Cancer survivor Gloria Joiner has donated £3,200 to buy specialist disposable cameras that will make a huge difference to future patients.
The 74-year-old from Walpole Highway was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2016 and frequently visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Lynn for various treatments including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgeries to remove cancerous tumours.
Nine operations later, the grandmother of four and great grandmother of two reached an amazing milestone and was given the news that she only needs to come back to The QEH for a yearly check-up.
However, four months later she did come back but this time it was to thank the Urology team and make a donation to the QEHKL Charity’s Urology Care Sisters Fund.
The money that Gloria, together with her husband Colin Joiner, has given has been used to purchase 20 cystoscope cameras which are used alongside a new charity-purchased Urology laser machine so that small cancerous cells can be detected and treated at the same time under a local anaesthetic.
This means that patients do not have to return for a separate treatment.
Gloria said: “My cancer journey started in 2016. I was diagnosed with bladder cancer which I knew nothing about. Over the four years that followed I was regularly having tumours removed which involved being put to sleep each time.
“The donation we have made will buy scopes which I know will help 20 patients as they won’t have to be put to sleep for the procedure like I had to. I am so happy about the impact this will make for them.”
Clare Harvey, urologic oncology charge nurse at the hospital trust, said: “I would like to say a very big thank you to Gloria and Colin for their very generous donation towards the purchase of 20 disposable cystoscopes. These cameras allow us to see into the bladder for diagnosis of bladder cancers.
“This is a great improvement in our service as, if we can treat the bladder cancer at the time of the cystoscopy, the patient does not have to go on a waiting list for the procedure and is not subjected to a general anaesthetic.
“Some of our patients have recurrent bladder cancer and require frequent general anaesthetics to treat them, but with these cystoscopes, and the laser, we will reduce the number of general anaesthetics a patient has to have. Through Gloria and Colin’s generosity, an additional 20 patients will benefit from this.”
If you would like to help improve the patient experience, you can donate to the QEH charity at www.justgiving.com/qehkl
If you would like to support the hospital by fundraising, email charity@qehkl.nhs.uk
