Teams across Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) came together on Tuesday 4 February to help mark World Cancer Day and provide patients, visitors and staff with information and support on local cancer services as well as giving everyone the chance for an up close look at the Trust’s lifesaving Linac machines.

The theme of the event this year was ‘I Am and I Will’, which aimed for everyone to make a pledge to say what they will do as a personal commitment to a cancer-free world, with dozens of patients, staff and visitors taking time to write their promises down in the Kent Oncology Centre and place it on the pledge tree.

The event brought together partner agencies to a special information marketplace, welcoming organisations such as Macmillan, Involve and Look Good, Feel Better to showcase what local support networks are in place for those living with cancer and their friends and family.

Patients, visitors and staff also seized the opportunity to have a guided tour of one of the Trust’s Linear Accelerator machines, which deliver radiotherapy treatment and gave a chance to meet expert staff including radiographers, clinical nurse specialists and physicists.

Tours were attended by patients facing treatment as well as friends and family, given all the opportunity to find out more about the equipment before they begin treatment, helping to reduce anxiety and stress.

Teams over at Tunbridge Wells Hospital also embraced the day, with the Haematology-Oncology Day Unit (HODU) staff providing their own information event and even baking special cupcakes for the day to welcome in visitors.

Read more about how MTW are supporting patients and the turnaround in cancer performance.