MEN across the Camden Haven will have less time to wait for prostate cancer testing and treatment as the result of a boost to diagnostic services at Port Macquarie Base Hospital (PMBH).
The Jim Bruce Trust has donated $47,000 to the hospital’s urology unit for the purchase of a high-level disinfection unit called ‘Chronos’.
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Chronos uses ultraviolet technology to clean the probe used in prostate biopsies.
Previously, it was taking between two to three hours to sterilise, which limited the number of procedures that could be completed on any one day.
Chronos will reduce that cleaning time to just 90 seconds, significantly reducing the testing bottleneck.
“It has been a long road getting this across the line,” said Trustee and urologist Dr Nader Awad.
“The hard work of Belinda Garvey, Project Manager for District Surgical Services, and Saeed Rahamathulla from CNC Urology, has been essential.”
Ms Garvey said she was grateful to the Trust for continuing to improve urological health outcomes.
“This is an exciting chapter for urology at Port Macquarie Base Hospital and men’s health within the district.”
It is hoped the technology used by Chronos will be available to other specialties.
The Jim Bruce Trust was established to honour the memory of the founder of Birdon, the marine engineering company based at Sancrox.
Jim Bruce was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in September 2003 and died in 2008, aged 62.
It was his wish that the Bruce Family support urological care in the Hastings region.
With the support of the community, the trust has raised and contributed more than $525,000 for prostate cancer treatment services.
By Sue STEPHENSON