THE Rory the Robot prostate cancer machine has been given the green light by health chiefs.
It means prostate cancer patients in Worcestershire are one step closer to benefiting from state-of-the-art treatment after hospital bosses gave the business case for the £1.6m surgical machine.
Fund-raisers were just £10,000 short of the £300,000 needed to get the robot installed at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch but after being featured in the Worcester Observer a flurry of donations – including £10,000 from a private donor in Redditch and a matching amount from Bromsgrove Freemasons – meant that target was smashed.
This means the surgical robot can now be successfully leased with surgery planned to start in the Spring.
With Rory’s assistance patients will benefit from less pain, minimal blood loss, reduced time in hospital and quicker recoveries.
Adel Makar, consultant urologist and lead cancer clinician at the Trust, said: “We launched the Rory the Robot appeal less than two years ago, so to be in this position already is remarkable and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our fund-raisers and the generosity of our local community.
“The introduction of this state of the art robotic surgery equipment will mean we can deliver life-changing results for prostate cancer patients in Worcestershire.”
Rory the Robot will be the latest feather in the cap for the Trust’s urological department which, in the last six months, has also invested in the latest technology for kidney stone surgery and performed, for the first time, advanced ‘template’ biopsy procedures for men with suspected prostate cancer. The development of this technique now means that patients no longer need to travel out of county for their investigations.
In Worcestershire alone there are 2,500 men surviving prostate cancer at any one time, with about 500 new prostate cancer cases diagnosed every year.
You can still support the Rory the Robot appeal online at www.justgiving.com/rorytherobot, by texting RORY97 + £amount to 70070. Find out more at www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/rorytherobot.
Paul Rajjayabun, Clinical Lead for Urology, said: “This is excellent news for everyone involved in this major project and of course our local population – a real statement of intent that Worcestershire aims to continue as a national and regional leader in Urological surgery.”
Ian Jukes, Chairman of the Rory the Robot appeal, said: “This is fantastic news for prostate cancer patients. We’re very grateful for the public’s generosity and all those who have supported us so far. There’s still work to do as we have committed to raising £130,000 a year for the next five years to support the running cost – but I know that we have tremendous support from the local community to achieve this.”
