Shooting Star Cancer Support

Prehabilitation Equipment £16,390.43, 1.2.21

3 Reclining Chairs for IV patients £4,267.50, 13.10.21

Fluid Management System for OP Hysteroscopy £27,000.00, 13.10.21

Tissues £99.68, 13.10.21

SecureView DX Mammography Reporting Station £35,000.00, 13.10.21

Fluid Warmer for OP Hysteroscopy Clinic £4,655.00, 13.10.21

Bladder Scanner for Emergency Dept. £6,670.00, 3.12.20

Prehab 3 Lenova Laptops £1,788.00, 29.6.22

Thorascopy Kit £ 28.264.50, 30.6.22

Intraoral Scanner £ 30,500.00, 4.8.22

Shooting Star Cancer Support quotes from Consultants

Prehabilitation

Dr Neil Agnew, Consultant Anaesthetist and Director of the Prehabilitation program says;

Prehabilitation is a 4 week intensive course of exercise, dietary improvement and psychology support which gets cancer patients “match fit” prior to major surgery. The equipment includes electronic breathing muscle training as well as more traditional fitness equipment. The results have shown an astonishing 50% reduction in post-operative complications as well as a reduced hospital stay.

Shooting Star Cancer Support has purchased this essential equipment which has allowed this new service to be developed and established in North East Wales. It is now being spread to the rest of North Wales in light of the benefits it brings.

Bladder scanner

Mr Robin Roop, Consultant in the Emergency Department says:

A massive thank you to the Shooting Star Cancer Support team for facilitating the purchase of a bladder scanner for the ED. This invaluable piece of kit will assist with the management of patients who present with known cancer or cancer related conditions. The bladder scanner may also even help in picking up patients who did not even know they had cancer.

Given the constant pressure across the entire NHS, sometimes the ED is the only avenue for cancer patients! The foresight of the Shooting Star Cancer Support team to think about these patients who access care in the ED is commendable. We cannot thank them enough for this generosity!

Intra-oral Scanner (Primescan)

Dr Gareth Brock, Consultant in Oral Health and Rehabilitation says:

Some patients after cancer surgery can be left with very disfiguring deformities of the face or functional challenges from surgery in the mouth. Our Department provides the prostheses to replace the missing tissue, such as nose, ear, part of the jaw or cheek. The traditional method is to make an “impression” of the defect by using a paste material on a metal tray, allowing that to set then make a plaster mould. This in turn is used to make a wax mould which then must be carved by eye to make a mirror image of the normal side. In addition there is a legal requirement to keep a copy of every mould made which takes up a great deal of space over the years. A digital version of the same process involves a “wand” with a tiny camera attached which takes thousands of pictures per second as it is waved over the impression area and knits them together creating a 3-dimensional “virtual” digital model, without the need for paste or trays, which can be sent to the laboratory at the press of a button.

As there is no need for physical contact with the area of defect the patient experience is greatly improved. Also the efficiency of the whole process is much better. As an example, a prosthetic ear may take a day to make a mould of the opposite ear, allow the plaster to set, make a wax copy then carve a mirror image wax mould by eye. By contrast, a digital impression takes 1 minute, a digital mirror image obtained and a 3-D printed cast made within an hour. A further bonus is that the images can be stored digitally and plaster moulds no longer need to be physically transported across North Wales thus improving our carbon footprint. This is based in Wrexham from where we can provide a service to the whole of BCUHB, bringing us up to the standard expected in a specialist unit.

We’re incredibly grateful to Shooting Star Cancer Support which has kindly funded this exciting new development bringing a much improved patient experience and state of the art technology to help our cancer patients.

Gareth Brock and Richard Sharp (Principal Maxillofacial Prosthetist) with Primescan images of a patient before jaw surgery.

Outpatient Hysteroscopy fluid management system

Miss Bramara Guruwadarayarhalli, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist says:

Hysteroscopy, or examination of the womb using a camera, is an essential part of the investigation for some women presenting with symptoms of possible cancer of the womb. This used to be done only as an inpatient, which nearly always built in a delay for patients because the same operating theatre would also be used for treating patients diagnosed with cancer and thus having priority over those needing investigation. However, technology has moved on and the same investigation can be done safely as an outpatient with the right equipment. This makes the process much more efficient thus reducing any delay for the patient.

Thank you Shooting Star Cancer Support for kindly funding this equipment which we now have in our Department. It is already making a difference to the time our patients have to wait to have this investigation.

Gynaecology department doctors and nurses say:

This new system makes the setting up and clearing away much simpler and therefore quicker. The ease of the system also makes the learning, for those new to it, a faster process making it a valuable addition to the department. Thank you Shooting Star!