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Robot Appeal to buy Addenbrooke’s a new surgical robot reaches £1.25 million mark

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk

Nearly 200 people who attended the John Addenbrooke Lecture on 24 February heard the exciting news that more than £1.25 million has been raised and pledged towards the £1.5 million fundraising target to purchase a new surgical robot for Addenbrooke’s.

The annual event, hosted by Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), heard from leading Addenbrooke’s surgeons Professor Grant Stewart and Mr Siong-Seng Liau, who shared their experiences of the benefits of robotic surgery and how it could transform care for thousands of patients. Click here to view a recording of the lecture.

Dr Ashley Shaw, Medical Director at Cambridge University Hospitals, also shared his expert perspective on how innovation, such as robotic surgery, will help our much-loved hospital recover at a critical time for the NHS.

The running total for the appeal currently stands at £1.25 million. ACT CEO Shelly Thake and CUH Medical Ashley Shaw made an impassioned appeal on the night for those attending to help close that gap as quickly as possible. Nearly £10,000 was raised on the evening for the robot from attendees.

The charity is now calling on the public to help them close the gap and raise the remaining £250,000 as soon as possible.

Shelly Thake said: “We hope the event shone a light on the need for another surgical robot and reinforced our call to the wider public to help us smash our target very soon.

“We are so grateful to Grant, Siong and Ashley, along with many others, for giving their time and support to this appeal. It was a fantastic lecture evening – even though it had to be held virtually because of Covid considerations – and we have posted the video online for those who want to view it again or for the first time.

“It is incredible that we have raised such a substantial amount for this appeal in under a year. It highlights the strength of support for the NHS and Addenbrooke’s. It also shows that people understand why having an additional robot at Addenbrooke’s can make such a big difference.”

The evening’s events were introduced by Dame Mary Archer DBE by video link and Shelly Thake hosted the panel who were broadcast live from the John Addenbrooke Library at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge.

See campaign updates and a video of the evening’s events at www.helpyourhospital.co.uk/robot. 
View Q and A’s from the event here.

As well as individual donations, fundraisers are contributing significant sums through events such as Step for Addenbrooke’s, the Cambridge Half Marathon and other ultra-challenge events over the coming months.

Shelly Thake added: “We have been bowled over by the support and donations for this Surgical Robot appeal. It gives us massive hope that people are willing to help Addenbrooke’s survive and thrive in a challenging climate. And it gives us strong optimism that our future campaigns for the Cambridge Cancer Hospital and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital will be equally well supported and funded.”

Click here to donate to our Robot Appeal

Byard Art host charity raffle in support of ACT’s surgical robot appeal

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk

*Byard Art press release*

The prospect of having an operation can be worrying for many people but a surgical robot can help to make the thought of surgery easier for patients. It can take months to recover from traditional, ‘open’ surgery but incisions made using robotic surgery are much smaller, reducing the risk of complications and infection, minimising scarring, pain, and discomfort, and helping patients recover and return home more quickly.

Addenbrooke’s currently has one robot which is dedicated to kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer patients. Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust’s (ACT) new appeal will help fund another surgical robot, revolutionising patient care across an additional six specialities in the hospital.

Matt Brown has created three characterful robots for the raffle. One which comes with its own first aid kit, and another features an amazing vintage light for the first time. Matt is master creator of sculptures made from recycled metals and vintage pieces which will intrigue you!

To be in with the chance of winning one or all of these wonderful works and to support this amazing local campaign you can buy tickets online or come into the gallery to take a look and get your tickets.

1st Prize – Lampbot, RRP £600

2nd Prize – First Aid Bot, RRP £400

3rd Prize – Little Red 3, RRP £110

Tickets are £5 each

With such charming prizes and 100% of the proceeds going directly to the hospital, there’s no reason not to get involved!

The draw will be held on Saturday 13 November at Byard’s Christmas Cracker opening exhibition opening on Saturday 13 December.

To find out more about ACT’s Robot Appeal please visit www.helpyourhospital.co.uk/robot

Take part in ACT’s ‘1,000 Challenge’ and raise £1,000 to help fund a new surgical robot

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk

Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) has launched its new ‘1,000 challenge’, encouraging the public to fundraise £1,000, either individually or as a group, towards its £1.5m appeal to buy a new surgical robot for the hospital.

Robot-assisted surgery is a form of keyhole surgery involving small incisions. The surgeon operates on the patient by controlling a computer-enhanced robot, mimicking the surgeon’s hands and wrist movements, and allowing absolute precision. For patients, this means smaller incisions, faster healing and recovery times, and that patients can be discharged from hospital within a matter of days, not weeks.

However, Addenbrooke’s currently only has one robot which is dedicated to treat kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer patients. Funds raised by the 1,000 Challenge will help fund another surgical robot, revolutionising patient care across six specialties in the hospital and improving outcomes for over 1,500 additional patients every year.

The 1,000 Challenge asks you to come up with something you can do 1,000 times to raise £1,000. It could be running or cycling 1,000km, walking 1,000 steps in your lunch hour for a month, baking and selling 1,000 cupcakes, gaming for 1,000 Minecraft days, or even giving up something for 1,000 hours. Whatever your 1,000 Challenge, the charity needs your support.

Anybody who pays in fundraising of £1,000 or more before 31 October 2021 will have an opportunity to dedicate a name to be displayed on the Robot Appeal 1,000 Challenge web page.

Emily Willdigg, ACT’s Community Relationships Lead, said: “It costs approximately £1,000 per patient to provide robot-assisted surgery at Addenbrooke’s. By getting together with colleagues, friends and family and supporting our 1,000 Challenge, you will be enabling one person to have even better surgery.”

The challenge is also a great way for businesses to get involved with their teams in making Addenbrooke’s even better for patients, especially if they can match fund the money raised by their staff. James Stevens, Cambridge Commodities CEO, said: “We have supported Addenbrooke’s for many years and we are not about to stop now! Robotic surgery has so many positives for patients undergoing surgery, and we at Cambridge Commodities will definitely be trying our best to help Addenbrooke’s achieve its goal.”

Will you take the Addenbrooke’s 1,000 Challenge, raise £1,000 to help buy the hospital a surgical robot and improve the outcome and recovery from surgery for thousands of patients?

Visit our website to find out more.

‘Buy Addenbrooke’s a Robot’ appeal launched by hospital charity to change the lives of thousands of patients

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk
  • £1.5m appeal launched to buy new surgical robot for Addenbrooke’s hospital
  • Following robot-assisted surgery, patients can be discharged from hospital within a matter of days, not weeks
  • Incisions made using robotic surgery are much smaller, reducing the risk of complications and infection, minimising pain and discomfort
  • Robot will help improve patient outcomes for urology, gynae-oncology, gynaecology, lower GI (gastrointestinal tract), ENT (ear, nose and throat) and HPB (Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary – diseases of the liver, pancreas and biliary tree).

A £1.5 million appeal to buy a surgical robot for Addenbrooke’s Hospital has been launched by its charity, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT). A new surgical robot will mean quicker, less invasive surgery and faster healing and recovery times for patients.

Robotic surgery is a form of keyhole surgery involving small incisions where the surgeon operates on the patient by controlling a computer-enhanced robot, mimicking the surgeon’s hands and wrist movements, and allowing absolute precision.

The large 3D view of the patient’s organs enables surgeons to perform many types of complex procedures with enhanced vision, greater precision, flexibility, and control than is possible with conventional techniques.

The benefits of robotic surgery for patients are immense and can change patients’ lives. It can take months to recover from traditional, ‘open’ surgery but incisions made using robotic surgery are much smaller, reducing the risk of complications and infection, minimising scarring, pain and discomfort and helping patients recover and return home more quickly. Following robot-assisted surgery, patients can be discharged from hospital within a matter of days, not weeks.

However, Addenbrooke’s currently only has one robot which is dedicated to treat kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer patients. ACT’s new appeal will help fund another surgical robot, revolutionising patient care across six specialties in the hospital including urology, gynae-oncology, gynaecology, lower GI (gastrointestinal tract), ENT (ear, nose and throat) and HPB (Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary – diseases of the liver, pancreas and biliary tree) and improving outcomes for over 1,500 patients every year.

One of the specialty areas that will benefit is head and neck surgery which can be very invasive and where some tumours are difficult to reach. A surgeon operating a robot would be able to access the tumour through the mouth and with precision meaning that patients regain the ability to swallow much more quickly, have minimal scarring, can eat and drink without help, and need less ongoing treatment following their operation. ACT’s campaign to buy a surgical robot could help ENT patients get back on their feet much sooner after an operation.

Ms Ekpemi Irune, ENT, Head & Neck Consultant at Addenbrooke’s, said: “Head and neck cancer surgery can be very invasive. Sometimes a tumour in the back of the mouth or throat cannot be easily reached so the surgeon may have to split a patient’s jaw so they can get to the tumour. The patient has to recover in hospital for several days and they can go on to develop long term problems with bone healing, chronic pain, etc. This can be very distressing for patients. A surgical robot would be able to access tumours through the mouth with precision.”

Consultant in Gynaecological Oncology, Krishnayan Haldar, said: “Using robotic assisted surgery has an advantage over current laparoscopic surgery, because it can help us to provide much finer dissection. For example, the surgeon can preserve the nerves to the bladder and bowel during a radical hysterectomy – a nerve sparing procedure. The results are much better for the patient’s quality of life post-surgery… And it has been proven that post- surgery, pain is reduced because the movement and pulling of skin around the entry point is reduced. Some patients can be discharged on the same day; having a hysterectomy in the morning and leaving the hospital that evening because the incision is so small.”

Three years ago, Jenny Arnold who lives in Cambridge was treated for oral cancer using robotic surgery at London’s Royal Marsden Hospital. She said: “It was really awkward for my family to come and visit me because they’re from Worcester. If I’d been at Addenbrooke’s my family could have stayed over at my house. It was just very traumatic being in an unfamiliar place in unfamiliar surroundings and being so far away from everybody. Only my family could visit and not my friends as it was just too far for them to come. She added: “If Addenbrooke’s had had a robot, it would have been so much easier for me and my family.”

Shelly Thake, ACT’s CEO, said: “We hope we can once again call upon our incredible supporters to get behind our new robot appeal. With the pressures caused by COVID, the hospital needs our help to get its surgical programme moving again and to deliver the quickest, safest surgery possible. The robot will enable surgeons and their teams to operate on more patients, from people with pancreatic cancer to gynaecology patients, enabling them to recuperate faster and get home to their families more quickly.”

Help ACT buy a robot and change the lives of thousands of patients every year.

To find out more or to donate or fundraise please visit www.helpyourhospital.co.uk/robot