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TPSA News
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If you have any news items that you would like us to display on this page, please email: info@tpsa.org.uk
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Dons Brachytherapy Swimathon Fundraiser.
Dr Don Leader, a TPSA member has completed another sponsored swim. This time it is to raise money for our £10,000 Brachytherapy Appeal. Don, who lives in Dawlish has now completed the swim that consisted of 4 by 1 mile medlies, i.e., a mile each of four main strokes; butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, front crawl. It lasted about 3hours 20 minutes. The venue was Plainmoor Swimming Baths during in March, the exact date and time was Saturday 27th March .
Don regularly competes in Masters Swimming, which is aged grouped. Ten years ago he broke 10 British Records in the 70-75 age group at different distances and strokes including two European Records. Some have since been broken while others still stand. He now has his eye on more records in the 80 – 85 age group in 2004. Already, training swims indicate faster times in three classes including one European. On longer distances Don won a National prize over 5000 metres, while on another marathon swim over 5000 metre he raised £2000 for Cancer Charities. Shortly after that swim he was diagnosed with cancer himself, but he has not let this stop his record breaking swims!
If anyone would like to support Don by sponsoring him, please contact Don himself on : 01626 867073, or TPSA on 01803 654273, or Peter Hosking (Treasurer) 01803 843806. Sponsor forms can also made available.
A photo of Don training can be seen on "Photos of interest" page.
06-01-2004
£10,000 Appeal Launched for New Treatment.
Torbay Prostate Support Association members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of launching an appeal to raise £10,000 to help set up a new treatment locally for for Prostate Cancer.Nearly 100 members at the recent annual general meeting were told about the project and responded by pledging support for it.
The treatment is called "Brachytherapy"(pronounced"bracky") and will be carried out at "Royal Devon & Exeter" hospital, Wonford but will benefit patients from South Devon as well.
The new service is being lead by Dr Anna Lydon, consultant clinical Oncologist.She has told "T.P.S.A."that the Brachytherapy treatment will mean that an increased dose of Radiotherapy can be given to the prostate, which can reduce the chances of a recurrence and for some patients this will also reduce side effects compared to surgery."
Currently patients who require Brachytherapy treatment have to travel to Leeds to have it, obviously having this service locally means less inconvenience for patients and families" said Dr Lydon,and added "I am very grateful to the "T.P.S.A." for supporting this project and I am confident that with their support, patients will soon be benefiting from this new treatment."
Peter Hosking, Treasurer of "T.P.S.A.", said "I am delighted that we are supporting this worthy cause.I have been on the receiving end of Prostate Treatment at Torbay, and I am sure that the new Brachytherapy facility will enhance the already excellant Urology and Oncology service at "Torbay Hospital."
Donations for the Brachytherapy Appeal can be sent to: Torbay Prostate Support Association; c/o Torbay Oncology Unit,Torbay Hospital. or Peter Hosking, 260 Dartmouth Rd, Paignton.TQ4-6LH.
Cheques should be made payable to: "Torbay Prostate Support Association".
Please support Don Leader in his fund raiser(see below)
05-01-2004
First Patients Treated with Brachytherapy
Five patients have now benefited from a pioneering treatment for patients with prostate cancer. The treatment, a type of radiotherapy called ‘Brachytherapy’, has been pioneered locally by Torbay Hospital Consultant, Dr Anna Lydon and we are one of only three centres in the UK offering this treatment. The procedure involves placing radioactive needles directly into the prostate twice over two days. Careful computer planning means that the prostate gland receives a high dose of ‘cancer killing’ radiation, but healthy surrounding tissue is spared. The patient then goes on to have over four weeks of external radiotherapy. Up until now the standard treatment has been almost seven weeks of external beam radiotherapy which has to penetrate healthy organs to reach the prostate gland and therefore the dose that we can give to the prostate has been limited. Dr Lydon explained, “This new technique means that patients, who would have to travel to London or even further for treatment can now receive it locally.” Also because a higher dose can safely be delivered to the prostate, it could mean a reduction in the risk of the cancer returning. For many patients with early prostate cancer, the standard treatment of choice is surgery to remove the gland. However, for a certain group of patients, not everyone, High-Doserate Brachytherapy could now be an option.
The patient who received the first treatment explained that …”the whole procedure went very smoothly. I was out of hospital two days after having it done with no discomfort. The following week I was back doing light work. I cannot praise the team highly enough, they did a great job.”
This new service is a joint venture with RD & E Hospital and Dr Lydon has been working with Consultant Urologist, Mr Malcolm Crundwell.
One of the barriers to starting the Brachytherapy has been the cost of setting it up. Therefore, Torbay Prostate Support Association (TPSA) started an appeal in December to raise £10,000 to meet these costs and to provide money so that the service can continue until the local health authority decides whether to continue with the funding. Steve Dann, TPSA Chairman and Macmillan Radiographer said that “the local appeal has been going really well, and we are very grateful to everyone that have supported this brilliant cause.” He went on to explain..”We have managed to raise about £3000, which is excellent considering the number of appeals that are ongoing. Also, many people in Torbay and Exeter are giving to the Chestnut Appeal which has had a lot of publicity and will benefit Plymouth patients in a few years when they start building their Urology Unit. We are so fortunate in Torbay to have a Urology Cancer Team that in terms of treatments, clinical research trials and patient care is providing a very high level of service. If we can raise the remaining amount we can enable the service to continue and help put Torbay on the map when it comes to new cancer treatments.”
If you would like to help with the appeal with donations or fund-raising events please contact Torbay Prostate Support Association, c/o Torbay Oncology Unit, Torbay Hospital. Tel: 01803 654273
29th Dec 2004
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