The First Lady's Charity Group has donated its pink ribbon funds - worth half a million dollars - to open the first ever cancer research facility in the country.

The pink ribbon funds were raised through two pink ribbon charity dinner events over the last two years held with support from RAMSI.

Chaired by the Governor General's wife, Madam Grace Kabui, the First Lady's Charity Group had first aimed to buy a mammogram machine for the national referral hospital to help diagnosis of women with breast cancer.

The Charity Group recently sought to establishing a cancer research facility as a starting point instead - hence the Solomon Islands Cancer Registry.

The newly opened national cancer registry will record all types of cancers documented across the country into an electronic database.

Speaking at the launch of the Solomon Islands Cancer Registry, Madam Kabui says the Registry is an important new resource for Solomon Islands and an important step in the country's fight against cancer.

Madam Kabui also thanked business houses and members of the public that had supported the Pink Ribbon events with enthusiasm saying their support had made the new registry possible.

The new Solomon Islands Cancer Registry includes two new desktop computers and other office facilities.

The First Lady Charity Group is also funding support for the cancer registry's staff.

The Solomon Islands Cancer Registry expects to start formal documentation in January next year.