OVER 20 years of medical history has gone up in the air – on a crane! The four tonne oxygen pressure chamber at the old Hertfordshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre was lifted from its site in Such Close, Letchworth GC, ready for its short journey to n

OVER 20 years of medical history has gone up in the air - on a crane!

The four tonne oxygen pressure chamber at the old Hertfordshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre was lifted from its site in Such Close, Letchworth GC, ready for its short journey to new premises at Campus Five in the town.

The chamber had been on the site for 21 years but with the centre running out of space it was decided to move everything to new premises used by MS sufferers throughout Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire..

The move is costing the therapy centre £100,000 and manager Alison Hudson said: "This is a move we had to make because we just couldn't cope in our old premises.

"It was too small and we needed more space and now we can look forward to bigger premises and expand and do a lot more for sufferers of multiple sclerosis."

The chamber, which has walls half an inch thick, completed 18,135 dives on its old site giving sufferers high dosage oxygen therapy.

The air most people normally breathe provides enough oxygen to repair tissue damage after injury or illness. But tissue damage or disease can restrict blood flow and therefore restricts the flow of oxygen in the blood.

Through the chamber, oxygen is transported, dissolved into the blood and reaches areas where the circulation is damaged or diminished. The extra oxygen has additional benefits and greatly enhances the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria.

The chamber has proved to be a lifeline for people with MS as it can help with bladder and bowel control, and the chronic fatigue many sufferers endure.

The centre recently received a donation of £1,000 from members of the Dacre Lodge of Freemasons which was presented to Sid Lazarus, a therapy centre trustee.

Don Fyson, a charity steward for the Dacre Lodge, said: "I'm very happy with the amount. The lodge raises money all year round for charities and this may help go towards relocation.