Radiotherapy equipment upgraded thanks to donation from CADGERS

Local urology cancer support group CADGERS has made a significant donation of £9,462 to Southend Hospital’s Radiotherapy department. Their donation has allowed the purchase of a state-of-the-art QuickCheck device, which revolutionises the quality checks performed on radiotherapy delivery equipment.

All radiotherapy linear accelerator (LINAC) machines, which use beams of high energy X-rays or electrons to give radiation treatment to patients with cancer anywhere in the body, undergo daily checks to make sure they deliver precise radiation doses.

The introduction of the QuickCheck device means the Radiotherapy team can detect any issues much quicker than they previously could. The device is used on all four LINAC machines at Southend Hospital to check the radiation levels and to ensure they are working as they should be.

Rakesh Kizahakke Veetil, Deputy Head of Radiotherapy at Southend Hospital, said: “The support from CADGERS has meant that we have improved the way we check our machines. In addition to having more time for vital patient treatment sessions, these devices also allow our team to detect any issues instantly and resolve them faster.

“Like any radiotherapy department, machine time is extremely valuable to our patients. We thank CADGERS for their donation which is already having a positive impact on our clinic and patients.”

This generous donation from CADGERS underscores the crucial role community support plays in improving cancer care outcomes for patients in mid and south Essex.