Cancer patients are set to get a boost with news of a new appeal to raise £3.5 million for a specialist cancer unit at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital.

The appeal for the breast cancer unit is being launched by the Winchester Medical Foundation and follows hot on the heels of the £1.8m raised for a vital scanning unit in Winchester. It is hoped the cash will be raised over the next three years.

The centre will offer early diagnosis and treatment of the disease, which affects thousands of people every year.

To launch the appeal, the foundation held a Women of the South luncheon at the Botleigh Grange Hotel in Hedge End yesterday. Attended by local supporters and celebrities, it aims to raise awareness of the work of the foundation, as well as drawing people's attention to the dangers of breast cancer.

Among the guest speakers was Diana Moran, perhaps more familiar as "The Green Goddess', breakfast TV's fitness expert.

Diana was diagnosed with cancer in 1988: "I was devastated and my first feelings were of anger, disbelief and confusion. I felt frightened and alone," she said.

Thanks to early diagnosis, her cancer was treated successfully, and she says: "It's 14 years on and I feel just great!"

Diana believes most women's feelings and fears on breast cancer would be the same and they want and need to find out more about the disease. The centre will help them to do that, as well as treating thousands of people a year.

The foundation also wants to highlight the fact that men also get breast cancer.

The centre will serve people from the Winchester, Eastleigh and Andover areas and will be active in teaching and research.

A modern seminar room and skills laboratory will be included, which will link the Winchester Centre to regional and national programmes.

A varied programme of fund-raising activities has been arranged by the foundation, including a film show, an auction of promises and a concert, which will beam in footage of foreign bands. There will also be appearances by the Southern Minstrels and a ballet performance.

Runners will enter the London Marathon on behalf of the appeal and there will be bob-a-job days, where schoolchildren do tasks, giving any proceeds to the charity.