THIS is the sight which will greet patients who enter the new Marie Curie hospice in Glasgow.

An ultra-modern £16million centre which will provide terminally ill patients, and their families, with state-of-the-art facilities.

Gone will be the present dilapidated building which will be replaced by one of Europe's most modern hospices.

Looking more like a hotel than a hospice, the new facility will have all mod cons and offer greater comfort for patients and visitors than its predecessor.

It will have 21 individual rooms with en-suite bathrooms, as well as three shared rooms, piped oxygen and easier outdoor access.

And it will be as a direct result of the tireless work by an army of Evening Times readers and fundraisers.

In April last year, we helped launch The Big Build, the appeal to raise £8m of the £16m needed to turn the dream of a new hospice based at Stobhill into a reality.

Today the total amount raised stands at an amazing £2.5m - giving a grand total, including funding already secured, of a whopping £10.5m.

Everyone who has ever dropped a few pence in a collecting tin, attended a fundraising dinner, or donated after reading one of the many heartbreaking stories in the Evening Times, have all contributed to this total.

From running marathons and zip-sliding across the Clyde to holding sponsored car washes and selling home baking at local fetes, scores of people have gone beyond the call of duty and made a difference.

Work on the new hospice has just begun and it is planned to open by winter 2009.

The current hospice, at Hunters Hill, has cared for people with terminal illnesses since 1976, but it desperately needs to be replaced.

Each year, it cares for around 3400 patients aged from 18 and specialises in palliative care.

It has 35 inpatient beds, an out-patient service, a specialist nurse clinic, complementary therapy service and homecare programme.

With deaths from cancer in Scotland expected to rise from 14,900 in 1999 to 16,300 in 2010, a new hospice has never been more important.

Dr Jim Adam, medical director of the Marie Curie Hospice, has worked at the hospice for 20 years.

He said: "We are so pleased at the response of the Glasgow people to our Big Build appeal, and for their generosity.

"But there is still a lot to do and, with £5.5m outstanding, we need everybody's support to get the new hospice opened."

Support has come from people like those of Robyroyston Community Council, who raised more than £1200 at a Fun Day at Wallacewell Primary School, Auchinairn, and pupils at Bannerman High School, Baillieston, who raised more than £4000 at a read-athon.

Council secretary Susan Barclay said: "This was our most successful fun day yet."

And people like hospice nurse Marie-Christine Lux who has raised an amazing £10,000 for her forthcoming Bike the Baltic charity cycle.

Marie-Christine plans to do an epic 2000km cycle ride next month from Warsaw in Poland, to St Petersburg in Russia.

She said: "I keep saying I'm too old to take on any new crazy challenges. However some people never learn and I guess I'm one of those."

The four-week cycle sees those taking part pedal their way through Vilnius, Riga and Tallin en route.

Pupils at Bannerman High School, Baillieston staged a read-athon	Frank Ward and Joe Connelly joined the fundraising effort	The Auchengeich Line Dancers handed over a cheque for more than £1000	Forrest Furnishing staff helped raise cash	Marie-Christine Lux is doing an epic cycle

Marie-Christine's colleagues in the hospice's catering department raised more than £350 from a bingo evening, while fellow nurse Karen Chesney walked the West Highland Way, adding £750.

Edinburgh-based solicitors and asset managers Turcan Connell are sending 25 of its staff on the same cycle-ride challenge and have already managed to raise £80,000.

Gemma McDonald, Capital Appeal Fundraiser, of the Big Build appeal, said: "Turcan Connell is doing a fantastic job and we are all really grateful. We need more dedicated fundraisers like them to get involved."

Rotarians from Glasgow North and Bishopbriggs have supported the appeal since its launch and raised a further £2355 at a recent race night.

Club president David Young said: "Being able to help the Big Build makes it all worthwhile."

And Auchengeich Line Dancers' treasurer Miriam Sludden said: "We achieved £1000 during a week of fundraising."

One way in which readers can help us achieve the £16m total is by attending events such as the Brain Game.

The annual celebrity-hosted corporate quiz night takes place this year on November 6 at Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery.

The evening includes a gourmet meal, celebrity guests, auction, luxury prizes and the greatest accolade - to be crowned smartest business!