Warmhearted Friends raise £4500 for urology at summer party

More than 250 people, including surgeons, consultants and staff from Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), attended the event to celebrate another year of fundraising with individuals from the Friends volunteer group.

Every year the Friends of Addenbrooke’s give away hours of their time to raise significant sums of money to help pay for life enhancing treatments and pieces of equipment that make a real difference to patient care.

This year the Friends’ summer party generated money to help fund the purchase of a groundbreaking MRI prostrate biopsy system for the Urology department at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

This special machine makes it far easier for clinicians to see abnormal tissue inside the prostate gland of men referred to the hospital. The equipment will detect cancers hidden deep inside the prostate, making a big difference during biopsy procedures. By looking at the resulting MRI scans in parallel with conventional ultrasound scans doctors can more easily guide needles to exactly the right place to obtain accurate samples for testing.

Mr Christof Kastner, Consultant Urologist, said: “I would like to thank all the people who supported this Friends of Addenbrooke’s event. Their generosity brings us a step closer to being able to permanently offer this service to patients visiting Addenbrooke’s and ultimately ease their assessment experience.”

Tudor Brown, Chair of the Friends of Addenbrooke’s, said: “The kindness of our summer party guests never fails to amaze the Friends organising committee. This year’s event took place on a cold summer’s evening but that didn't stop attendees digging deep to raise a significant sum of money. Thanks to all who attended and gave. This money will make a real difference to the lives of many local men.”

Guests at the event enjoyed canapés and fine wine while listening to music from Linton Village College Jazz Band and the Perse School Junior Wind Band.

The Friends of Addenbrooke’s is a volunteer group and part of the hospital’s charity, ACT. The Friends raise awareness of the need to fundraise for the hospital and generate income to pay for items that NHS funds do not cover. This includes equipment to deliver life enhancing treatments as well as more basic but still very much needed items, such as magazines for the children’s long-term illness area.

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For more information about the group – which is always looking for new volunteers – please go to: http://www.actcharity.org.uk/supportergroups/friends.asp
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