A state-of-the-art bladder scanner has been donated to Kent Oncology Centre by the Prostate Cancer Support Association Kent (PCSA Kent).

The scanner, which cost £7,500, was handed over to Christine Richards, Head of Radiotherapy Services, and other staff from the centre, by Terry Laidlaw, Chairman of PCSA Kent, and the original founder of the charity and fundraising manager, Graham Edwards, on 24 May 2016.

Christine Richards said: “This piece of equipment will be of huge advantage to our patients. The new bladder scanner will help us to monitor our patients prior to their treatment, so that we can minimise the side effects that they may experience. We will also use it to assess patients, to determine whether they would benefit from medication to help them through their treatment. The new scanner will complement equipment previously donated by PCSA, and which is used daily throughout the department. I would like to sincerely thank PSA Kent for all the time they give up to fundraising, and their continued support of the Kent Oncology Centre.”

All money raised by PCSA Kent is used to purchase medical equipment in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer which is donated to relevant urology and radiotherapy departments across the county.

Graham Edwards said: “We are really pleased to hand over the scanner to Kent Oncology Centre and we hope it will benefit many patients. We are keen to raise the profile of this male only cancer and we encourage men to get a PSA test, especially if they have certain risk factors, such as having to visit the toilet more often than is usual, or if there is a family history of prostate cancer. If in doubt, check it out!”

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