A life in radiotherapy and care
26 March 2026
Cheryl Day was a therapy radiographer whose work helped to shape a department in its infancy at a time when the modern hospice movement was only beginning to take form.
Without clinicians like Cheryl in those early days, caring for patients and supporting new ideas in end-of-life care, many of the standards we take for granted today would not exist. Her story reflects a generation of healthcare professionals who worked with limited tools but extraordinary commitment, helping to lay the foundations for the compassionate hospice care we know today.
“I trained as a therapy radiographer at a time when the profession was still defining itself. When I arrived in Oxford in the early days of the radiotherapy service, I stepped into a small but talented department: Dr Frank Ellis was the Clinical Lead, and the other consultants were Dr Alistair Laing and Dr George Wernick. We worked in an era without CT scanners, without MRI, without chemotherapy as we understand it today. Diagnosis relied on plain X-rays and fluoroscopy. Cancer treatment was limited and often heartbreaking – yet we did the best we could with what we had.
At the time, radiography also supported hospice care in practical ways. Early hospices rarely had their own imaging, so patients were often brought to hospital for simple X-rays that could explain pain, confirm fractures, or guide palliative radiotherapy. The technology was basic, but it helped clinicians make decisions that focused on comfort and dignity.
Alongside this work grew the hospice movement. Inspired by Dame Cicely Saunders and through visits to St Christopher’s Hospice, we learned that end-of-life care required dignity, comfort, and humanity. Cicely herself was extraordinary – calm, perceptive, and compassionate. She understood pain not just as a physical symptom, but as something to be anticipated and prevented. Her philosophy shaped how we approached dying patients forever.
Sobell House Hospice was only the second of its kind. It began small, with few beds, and initially accepted only the most severe cases. Training became its greatest legacy. Teaching GPs, nurses, and carers how to manage pain, support families, and care properly for the dying transformed healthcare far beyond the hospice walls.
One man who must never be forgotten is Dr. Fred Wright, a consultant radiologist whose impact on cancer services was immense. He single-handedly raised £1 million to install the first CT scanner at the Churchill Hospital, which changed everything. Suddenly, we could see tumours clearly, and standards of care improved overnight.
Since then, medicine has changed beyond recognition. Technology is astonishing, survival rates are higher, but Sobell House has remained constant – a place of refuge and unwavering support, always there for patients and families at the most difficult moments of their lives.”
