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Ruby Appeal

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Celebrating 40 Years of Lingen Davies

We celebrated our 40th Anniversary on 5th June 2019, and to celebrate we wanted to raise £1.25 million to make a positive difference to lives affected by cancer in our community… we raised this 3 weeks early!

Ruby Appeal | Lingen Davies

Purpose of the Ruby Appeal

The Lingen Davies Ruby Appeal focused on three key areas of work supporting people throughout their experience of cancer. The appeal theme were: Improving Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

We will:

  • Actively engage in public awareness campaigns, along with local and national partners
  • Invest in equipment to detect cancers and provide diagnoses at the earliest possible stage;=
  • Provide credible online information and support for people concerned about cancer or who have recently been diagnosed

Enhancing Cancer Treatment Services

Through the Ruby Appeal we will:

  • Invest in ‘Kit to Combat Cancer’, ensuring that local health services are able to provide ‘above and beyond’ treatment to patients
  • Support the employment of specialist staff to provide additional support to cancer patients
  • Support projects that limit travelling distances for patients and facilitate treatment delivered closer to home or remotely

Our Ruby Appeal raised an amazing £1.25 million to help enhance local cancer services!

Supporting People Living Beyond Cancer

We will:

  • Support programmes of work focused on recovery, survivorship and wellbeing. This may include funding the recruitment of specialist staff;
  • Provide current, relevant online information to support patients in their recovery;
  • Continue to invest in innovative support programmes for patients during and after treatment, including digital health initiatives

Funding Exciting Projects and Services:

MRI Guided Prostate Biopsy Machine

As part of our 40th Anniversary Appeal, we raised funds for an MRI Guided Prostate Biopsy Machine. Prostate cancer can only be diagnosed by taking samples from the prostate. A standard needle biopsy is taken randomly from the prostate, and this can result in patients having repeated biopsies, or the tumour being missed. If cancer is still suspected, the patient will be sent for another biopsy with the MRI Guided machine.

The new machine uses MRI images to allow targeted biopsies of the tumour, making them more accurate and reducing the need for them to be repeated. This is the only machine of its kind available in our region.

This will help to:

  • Improve accuracy of diagnoses;
  • Reduce the number of biopsies patients need, and support quick recovery from procedures;
  • Keep technology available locally and prevent patients from having to travel for specialist biopsies.
Colorectal Scope Guides

As part of the charity’s 40th Anniversary Appeal Lingen Davies Cancer Fund raised funds for two additional Colorectal Scope Guides for Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust, to help improve patient comfort and accuracy for bowel cancer diagnosis.

The Scope Guides ‘bolt on’ on to a colonoscope to provide a 3D representation of the shape and position of the endoscope inside the body, making it easier to move around the colon and more comfortable for patients.

This will help to:

  • Make sure cancers are detected early;
  • Make procedures shorter and more comfortable;
  • Improve accuracy and reduce the frequency of failed procedures;
  • Ensure more patients can be seen and waiting times are reduced.
PICC Line Placement Machine

The PICC Line Placement Machine enables trained staff to place Peripheral Inserted Central Catheters (PICC) into patients receiving chemotherapy.

The PICC line is placed once and stays in the patient’s arm until their chemotherapy is over. This avoids the need for staff to find an appropriate vein each time. Where patients have small or weak veins, or are very afraid of needles, finding veins each time can be difficult and uncomfortable. Using a PICC line means that chemotherapy can be delivered more efficiently and comfortably to patients who need extra help to receive their medication.

This reduces delays as well as potential for pain or trauma in patients. The PICC Machine is now on site at RSH and we’re pleased it will be helping patients to received their chemotherapy successfully.

Endoscopic Ultrasound Scopes

We funded two Endoscopic Ultrasound Scopes (EUS), which are used to investigate and diagnose cancers in the upper gastro-intestinal system.

Over the past three years (correct in 2019) there has been a 23% increase in the number of EUS procedures performed at SaTH hospitals and this demand is expected to continue to rise.

EUS is carried out to further investigate lesions, masses, and cysts that have been found during a routine endoscopy, conventional ultrasound, CT scan or MRI. The procedures can provide detailed ultrasound images and measurements of tumors. By using a flexible needle through the scope to perform fine-needle aspiration (FNA), EUS can also give real-time tissue diagnosis of many different cancers, thus preventing the need for more invasive surgical biopsies.

These scopes will make sure that:

  • Diagnoses are quicker and more accurate
  • Patient comfort and safety are improved as risks of damage to tissue are reduced

“Get Active, Feel Good” Programme

We worked with Shropshire Council’s public health team to support the “Get Active, Feel Good” programme. The scheme, delivered by Lifestyle Fitness Ltd on behalf of Shropshire Council Public Health, helped people with cancer to feel better through physical activity and moving around more. Delivered by cancer exercise specialists and designed to encourage and support cancer patients to explore and utilise physical activity through and post-cancer care, the programme aimed to support recovery and help improve future health.

The programme had been running since 2012, and Lingen Davies funded it from 2018-2021. With our support, the service was able to grow and expand further into our region to allow people in rural areas to access it more easily. Physical activity has been shown to have a positive impact on outcomes and quality of life for people with cancer, so we wanted to make sure this service was available to everyone who needed it in our community.

Sadly, following the end of our 3 year funding, the Get Active Feel Good programme was unable to find another source of funding, so the programme is currently on hold.

Are You Looking for Local Cancer Information?

We’ve pulled together a wide range of information and advice from different sources to help you find what you need easily. Find out more by going to our LiveLife Cancer Hub.

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