£750,000 Shropshire hospital cancer appeal reaches target early

The money has been raised for the Lingen Davies Action Appeal at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Lingen Davies Cancer Fund launched the appeal in January last year and pledged to raise the money by the end of 2016 to help fund an additional Linear Accelerator (Linac) for the cancer and haematology centre at RSH.

• The linear accelerator uses microwave technology (similar to that used for radar) to accelerate electrons in a part of the accelerator called the “wave guide”.

• It then allows these electrons to collide with a heavy metal target to produce high-energy X-rays.

• These high energy X-rays are shaped as they exit the machine to conform to the shape of the patient’s tumour and the customised beam is directed to the patient’s tumour.

• The beam may be shaped either by blocks that are placed in the head of the machine or by a multi-leaf collimator that is incorporated into the head of the machine.

• The patient lies on a moveable treatment couch and lasers are used to make sure the patient is in precisely the proper position.

• The treatment couch can move in many directions including up, down, right, left, in and out.

• The beam comes out of a part of the accelerator called a gantry, which can be rotated around the patient.

• Radiation can be delivered to the tumour from any angle by rotating the gantry and moving the treatment couch.

A Linac is a machine that delivers radiotherapy treatment to cancer patients.

The department already has two machines, but a third is needed to help more people receive the treatment.

For every £750 donated to the appeal a jigsaw puzzle piece has been added to a large jigsaw.

The final puzzle piece was placed in the frame this week – meaning the jigsaw is complete and the equipment can be bought.

Liz Kyle, acting fundraising manager at Lingen Davies which is an independent charity supporting cancer care in Shropshire and Mid Wales, said: "We are extremely grateful for all the donations that have enabled us to reach our target.

"From small change to the proceeds from large-scale events, every penny really matters to a small charity. As ever, we are amazed by the variety of methods our supporters have used to raise money, including rickshaw rides, head shaves, spin-a-thons and a sponsored zipwire challenge by an 80-year-old.

"Supporters have foregone birthday and anniversary gifts and donated instead, and numerous cups of coffee and slices of cake have been consumed.

"We want to say thank you to everyone who has contributed to the success of this appeal.

"Reaching the target early will help us to continue to purchase other equipment and facilities which support cancer patients in Shropshire and mid Wales, and we hope to announce our next project very soon."

Louise Killey, radiotherapy manager at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) which runs RSH, said: "We're absolutely over the moon that the appeal has reached its target.

"This is a fantastic achievement, particularly in reaching the target four months early. A new Linac will cost around £1.5 million and the trust will match the rest of the funds for this, with the machine expected to be installed in April 2017."

She added: "Thank you to the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund for launching the appeal and to everyone who has provided so much fantastic support.

"The Linac will make a big difference to our patients and will mean we can provide this important treatment to even more people."

Dr Sheena Khanduri, clinical lead for cancer services at SaTH, added: "This will see the expansion of our radiotherapy service with an additional state-of-the-art linear accelerator machine to meet increasing demand and also to ensure that we can continue to deliver high quality radiotherapy with better outcomes for our patients.

"It is thanks to Lingen Davies and the incredible generosity of those who have donated.

"This has been achieved ahead of schedule and is truly remarkable.

"Thank you to everyone who has made this happen."

Golf day donation to aid cancer care

Cancer patients from across Shropshire and mid Wales will benefit from new equipment after thousands of pounds were raised through a golf tournament.

The event, organised by Santander Corporate & Commercial in memory of former cancer patient David Roberts, raised £10,000 which was donated to the Shropshire Prostate Cancer Support Group.

That money has been used to purchase three laparoscopic cameras and a holder, which will improve treatment for patients with prostate cancer. The new equipment means doctors at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) can carry out three procedures in a row.

Before the new equipment was bought, after each procedure the equipment had to be sent away for sterilisation, which meant only one patient could be seen each day.

The equipment can also be used remotely, freeing up a junior doctor who previously would have to hold the camera throughout each procedure, often for hours at a time.

Santander's partnership with the Shropshire Prostate Cancer Support Group came about through Anita Roberts, the bank's relationship director.

David was Anita's father-in- law, and one of the first people to join the group when it was formed in 2005 after his diagnosis with Prostate Cancer.

The group was established by just four men from the Wellington area and today it has around 400 members.

Vice-chairman Graham Riley said: "

The golf day is held annually and raises around £5,000 each year, which is then match-funded by Santander and we are very grateful for their support."