A quiet space was opened at Liverpool John Lennon Airport last week for the use of patients flying in from the island for treatment or medical appointments in the UK.

The space, which is located in the upper level of the departure lounge in the terminal, adjoining the multi faith prayer room, was officially opened by Robert Hough, chairman of Peel Airports Group. It has been funded by the Manx Breast Cancer Support Group to ensure those undergoing treatment have a dedicated area to wait in before boarding their flights.

Mr Hough said: ’We greatly welcome this splendid initiative by the Manx Breast Cancer Support Group, which we have been delighted to support.

’The links of the airport and of the wider Peel Group with the Isle of Man have always been strong. I am sure that the provision of this facility, where passengers can sit quietly, reflect and just have a few minutes to themselves in their own particular way will be greatly appreciated.’

Liverpool Airport customer services executive, Christina Smith, said: ’Customer experience is always high on our priority list and we always aim to offer a faster, easier, friendlier experience to everyone who visits.

’Liverpool John Lennon Airport has worked with the Isle of Man Patient Transfer Service for many years and we understand how important it is to provide choices for travellers within the departure lounge to complement the main seating areas, food and beverage offerings and central assembly areas for travellers with reduced mobility.

’The quiet area is a great addition to the terminal and will hopefully benefit those who travel through on a regular basis.’

Isle of Man spokesman for Manx Breast Cancer Support Group, Julie Stokes, said: ’We are very pleased to see the quiet room opening after several months of work.

’It is a facility which will greatly benefit patients travelling from the Isle of Man and will be open to all Isle of Man patients using the island’s Patient Transfer Service, not just breast cancer patients.

’The funding was helped by the generosity of the Gough Ritchie Trust; Bridson and Horrox, and especially Steve Robbins, for all their help with the furnishings.’

Carole Male, Liverpool spokesperson for the Manx Breast Cancer Support Group, added: ’We would also like to thank John Whittaker whose company owns Liverpool Airport. Mr Whittaker is of course an Isle of Man resident himself and he has taken a personal interest in the project.’

Julie added: ’We intend to open a similar quiet space at Ronaldsway Airport within the next few weeks.’

Manx Breast Cancer Support Group has raised more than £2.1m and has built a breast screening unit at Noble’s Hospital. The charity continues to fundraise for equipment and to help improve services.

The Isle of Man Examiner spoke to Helen Crellin about her experience of travelling with her son, Alfie.

’It will make a massive difference,’ she told us.

For three years she and her husband, Peter, travelled regularly to Liverpool with their son Alfie Quilliam.

Alfie was just 10 years old when he became ill and was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour.

’We had nine months of constant travelling to Alder Hey and overnight stays. Then we would have to go back every few months for scans. Despite the fact that Helen says the check-in and security staff got to know them over that period and were always friendly and helpful, Liverpool Airport simply did not have the facilities at the time to make life a bit easier for patients.

Helen recalled: ’When you were going out on the red eye in the morning and you’d have to get your child up at 4am then having to go back on the last flight, when he was tired, that was the worst.

’When we had long stays and chemo, his chemo would literally be disconnected five minutes before we left and we’d go straight for our taxi.

’He’d be sat with his coat and shoes on and the second the chemo was off we left the building.

’Then when Alfie lost his hair people would stare. We would always be carrying kidney bowls in case he was sick.

’There was no dignity for him and not nice for other passengers to witness either. All he wanted was a quiet place away from the germs to sit and relax.’

Sadly, after three years of battling his illness, Alfie passed away in March last year so the new quiet space will be too late to make life a bit easier for him but Helen is quite clear about its benefits for others, both adults and children.

’It can only be a positive,’ she said, citing practical issues like having somewhere private to give food and medication to a patient with a feeding tube and somewhere clean to change a dressing.

She added: ’If you’ve just a big day at the hospital, or you’ve had bad news and you’re trying to digest it, it’s having somewhere where you can sit and reflect without 50 people around you - having the privacy to sit away from other people and deal with what has gone on during the day.

’You can be poorly and sit and be yourself, not having to smile and pretend you’re OK and no one’s staring at you.’