Patients with suspected prostate cancer can now access treatments closer to home, thanks to a generous charitable donation.
A newly opened Urology Diagnostic Room at Grantham and District Hospital is providing faster and more convenient access to prostate cancer treatments for many residents in the south of Lincolnshire. This vital improvement has been made possible by the generosity of former mayor of Lincoln, Rosanne Kirk.
When Rosanne’s father died of prostate cancer aged 78, she vowed to help improve earlier detection of the disease so patients could access treatments quicker, helping to improve their chance of survival.
Rosanne said: “It was a difficult time for my father and all the family. He was a very private person and found it hard to talk about his illness. By the time clinicians confirmed he had prostate cancer, it was too late for him to respond to treatments.
“He lost a lot of weight and became a shell of himself before he died in 2021. It was horrible to see how fast he deteriorated, and I kept thinking, had the cancer been detected earlier, he may still be here today.”
When Rosanne became mayor of Lincoln in 2022, she decided to fundraise for United Lincolnshire’s Hospitals Trust’s urology units and over the year she raised an impressive £5,000 which she gifted to United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity for the purchase of a biopsy trolley for Grantham’s new Urology Suite.
Since opening in January 2024, the unit has treated over 700 patients. Sara Anscombe, general manager for the hospital’s Urology Department said: “One in eight men will have prostate cancer during their life, but the earlier you find it, the easier it is to treat.
“Rosanne has made a massive difference – giving the funds for the biopsy trolley spurred us to create the Urology Diagnostic facility at the hospital. Now patients living in and around Grantham can come here for a biopsy instead of travelling to Lincoln or Boston. They can be seen quicker, which enables us to detect the cancer quicker.”
Patients are referred to the clinic when anomalies have been detected in their prostate following an MRI scan. The biopsy takes a tiny piece of the identified cells for analysis.
Sue Willson is one of two advanced clinical practitioners working at the unit. She said: “A biopsy takes about 20 minutes to complete. It is paramount in detecting cancer in male patients.
“Biopsy results are discussed in our Multi-disciplinary Team meeting to identify the best treatment options which are then discussed with the patient. This can include removal of the prostate gland by robotic assisted surgery at Lincoln County Hospital.”
Rosanne was overwhelmed to realise the extent to what her fundraising efforts have achieved. She said: “It is very emotional to find out that because of my contribution, a whole clinic has been set up, it is a bit overwhelming. I know my dad would be proud of what has been achieved, and his legacy will be to help other men.”
Charity manager, Ben Petts said: “United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity funds those additional items and services that the NHS simply cannot provide. We were honoured to work with Rosanne to fund this new piece of equipment that has helped to improve the lives of so many prostate cancer sufferers.”
For more information on the work of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity visit: ulhcharity.org.uk
Rosanne continues to work to raise awareness of prostate cancer and recently attended the Houses of Parliament with members of Prostate Cancer UK to raise awareness of its deadly effects.
