the marsden
but what i have preferred at the marsden is that the nurses were much nicer to me, and i got to talk to more people in the same boat, as its specifically for cancer, and not lots of different types of ailments. Also i wanted an oncoplastic surgeon to do my op.
i think its quite common for people to ask their doctor to refer them to it, so i shouldn’t worry about it if you want to do it. I also got my second opinion there.