A residential facility that will provide a home away from home for blood cancer patients at Canberra Hospital is one step closer.
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Construction of John James Village is under way on a parcel of Garran land donated by the ACT government specifically for the $5 million project.
The project was officially launched at the south Canberra site on Friday.
The village will feature six units of one to three bedrooms in a short-term residential facility for patients undergoing hospital treatment.
The facility will be managed by the ACT Branch of the Leukaemia Foundation and general manager Chris McMillan said 34 Australians were diagnosed with diseases such as leukaemia, myeloma and lymphoma, every day.
"In NSW/ACT currently there are more than 4000 people living with blood cancer and just in the ACT region there will be 400 people newly affected each year.
"With more and more happening in terms of diagnosis and treatment there's more and more drain on the services that are needed to support these people."
The foundation provided transport for patients, financial assistance and counselling, but Ms McMillan said accommodation was its cornerstone.
"Regional people are often required to pick up stumps and move to a capital city for major treatment throughout their disease process.
"As you can imagine this upheaval process falls very much not only on the individual but also their family."
The village will be a step up from the four-bedroom house the Leukaemia Foundation currently rents in Isaacs, which routinely houses four patients and a carer.
The concept for the new village was shaped by former Canberra resident and leukaemia survivor Carl Sueli, who stayed in the foundation's Sydney accommodation during his treatment, and his friend Mark Blake.
The pair launched Lifecycle, a 48-hour charity bike ride around Lake Burley Griffin, with a long-term goal to raise enough funds to eventually build a facility for patients and families in Canberra.
That process was fast-tracked when the ACT's John James Foundation stepped in and offered $3 million towards the project in 2013.
It is now set to finished mid-next year.
Health Minister Simon Corbell said the accommodation would offer a sense of community and support and be a "home away from home" for patients and their families.
"That's really important when you think of all the people who come to Canberra from the surrounding region for treatment for blood cancers."
Mr Blake said it would offer comfort and stability for patients who sometimes had to start treatment within days of their diagnosis.
"To know they have a calming a tranquil environment to stay is one less thing they have to worry about so they can focus on telling their kids and family members, their friends, making work arrangements."
