A charity for cancer in Cornwall, UK, completed its 25 years of fundraising to provide medical assistance equipment. Since it was established in 2000, Sunrise Appeal has been raising funds for a special cancer unit available at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro. The Sunrise Centre, as it is known, was inaugurated in 2002. As Janet Shephard, co-founder of the Sunrise Appeal and former head of clinical oncology at RCHT, has said, "The journey has been incredible, thanks to the ongoing support from the Cornish community" for 25 years.
In the past, several cancer patients traveled to Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, to undergo scans and treatments. Said senior radiographer Nikki Snell: "The new unit has helped the patients relax more, thus giving better accuracy in their treatment." The space was airy and further helped to assure patients' feelings of well-being rather than being in the basement before.
RCHT under radiotherapy physics, Savvas Rizkalla, stated that the majority of differences that Sunrise Appeal has made in the lives of cancer patients have been such things. "It is a whole, completely new radiotherapy center put up with the most modern machines treating absolutely everything by our staff with the latest technology and delivering the best care."
Ms. Shephard informed that the appeal has, year by year, funded several major projects, one of which has been the introduction of surface-guided radiotherapy, an innovation that is proven with accuracy in many sites, including the breast, lung, and pelvis; therefore, patients do not have to permanently tattoo their bodies as an identifier, Ms. Shepherd explained.
In an appeal drive, it asked the general public to "stick a pound coin onto a card and send it to us here at the Truro base." The team's "astonished" at the response, executive producer of BBC Radio Cornwall Daphne Skinnard said. "We thought, if everyone in Cornwall gives us a pound each, we would hit our target for a day."
It has been a very great honor and privilege bringing Cornwall together in these many ways and in creating that spirit of community and togetherness about such an important resource for the patients of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.