Chris O'Brien Lifehouse -Camperdown

Chris O'Brien Lifehouse -Camperdown is a $260 million cancer treatment and research building on Missenden Road at Camperdown is named in honour of the late Professor Chris O’Brien, a leading surgeon who succumbed to a brain tumour in 2009. Professor O’Brien’s widow, Gail, and their children were guests at the ceremony.

“The agreement for the transfer and operation of cancer services from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital to the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse is unique - the first agreement of its kind in Australia,” Mrs Skinner said.

“The Chris O’Brien Lifehouse is a not-for-profit benevolent institution that will treat public and private patients. The NSW Government will purchase cancer services for public patients from Lifehouse for an initial estimated cost of around $16.7 million each year.

“This unique collaboration will deliver cancer services to public and private patients for decades to come.”The Federal Government provided capital funding of $161 million to construct Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, with a further $19 million to enable the completion of the inpatient facility.The NSW Government has leased the land to the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse for 40 years at no cost, as well as leasing extra radiation oncology space. It will provide $6 million to support Lifehouse until it becomes fully operational.The nine-storey, state-of-the-art building includes 96 inpatient beds, eight operating suites and procedure rooms and 18 intensive care and high dependency beds.

Ambulatory care services will open later this month, with inpatient services due to commence in early 2015.“I met Chris O’Brien when I was the Shadow Health Minister so I know how passionate he was about providing this holistic cancer care on the site of his beloved Royal Prince Alfred Hospital,” Mrs Skinner said.“He was a much-loved and respected physician and his many achievements included becoming director of the Sydney Cancer Centre at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, which has a reputation for world-class cancer care.