CAIRNS patients needing oesophageal proceedures no longer have to travel to Brisbane, thanks to an extremely generous community.
This week the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation handed over $122,000 worth of oesophageal equipment to the endoscopy team at Cairns Hospital.
Director of medicine Dr Peter Boyd was ecstatic to receive the equipment.
“The Medtronic suppliers tell us that Cairns Hospital is the FIRST hospital outside Brisbane to start the ManoScan Service and Sunshine Coast University Hospital has the equipment but has not yet started procedures,” Dr Boyd said.
“This is really the fulfilment of a vision I’ve had for 25 years to get our endoscopy service to this level and the whole team are really thrilled to bring this capability to patients in the Far North,” he said.
The oesophageal manometry equipment is one of five elements of the ‘Show us ya guts’ campaign the Foundation has been working towards.
The equipment was predominantly funded by two donors – Leslie and Anne Mills, who donated $75, 000 in honour of Mrs Mills’ brother Charlie Woodward, and an anonymous donor who contributed $47, 000.
Foundation CEO Tony Franz said $62, 891 had been raised towards the remaining equipment sought, with a further $247, 000 still to go.
“We’ve literally had people bringing in $20 notes or $1005 in notes or donating online, so we know the campaign resonates with a lot of people,” Mr Franz said.
Cairns Hospital will be the second public hospital in Queensland offering wireless capsule=based pH testing, as a result of the new equipment. The oesophageal equipment diagnoses patients with oesophagus motility disorders and cancers and achalasia of the oesophagus.
The ‘Show us ya guts’ fundraising campaign has been spearheaded by media identities from the Cairns Post, ABC Far North, Star 102.7FM and Classic Hits 4CA.
The extra equipment sought will be for the diagnosis and treatment of small bowel pancreas, bile duct, stomach and oesophagus ulcers, polyps and tumours.
“We’d love to hear from anyone who would like to help bring more incredible equipment like this to Cairns, through a simple donation,” Mr Franz said.
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