Anna Firth MP is backing a new major fundraising campaign to buy state-of-the-art radiotherapy equipment for treating cancer patients across mid and south Essex which was launched on Thursday 23 February.
If successful, the Spotlight Radiotherapy Appeal will mean that Southend Hospital would be among one of the first NHS cancer centres to have this cutting-edge technology; providing superior, ground-breaking radiation oncology treatment to over 2,500 patients a year by 2025.
Southend Hospital Charitable Foundation, which has funded big building projects and vital medical equipment over the last 25 years, is behind the campaign and needs to raise £600,000 to buy three surface guided radiation therapy (SGRT) systems.
More than 90 regular supporters, volunteers and trustees of the Foundation attended the Spotlight Appeal launch event at Southend Hospital to hear from clinicians about the benefits of SGRT.
The new technology tracks a patient’s position with pinpoint accuracy during treatment, making sure that radiation reaches exactly the right place while avoiding vital organs.
The new technology will also help cut treatment times and waiting lists because SGRT reduces the need for repeat imaging.
Anna Firth said,
“I am fully backing this amazing campaign to get state-of-the-art radiotherapy equipment into our hospital.”
“Cancer affects so many people’s lives in a variety of ways, so anything we can do to mitigate that has my full support.”
Emma Wynne-Morgan, Deputy Chair of the Southend Hospital Charitable Foundation said,
“It has been 25 years since the Charitable Foundation was founded and, in that time, it has raised nearly £5 million to benefit patients and help to transform patient care. We are delighted to be launching this appeal, which will ensure the very latest radiotherapy treatment for the people of Southend and beyond.”
