FOLLOWING a promise made to her late father, a Bicester lady is celebrating one year into a vision that has supported more than 100 cancer patients across Bicester.

Mechelle Harris co-founded The Hummingbird Centre in Launton in April last year after losing her father Ray Hurcombe to leukaemia in 2008.

The stepmother-of-four has since been working tirelessly with the help of volunteers to provide a cancer support and therapy centre for the residents of Bicester.

One of the first centre visitors, 68-year-old Keith Lester, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in November 2013.

Since then, he has become a regular visitor to the Hummingbird Centre with Janet, his wife of 42 years.

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He said: “As soon as I walked through the door it was such a welcoming place to be.

“All the people you meet are so friendly, there was no such thing as what is wrong with you.

“There is so much involvement, but nobody prying into your business.

“It has made such a difference and put me at ease.

“It makes your journey through treatment so much easier as you know you are not on your own.”

Since launching in April last year, the centre – a registered charity – became the first to offer this type of cancer support all under one roof in Bicester.

Mrs Harris said: “The creation of The Hummingbird Centre for me was a promise my own father made me make before losing him to acute myeloid leukaemia at the age of 62.

“The journey I went on with him has given me the strength to do what I do today and, of course, it gives me the determination to make everything a success, otherwise I have failed him.”

The centre was opened by Surgery Dental Service administrator Mrs Harris and complementary therapist Rebecca Fletcher, who also worked at Sobell House Hospice.

Their chance meeting in a shop revealed a shared dream – to create a haven of cancer support in Bicester.

The pair worked together planning to get the centre up and running two days a week – on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Services provided include massage therapy, counselling, arts and crafts, make-up and hair styling.

Also on offer is the cuddly companionship of the centre’s pet Labrador Lola.

Mrs Fletcher has since left the centre in Station Road and continues her work with Sobell House Hospice in Oxford.

Mrs Harris said: “When I have a moment to reflect it is quite scary to think that it is nearly a year.

“It’s when you stand back and reflect on what we have achieved that you realise how quick it has gone.

“It’s been hard work but very rewarding and humbling when you see how people benefit from using The Hummingbird Centre.

“People will often walk in our door feeling totally isolated and alone.

“But over the weeks, when they’ve worked with the team and established new friends, they blossom into how they used to be.”

The co-founder hopes to take the centre, which costs £2,000 a month to run, from two days a week to five, and eventually create a hospice by her 50th birthday next year.

The centre in Station Road will host anniversary celebrations on Tuesday March 31 from 5pm to 8pm including refreshments and entertainment.