A radiotherapy machine that is helping to transform cancer treatments has seen its first patient.
Leslie Cast, 79, from St Lawrence, Maldon, was the very first person to receive his radiotherapy on the £3.5million machine, known as a LINAC.
The LINAC, which joins three other machines in use at Southend Hospital, works by using beams of high-energy X-rays or electrons. It gives focussed radiation treatments to target and destroy cancer cells in nearly all types of cancer, anywhere in the body.
Speaking about being the very first person to experience the new state-of-the-art equipment, Leslie said: “It feels great to be the first patient. The treatment itself was really comfortable. The staff made sure everything was set up just right for me, and I didn’t feel any discomfort at all. They were also very knowledgeable and supportive.
“For anyone waiting for their cancer treatment, this new equipment is a real step forward. I’m sure anyone needing treatment using the new machine will have a much better experience now that the hospital has this new technology. Staff really do have patients’ best interests at heart.”
The machine uses surface-guided radiation therapy cameras, which were funded through Southend Hospital Charitable Foundation’s Spotlight Radiotherapy Appeal.
Its sophisticated tracking and imaging technology is used to guide radiotherapy, meaning that radiation is delivered to the exact location of the tumour, minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
The £5.3million purpose-built extension to the radiotherapy department, which the new LINAC is housed in, is a major leap forward in cancer treatment at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, where Southend is the Essex Cancer Centre.