NNUH highlights World Cancer Day by hosting information event for the public

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) will be marking World Cancer Day this year by hosting an information event for the public on Friday 2nd February 2018.

The event, which will be in the East Atrium level 1 on the main hospital site, will be a chance for the public to hear about developments in cancer care at NNUH, with stands also from local external community organisations.  The information event is being held in alignment with World Cancer Day on Sunday 4th February, a day which aims to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.

From 2pm-4pm there will be information stands where the public can find out more information about Skin Cancer, Radiotherapy, NNUH Macmillan Integrated Care Pathway Project and much more.

Then from 4pm-5.30pm, there will be a series of short talks in the Benjamin Gooch Lecture Theatre led by leading consultants and experts in cancer care from the hospital. This will conclude with a question and answer session, where the public will have the opportunity to put their questions relating to cancer care to the team.

Attendees will have the opportunity to find out about the two new integrated theatres, with some of the most up-to-date technology in the country costing £500,000. This new development has been funded by a grant of £125,000 from Big C and a donation of £382,000 from the N&N hospital’s charity. 

Richard Wharton, Consultant Surgeon at NNUH said: “Surgeons are performing ever-more complex procedures using these new technologies and the advantages of this equipment will include a reduction in complications, faster recovery, more efficient surgery, and improved quality of care.”

Another speaker at the event will be Edward Cheong, NNUH Consultant Upper GI (OG) & Laparoscopic Surgeon who will be talking about Oesophageal-Gastric Cancer services at the Trust.

Mr Cheong said: “NNUH is rated as one of the top units in the country for treating Oesophago-Gastric Cancer and one of the few units in Europe to perform totally minimally invasive oesophagectomy whereby the entire operation is done by keyhole surgery (laparoscopic and thoracoscopic oesophagectomy). The keyhole or laparoscopic surgery is less traumatic to the body allowing the patient to recover from a major complex cancer operation is significantly faster.”

Mr Cheong will also be talking about his ‘Blow your whistle’ campaign, which aims is to encourage this activity at all sporting events in future so that it becomes an established way to raise awareness for oesophageal cancer. He said: “We have launched this awareness campaign to encourage people to be aware of symptoms and seek medical advice at an early stage. If the cancer is picked up very early, it can be treated with a gastroscopy – a camera through the mouth carried out under sedation. This means, the patient will not need three months of chemotherapy followed by a big operation, and then another three months of chemotherapy.”

Louise Cook, NNUH Fundraising Manager said: “The event will be a great opportunity for the local people of Norfolk to find out more on what our cancer services look like at NNUH. We’re fortunate to have some of the country’s leading experts in the field working here at the hospital and the event will be a perfect way to mark this year’s World Cancer Day.”

Teas and coffees will be available. Free parking is also available for attendees.

Notes to editors:

For more information about the event, please email communications@nnuh.nhs.uk

Information stands 2pm-4pm:

o Skin cancer
o Radiotherapy
o It’s on The Ball
o Colin the Colon
o NNUH Macmillan Integrated Care Pathway Project
o Bowel Cancer
o Public Health, Norfolk County Council
o Clinical Engineering
o Health & Wellbeing
o New Theatre at NNUH
o Oesophageal Cancer
…plus many more!

Talks for the public in the Benjamin Gooch Lecture Theatre:

4pm: Overview of Cancer Services at NNUH – Rob Wade, Service Director for Oncology

4.05pm: NNUH Macmillan Integrated Care Pathway Project – Bethan Harvey, Macmillan Integrated Care Project Manager

4.15pm: Radiotherapy – Mark Gilham, Head of Radiotherapy & Alison Vinall, Head of Radiotherapy Physics

4.30pm: New Theatre at NNUH – Richard Wharton & Bhaskar Kumar, NNUH Consultant Surgeons

4.45pm: Oesophageal-Gastric Cancer Services Ed Cheong, NNUH Consultant Upper GI (OG) & Laparoscopic Surgeon

5.00pm: Q&A session