Geoff Heyes - Delivering Precision Cancer Treatment
This episode of CyberKnife: Beyond Cancer, looks into the world of radiotherapy treatment planning at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, the hospital's history and how they've used traditional linear accelerators to deliver radiation therapy.
Geoff Heyes, Head of Radiotherapy Treatment Planning at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham talks about the CyberKnife machine, including its innovative robotic arms that make it possible to deliver precise radiation therapy with minimal damage to surrounding tissue. Geoff discusses the journey to getting this technology up and running at the hospital, including the role that fundraising events and charity funding played.
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Howard Ballantyne - The Life Saver
This episode of CyberKnife: Beyond Cancer, features Howard Ballantyne, a cancer survivor who was treated with CyberKnife radiotherapy. He shares his personal journey of being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2005 and undergoing various treatments like surgery and chemotherapy. In 2009 he discovered a new tumour and was unable to have surgery. In an incredible turn of fate, Howard discovered CyberKnife treatment and traveled to France for treatment, which successfully treated his cancer.
Since then, he has remained cancer-free for over 15 years and became involved with the Stan Bowley Trust charity that supports CyberKnife treatment. Howard shares his cancer experience, the CyberKnife treatment process and his role with the charity in fundraising and promoting awareness of this important treatment option.
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Mike Hammond - Cancer Treatments and Charity Partnerships
In this episode of CyberKnife: Beyond Cancer, Mike Hammond, the Chief Executive of University Hospitals Birmingham charity; discusses the crucial role of fundraising in supporting the mission of the Charity to provide excellent patient care. He highlights the importance of introducing advanced cancer treatment machines, such as CyberKnife and Tomotherapy, in UK hospitals, and the challenges of securing NHS funding.
CyberKnife has advantages over traditional radiotherapy, including its superior accuracy and ability to target tumours more precisely. Mike shares how CyberKnife benefits patients by reducing side effects, and their plans to continue trials to demonstrate CyberKnife's effectiveness to make it a standard NHS treatment for more types of cancer treatment.
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Ian Bowley -Celebrating Cancer Survivors and the Future
Featuring Tim Wilson
This episode of the CyberKnife: Beyond Cancer discusses the work of the Stan Bowley Trust charity and their efforts to raise funds for CyberKnife radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients. The trust was set up in memory of Stan Bowley, whose life was extended by CyberKnife treatment after being diagnosed with an inoperable cancer.
Ian Bowley, from the Stan Bowley Trust, talks about his brother Alan (known as Stan) and the history of the trust. He shares the various fundraising events they hold each year including a ball with over 300 people in attendance.
Tim Wilson, from Logistics World, explains how he got involved in sponsoring the trust's events to support cancer patients. Both emphasise the importance of funding this innovative treatment and helping more people access it on the NHS.
The conversation provides information on CyberKnife technology, the clinical trials process, and the trust's ongoing goals. It highlights the significant impact of the charity in helping to fund the first CyberKnife machine in Birmingham and continue supporting cancer patients.
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