Scanning equipment donated to Ninewells Hospital

Scanning equipment donated to Ninewells Hospital

WEDNESDAY, 15 MAY, 2019

Photographs attached: Photo 1: Dr Kalpana Ragupathy and Willie Henderson

Photo 2: (front row – Dr Kalpana Ragupathy holding the ZedScan, next to Willie Henderson alongside Chief Executive Grant Archibald (furthest right), staff from obstetrics and gynaecology department and representatives from Zilico

Scanning equipment donated to Ninewells Hospital

Specialist scanning equipment has been donated to Ninewells Hospital on behalf of the Michelle Henderson Cervical Cancer Trust.

Former Scotland football international Willie Henderson visited Ninewells Hospital to donate the ZedScan device on behalf of the charity. The Trust was set up by Mr Henderson’s daughter Michelle who bravely fought the disease before sadly passing away when she was 28-years-old.

Willie is now continuing his daughter’s inspiring legacy to raise money and awareness about the importance of cervical screening.

The ZedScan device, which uses Electrical Impendance Spectroscopy (EIS) technology, is used in addition to colposcopy to detect cervical abnormalities before they develop into cervical cancer. Changes in the cells of the cervix can lead to cervical cancer, but early detection of cell abnormalities and appropriate treatment can prevent cervical cancer from developing.

NHS Tayside Chief Executive Grant Archibald, Lead Colposcopist Dr Kalpana Ragupathy and Clinical Care Group Manager for Women, Children & Families Julie Flynn welcomed Mr Henderson to the hospital and thanked the Trust for the generous donation. Representatives from Zilico, the company which provided the ZedScan equipment, also attended.

Willie said he was proud that the Michelle Henderson Cervical Cancer Trust is helping others.

He said, “Michelle set up the Trust to give back to those who had helped her during her treatment. She also wanted to raise awareness of the condition and in turn raise funds towards hospital equipment, medicines and support groups for women suffering from the illness.

“It’s amazing to think that even when Michelle was battling illness, she was still thinking of other people and how she could help. We are proud to keep this work going and it is great to be able to help hospitals like Ninewells help women.”

Willie also highlighted the importance of women attending their regular cervical screening appointments.

He said, “We have been involved in a lot of fundraising and some of the women I have spoken to have told me they are embarrassed to get their cervical smear. I tell them that embarrassment won’t kill you, but cervical cancer might – it is so important for women to go for their screening.”

Lead colposcopist Dr Kalpana Ragupathy said, “On behalf of the Tayside colposcopy team I would like to thank Mr Henderson for his enormous generosity in allowing us to acquire this equipment in memory of his daughter Michelle.

“The ZedScan device has the potential to more accurately identify women who need treatment in the colposcopy clinic. This means that women with nothing to worry about can be discharged sooner and those who have pre-cancerous changes can be picked up and treated earlier.”

Gynaecology cancer lead Dr Wendy McMullen added, “It is essential we are able to embrace the latest technological advances in screening, especially as we are now screening young women who have been immunized against the human papilloma (HPV) virus and will soon be using HPV testing as part of the screening programme.

“We very much hope this potentially groundbreaking equipment will allow us to deliver the very best standard of care to women in Tayside.”

Cervical cancer affects almost 1 in 100 women. Cervical screening saves around 5,000 lives in the UK every year and prevents eight out of 10 cervical cancers from developing. In Scotland, all women between the ages of 25 and 50 are offered a cervical screening test every three years and those between 50 and 65 are offered screening every five years.

Want to know more about cervical smears?

• Talk to your nurse or GP

• Like NHS Tayside’s cervical screening page at facebook.com/beclearhaveyoursmear

• Visit nhsinform.scot or call 0800 224488 (textphone 18001 0800 22 44 88). The helpline is open every

day 8am-10pm and also provides an interpreting service.

• Visit Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust on social media, at jostrust.org.uk or call 0808 802800

To find out more about the Michelle Henderson Cervical Cancer Trust visit the website on

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charityweb/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?uniqueVmgCharityUrl=MichelleHendersonCervicalCancerTrust

Contact:

Debbie Huband

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740134

15 May 2019