Welcoming Penny — Our New Manager at the Fountain Centre

We’re delighted to introduce Penny, who has recently joined us as the new Manager of the Fountain Centre. With nearly two decades of experience in the NHS and a deep passion for holistic wellbeing, she brings a wealth of knowledge, compassion, and creativity.

A Career Rooted in Care

Penny has spent almost 20 years working within the NHS, most recently in a senior leadership role within Urology at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. Over the past six years, she has focused on service delivery, team leadership, and ensuring the highest standards of patient care in a fast-paced surgical environment. Her background gives her a strong clinical foundation, paired with a genuine commitment to supporting people through challenging moments.

What Excites Her Most About the Role

For Penny, joining the Fountain Centre is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in a more holistic and person‑centred way. She’s excited to bring together her clinical experience and her passion for emotional and physical wellbeing, helping to create an environment where patients feel supported, understood, and cared for as whole individuals.

A Passion for Holistic Wellbeing

Holistic care is at the heart of Penny’s approach. She believes deeply in the power of small moments—presence, connection, and thoughtful support—to positively influence someone’s cancer experience. She’s particularly interested in how touch, rest, and nervous‑system regulation can aid recovery, always ensuring these practices are grounded in safety, ethics, and clinical understanding.

Creativity, Calm, and Life Beyond Work

Outside of her professional life, Penny channels her creativity into her wellbeing business. She loves designing products and experiences that promote rest and relaxation—recently creating her own massage candle and now developing a soap line.

Home life is equally important to her. She cherishes time with her son, whether they’re reading together, playing baseball, or simply enjoying quiet moments. Cooking is another way she unwinds, offering her a chance to slow down and be present.

A Few Fun Facts

• • • Tea or coffee? Tea—always.
    • Current reads & watches: She’s enjoying How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator and has a soft spot for the film The Piano for its emotional depth.
    • A skill she’d love to master: Playing the piano as she’s drawn to the calm and expressive nature of music.

Finding Stillness

After a busy day, Penny values quiet rituals: a warm herbal tea, gentle classical music, and a good book. These small moments help her reset and restore her energy—something she hopes to help others find in their own way at the Fountain Centre.

The Fountain Centre is continuing to see a steady rise in the number of people accessing our services, reflecting both the growing need for holistic cancer support and the trust placed in our team by patients, families, and healthcare professionals.

Rising Referrals Year on Year

Over the past three years, referrals into the Fountain Centre have increased significantly:

• • • • 2023: 1,157 referrals
      • 2024: 1,378 referrals (+19.1%)
      • 2025: 1,484 referrals (+7.7%)

If this conservative growth continues, we anticipate around 1,600 referrals in 2026, with further increases likely as awareness of our services continues to expand.

Appointments Completed

Alongside rising referrals, the number of appointments we deliver has also grown:

• • • • 2023: 9,091 appointments
      • 2024: 10,431 appointments (+14.7%)
      • 2025: 11,415 appointments (+9.4%)

Based on current trends, we expect to complete approximately 12,400 appointments in 2026, ensuring timely, high‑quality support for those who need us.

How We Support People Affected by Cancer

We now offer support for up to three years from diagnosis, giving people time and space to access the services that feel right for them. Support can continue beyond this timeframe if circumstances change — we recognise that every cancer pathway is different.

During the registration phone call, we discuss the number of sessions available so that people can use them at their own pace. There is no pressure to use everything at once; sessions can be spaced out and accessed whenever concerns arise.

For those on long‑term or ongoing treatment, we are able to be flexible. Our team will always work with individuals to ensure they receive the support they need, when they need it most.

Our Services

Our specialist team provides a wide range of support, including:

• • • • Complementary therapies
      • Psychological and emotional support
      • 1:1 therapies
      • Exercise and movement programmes
      • Information and signposting
      • Talks, workshops, and group sessions

As a charity, we aim to support as many people as possible. To ensure fair access, some workshops and classes — and all 1:1 services — will now be offered for a set number of sessions rather than on an open‑ended basis. This approach allows us to provide timely, meaningful support to a large number of individuals each year.

Our team will always help people make the most of the support available and, where appropriate, explore next steps or alternative sources of ongoing support.

When I was first diagnosed with cancer, I was overwhelmed by fear and a deep sense of helplessness. What followed was a whirlwind of medical treatment — eight weeks of chemotherapy, major oesophagectomy surgery, and another eight weeks of chemotherapy. Throughout it all, I felt as though I had lost control of my life.

As the treatment continued, anger and despair began to take hold. I no longer recognised the person I had been before cancer. Although my family and friends were incredibly supportive, I realised I needed to talk to someone outside my immediate circle — someone who wasn’t emotionally tied to me. Counselling was suggested, but at first I resisted the idea.

I saw seeking help as a sign of weakness. I kept telling myself I had to stay strong, that I had to fight the negative thoughts alone. There was also a sense of masculine pride — a reluctance to admit how vulnerable I felt, both physically and mentally, after everything I had been through.

Eventually, I made the call. I was offered an appointment quickly, and when I arrived at the Fountain Centre, I was welcomed with warm smiles, a drink, a biscuit, and a genuine sense of acceptance.

I went on to have 12 weeks of counselling, and I can honestly say it changed my life. My counsellor listened without judgement and helped me see that I could regain control, and that there were still parts of me untouched by cancer. I began to feel a renewed sense of self‑respect and found it easier to talk openly with others again.

The Fountain Centre also transformed how I felt about visiting the hospital. Instead of being a place filled with fear and reminders of illness, it became somewhere I felt supported and understood.

I cannot thank the team at the Fountain Centre enough. Reaching out for counselling was one of the best decisions I made. If you’re considering it, make it your decision — and give it a try.