Published on: 27 July 2019

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Miss Naseem Ghazali, Oral & Maxillofacial Consultant and Head and Neck Surgeon, Anne Birtwell, Staff Nurse in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Bob Hope, a former patient and cancer survivor, are aiming to raise £45,000 for ELHT&Me, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust’s official charity.

The team will be taking part in a charity bike ride, cycling from Bridlington to Blackpool to raise funds for equipment for the surgical robot at Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Ground-breaking robotic surgical technology has been available to eligible patients across East Lancashire since June 2015, when East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust purchased the £1.3 million Da Vinci robot, which is based at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital.

Compared with traditional surgery, robot-assisted surgery reduces disfigurement, discomfort and pain after the procedure. It also means the surgeon can make smaller incisions and still get a close-up view of hard-to-reach places because the robot includes a 3D camera.

Funds raised from the bike ride will be used to purchase additional equipment for the robot, which will broaden its use and enable more patients to benefit.

Around 12,000 new cases of head and neck cancers are diagnosed in the UK each year.  While surgery for cancer caught early can be relatively minor, it can also involve more major procedures that require skin grafts and reconstructive surgery after removing the cancer.

Bob’s surgeon, consultant Naseem Ghazali, explains, “Traditionally the treatment would have involved aggressive surgery to split the lip and jaw like a book. This invasive surgical approach allows us to gain access to the cancer. With the nine-foot high, three-armed robot, which we sometimes affectionately call Leo, you don’t need to do this.

“Leo’s high-definition 3D camera can be magnified 20x, enabling structures to be seen clearly. The minimally invasive procedure allows patients to recover quicker, speak and swallow normally almost immediately after surgery.

“But with a price-tag of £1.5million, not every hospital can afford a robot. I’m very lucky to work at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, because the Trust has had the vision to invest in the state-of-art robot.  I’m delighted that the money raised has been ring-fenced for head and neck cancer surgery. It will enable me to continue fulfilling our team’s aim of providing head and neck cancer treatments for the people of East Lancashire.”

Denise Gee, Fundraising Manager at ELHT&Me said: “We are delighted that Miss Ghazali, Anne Birtwell and Bob Hope are among the eight cyclists taking part in this challenge, and we’re so pleased that the money raised by the team will go towards our campaign for equipment to increase the number of ways the robot can be used.”

Andrew Grice, Trustee of partner charity The Swallows and Associate Partner at Fylde Wealth Management, said “As an organisation, The Swallows is dedicated to supporting people with head and neck cancers. This charity bike ride is one way that we are raising awareness and helping to fund the vital new surgical innovations that will improve the outlook for people with these cancers.”

To donate to the campaign, visit the ELHT JustGiving page, click 'Donate' and specify 'Head and Neck Cancer Services' in your donation message. Or, complete the paper sponsorship form with one of the riders in person.