The Trustees of the Kent Mark Benevolent Fund (KMBF) were recently approached by Herne Bay Mark Lodge to “match-fund” a donation of £50 to support the East Kent Cancer Radiotherapy Treatment Appeal.
The appeal is being organised by The League of Friends of the Kent & Canterbury Hospital to raise £400,000* to implement Surgical Guided Radiotherapy (SGRT) at the Canterbury Hospital. The technique allows treatment to be more accurate, more comfortable and faster, enabling more patients and a wider range of cancers to be treated locally.
SGRT is an advanced, non-invasive technology using 3D cameras to precisely position and continuously monitor patients during radiation treatment. Thus ensuring accuracy by tracking skin surface changes in real-time, eliminating the need for permanent tattoos, and enabling better motion management, like breath-holds for sensitive areas like the heart. It offers safer, potentially quicker, and more comfortable treatment for the patient.
- Prostate cancer.
- Left-sided breast cancer.
- Treatments requiring precise surface alignment.
- Paediatric patients, due to motion sensitivity.
Herne Bay Mark’s members pledged to donate £50 to the appeal and petitioned the KMBF for an additional £50 under the previous “match-funding” scheme. However, the initiative has recently been developed and retitled the joint-funding scheme, allowing the KMBF’s Trustees to not be financially constrained and make more flexible donations in appropriate circumstances. This petition was deemed to be such an occurrence, and the KMBF’s Trustees agreed to donate £450 bringing the total grant for this worthy cause to £500.
Whitstable resident and NHS supporter, Hilda Levi, left a generous gift of over £500,000 in her Will to the KCH League of Friends charity. Her legacy is powering the biggest leap forward in radiotherapy treatment that Kent has seen in years. The League has pledged £400,000 from Hilda’s legacy and is aiming to raise the remaining £400,000 from this appeal. If the total amount raised is not enough to reach their target, or is greater than the target, the funds will be used to purchase other equipment and items of comfort for the benefit of patients, staff and visitors to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital in compliance with their Constitution.