A significant donation from the St George Leagues Club has helped bring St George Hospital's cancer treatment "into the 21st century".
The donation allowed the purchase of a new CT radiotherapy simulator expected to help about 250,000 cancer sufferers over the next ten years.
The CT radiotherapy simulator - known as a CT SIM - was purchased with funds raised through the 2007 Kogarah Mayoral Fundraiser for the St George Public Hospital Cancer Care Centre.
The CT SIM is valued at $1.2 million and has been treating patients since April.
St George Leagues Club was proud to be involved in the fundraising effort with a huge donation of $100,000.
Club General Manager Danny Robinson said the CT SIM would be a valuable community asset.
"People in need are going to get the best treatment available," Mr Robinson said.
The club made the donation to former Kogarah Mayor Michael Kitmiridis last year at a small ceremony involving the chairman of the club, Warren Lockwood, and directors Bruce Spaul and Ralph Piggott.
Cr Kitmiridis thanked the club for its generosity.
Former Kogarah Mayor Michael Kitmiridis (pictured with Leagues Club Chairman Warren Lockwood, Bruce Spaul and Ralph Piggott) led the fundraising efforts for the new CT simulator.
"The CT SIM was essential in bringing the hospital's Cancer Care Centre into the 21st century," he said.
"The club's donation turned up the interest and the enthusiasm for the fundraiser at a very critical time and was vital to our ultimate success." A CT SIM offers an accurate threedimensional view of a patient's internal anatomy and the location of a patient's tumour.
The CT SIM allows the radiation oncologist to assess organ motion and define the cancer very accurately, protecting normal healthy tissues against side effects from radiation.
The accurate localisation enables higher radiation doses to be delivered to the cancer, resulting in better cancer control and cure rates.
Sports stars Johnny Raper, John Terilli and Graham Langlands added their autographs to a jersey auctioned off for the charity drive.
Saints Leagues helps bring local cancer treatment into the 21st century July - October 2008 3 Professor John Kearsley, director of the Cancer Care Centre, said the arrival of the CT SIM at St George Hospital allowed his team to start their planning processes for patients who need radiotherapy.
"Our greatest need in cancer treatment is to give patients the most effective treatments and to research ways to do even better in the future," Prof Kearsley said.
"The very generous donations made to the Kogarah Mayoral Fundraiser - not least of those being the $100,000 from St George Leagues Club - will help our patients get back on the road to recovery in the most effective way.
"This will be a major investment in the lives of people." Nearly 21,500 Sydneysiders will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and one in three males and one in four females will develop cancer by age 75.
Cancer is the most common cause of death in NSW.
The new CT SIM has slashed waiting lists for cancer treatment at St George Hospital by weeks.
Its predecessor was a 15-year-old machine prone to frequent breakdowns.
The fundraiser attracted the attention of the federal and state governments which donated $500,000 each.
The St George Leagues Club's donation of $100,000 was the largest nongovernment donation and came after a huge fundraising drive in which leading sports figures participated.
CANCER CARE CENTRE, ST.GEORGE HOSPITAL
Established in 1993, the Cancer Care Centre meets the needs of oncology patients and their families undergoing treatment for cancer.
The facility serves a community of approximately 500,000 people and has close links with St George Public and Private Hospital, Sutherland Hospital, Kareena Private Hospital and Wollongong Hospital.
The Cancer Care Centre is a comprehensive cancer treatment facility which is recognised internationally and delivers results equivalent to the best in the world.
Each year, 1500 new patients come to the Centre receiving 21,000 occasions of radiotherapy treatment.
|
St George Leagues Club
NEWS
