New state of the art cancer diagnostic equipment that will support Burnley people is unveiled thanks to fundraising campaign by fashion designer outlet Labels for Cares
New cancer diagnostic equipment, which will support patients from Burnley and across in East Lancashire, has been unveiled.
The state-of-the-art equipment has been made possible thanks to a fundraising campaign by fashion designer outlet Labels for CARES. The new addition of an Olympus Evis EUS endosonography system is expected to enhance the diagnostic capabilities at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, ensuring that patients receive accurate diagnoses and effective treatments. It was purchased thanks to a generous donation of £250,000 that was raised for the hospital’s charity ELHT&Me by Labels for Cares.
The endoscopy team at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital hosted a special thank you event where they showcased the equipment and demonstrated how it supports cancer diagnostics. Dr. Venkat Mahesh, Clinical Lead for Endoscopy at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “This is an advanced state-of-the-art diagnostic endoscopy with the help of ultrasound waves and other associated technologies to accurately identify, define, and stage cancer.
“It will also help with obtaining tissue samples, which would aid in accurate diagnosis and appropriate surgical and chemotherapeutic interventions. This is particularly suited for cancers of the pancreas, bile duct, liver, oesophagus, and stomach.”
This is not the first donation from Labels for CARES, which stands for Cancer Assessment Rapid Early Support. In 2020 their donations supported the introduction of two endoscopy machines at Burnley General Hospital, which have already scanned thousands of patients, providing swift results and utilising the latest technology to improve patient outcomes.
The organisation, whose patron, popular TV weather presenter Jo Blythe attended the unveiling, was set up after one of its founding members successfully battled cancer. Their aim is to help improve cancer survival rates in East Lancashire by promoting access to early cancer screening.
Anthony Fairclough, co-founder of Labels for CARES, said: “Building on the success of the two existing machines that have scanned thousands of people in East Lancashire now with our investment to £325,000, this new addition underscores our commitment to providing swift results and leveraging cutting-edge technology. We are proud to support the Trust in its mission to deliver the best possible care for patients.”
CARES recognizes the critical role played by its supporters and donors, including the community and contributors from charity events. Anthony added: “This wouldn’t be possible without our great customers, staff, supporters, donations that come from differing events like the recent climb of Mount Kilimanjaro by a supporter of the charity who raised over £10K.”
Martin Hodgson, Chief Executive at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust: “We are immensely grateful to John Banaszkiewicz for his remarkable vision in establishing a charity with the goal of providing the East Lancashire Hospitals Endoscopy team access to the latest and best equipment in healthcare, working with our Trust charity ELHT&Me.
"Thanks to his dedication, along with the efforts of his family and the charity staff, we are thrilled to have received £325,000 worth of cutting-edge equipment, which will greatly enhance the care we provide to our patients.”
To get involved and support the Labels for CARES cause through sponsored challenges or other activities get in touch with Anthony on 07800 714202.