Rotary South Cut Out Cancer Global Grant

Rotary partnership donates more than £107,000 to support the treatment and care of cancer patients at Royal Surrey

People undergoing cancer surgery at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust are benefiting from specialist equipment thanks to an incredible partnership involving Rotary South Cut Out Cancer, The Rotary Foundation, Rotary clubs across the UK and around the world, and the Trust’s dedicated charity, Royal Surrey Charity.

From an initial concept at the Rotary Club of Godalming Woolsack, the Rotary South Cut Out Cancer campaign grew to involve Rotary clubs across Surrey, Sussex, the UK, India and Nigeria, as well as other organisations and donations from the general public.  

To date, the campaign has donated more than £107,000 to fund specialist equipment through Royal Surrey Charity, which is already being used by surgical teams at the hospital, providing more precise care for people undergoing complex cancer operations.

To see the impact of their fundraising first-hand, representatives from the Rotary South Cut Out Cancer team visited the hospital, where members of the surgical team demonstrated the equipment now being used in operating theatres and shared how it is helping support patients through their treatment and recovery.

The equipment includes a Piezo surgical system, which helps surgeons carry out precise procedures while protecting healthy tissue; an Emprint microwave ablation system, which supports minimally invasive treatment for some tumours; and two Inomed nerve stimulators, which help surgeons protect important nerves during complex operations.

Further funding from Rotary has been agreed for a Cell Salvager, which will help recycle a patient’s own blood during surgery, reducing the need for donor blood transfusions.

Tim Pencavel, Joint Chief of Service and Consultant HPB Surgeon at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This amount of money is game-changing for our patients. It will make a huge difference to people recovering from major surgery and the support we're able to give them at what can be an incredibly difficult time."

Geeta Aggarwal, Joint Chief of Service and Consultant Anaesthetist at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, added: "We perform more than 10,000 operations every year at Royal Surrey, so this equipment will make a huge difference to our patients and our teams. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported this partnership and helped bring these improvements to our theatres."

Colin Simmons, Rotary Club of Godalming Woolsack and Rotary South Cut Out Cancer, said:

"We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved through this partnership. Seeing the equipment being used by the surgical team and hearing about the difference it will make for patients has been incredibly rewarding. We would like to thank everyone who has supported the campaign so far, and we look forward to continuing to fund further equipment that will improve the treatment and care for cancer patients at Royal Surrey."

Rotary’s support forms part of Royal Surrey Charity’s wider Cancer and Surgical Innovation Campaign, which is helping fund the latest technology, equipment and facilities at the hospital’s new surgical centre.

For more about Rotary South Cut Out Cancer, visit: rotarycutoutcancer.enthuse.com.

To find out more about Royal Surrey Charity and how you can support extraordinary care for patients, visit: royalsurreycharity.org.uk