New equipment funded by DCH Charity benefits bladder cancer patients
A new piece of equipment – the Transurethral Laser Ablation (TULA) device – worth £13,184.40 – has been purchased with funds raised by the Dorset County Hospital Charity, to benefit selected bladder cancer patients at Dorset County Hospital (DCH) in Dorchester.
The Transurethral Laser Ablation (TULA) is an outpatient procedure carried out under local anaesthetic to remove abnormal tissue, allowing the patient to return home on the same day. It avoids more complicated treatments using general anaesthetic and overnight hospital stays and reduces the pressure on bed availability at DCH. The procedure takes between 10 and 20 minutes and patients can eat and drink as normal on the day.
DCH Consultant Urologist Rotimi David said: “For selected patients with smaller bladder tumours we have been able to run a biopsy and then treat this condition with the TULA device as a day case procedure. As a result, there is less pressure on the beds at DCH, and patients who aren’t fit enough to have general anaesthetic can also receive the treatment. The recovery time is quick as it is less invasive than the alternative procedure, with less pain and chance of complications for patients. Without the support of the Dorset County Hospital Charity, we would have had to wait a lot longer for this equipment to become available to us. We are feeling very grateful for this opportunity.”
DCH Urology Specialist Nurse, Vicky Frost said: “It’s worth its weight in gold. We are so thankful.”
Simon Pearson, Head of Dorset County Hospital Charity said: “It is thanks to the generous donations from our supporters that made purchasing this equipment possible, and for that we are so grateful. It is a great example of how our supporters can make a positive difference to patients receiving care at Dorset County Hospital.”
Dorset County Hospital Charity raises money to fund important extras above and beyond the NHS budget, to enhance patient care and support staff wellbeing at Dorset County Hospital.
If you would like to donate or find out more about raising funds through challenges and events for the Dorset County Hospital Charity, visit www.dchcharity.org.
With around 100 members any business in Dorset can join Dorchester Chamber from business for £60p/a (no VAT).
