Spotlight on surgery

Life demands excellence
Health Secretary
visits the hospital
Centre for Molecular
Pathology now open
magazine – winter 2012
Ten10: fundraising
looks to the future
Spotlight
on surgery
Meet The Royal Marsden’s world-class
surgical team and the staff who assist
their groundbreaking work
At The Royal Marsden, we deal
with cancer every day, so we
understand how valuable life is.
And when people entrust their
lives to us, they have the right
to demand the very best. That’s
why the pursuit of excellence lies
at the heart of everything we do.
RM MAGAZINE
Executive notes
Contents
05 Palliative care
The refurbished
Horder Ward reopens
12 Pioneering surgery
Meet The Royal Marsden’s
world-class surgeons
18 Theatre stars
The vital roles played by
our surgery team
20 Drug development
Trials reap rewards at
our paediatric Drug
Development Unit
Regulars
04 Hospital news
22 Day in the life
24 PCAG
24 The Friends
25 Fundraising
28 Foundation news
30 Puzzles & prizes
Welcome
Welcome to the winter 2012 edition of RM, The Royal
Marsden’s magazine for our staff, patients, carers and
Foundation Trust Members.
In this issue, we focus on advances and innovation
in surgery (page 12) – our fantastic surgeons play a crucial
role in the treatment of cancer. We are honoured, too, that
Royal Marsden staff will be presenting their research at
the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (page 6).
We also preview our new charity campaign – ten10:
a decade of innovation (page 26), which looks at the past
10 years and focuses on the projects The Royal Marsden
Cancer Charity has funded, including our state-of-the-art
equipment, world-class facilities and pioneering research.
The campaign will also look towards the next 10 years and
at how the charity is helping us to remain at the forefront of
cancer care, treatment and research. I look forward to sharing
more about this campaign with you in the next issue.
Cally Palmer, Chief Executive, The Royal Marsden
RM MAGAZINE 03
Jeremy Hunt,
Secretary of State
for Health, meets
Ellis Ward patient
Vivien Turner
HOSPITAL NEWS
SECRETARY OF STATE
VISITS THE ROYAL MARSDEN
taff and patients met
the new Secretary
of State for Health,
Jeremy Hunt, when he visited
The Royal Marsden’s Chelsea
site in October.
Mr Hunt toured the newly
refurbished Ellis Ward, speaking
with patients and staff. He
was particularly interested in
the food served at The Royal
Marsden, which has won
several awards and is renowned
for its high standard.
The Health Secretary met
patient Vivien Turner and
discussed with her the
S
04 RM MAGAZINE
importance of a choice of good
food for inpatients. Such is
his interest in the standards
of hospital catering that he
later announced plans for
‘hit squads’ of food inspectors
who will visit NHS hospitals to
ensure that they are providing
good-quality food.
Mr Hunt was also introduced
to staff who have been
nominated as NHS Heroes by
patients and presented them
with their certificates.
Together with senior
colleagues from the Department
of Health, including Professor
Sir Mike Richards, National
Clinical Director for Cancer,
the Health Secretary then took
part in two round-table events,
discussing ‘Improving patient
care and experience’ and ‘Early
The Health Secretary
toured Ellis Ward,
speaking with
patients and staff
diagnosis and improving
survival’. Senior consultants
and nursing staff also took
part in the discussions, which
were chaired by Dr Shelley
Dolan, Chief Nurse, and
Professor Martin Gore,
Medical Director.
Chief Executive Cally Palmer
said: “It was wonderful to
be able to visit the recently
refurbished Ellis Ward with
the new Secretary of State for
Health and, for staff, to have
the opportunity to sit down
and discuss key healthcare
issues with him.”
Hospital news
Royal Marsden
wins palliative
care accreditation
HRH Princess Alexandra
meets actor Nathaniel
Parker and Royal Marsden
Chairman R. Ian Molson
(above), and Horder Ward
staff (below)
PRINCESS ALEXANDRA
OPENS REFURBISHED
HORDER WARD
harity supporters and
staff met HRH Princess
Alexandra when she
officially opened the refurbished
Horder Ward in September.
The £3-million renovation,
which was funded by The Royal
Marsden Cancer Charity, has
turned the ward into a modern
palliative care environment with
enhanced en-suite single rooms,
discreet consultation rooms and
a day room for patients and
their visitors, all set in light,
airy surroundings.
During her visit, Princess
Alexandra was greeted by
Royal Marsden Chief Executive
Cally Palmer, Chairman R. Ian
Molson and Head of Palliative
Care Dr Julia Riley. She was
given a tour of the ward, where
she met staff including Ward
Manager Isabel Thorpe, Senior
Staff Nurse Debbie Robertson
and Ward Hostess Gifty Bolbey.
Princess Alexandra was then
introduced to charity supporters
C
and donors, including actor
Nathaniel Parker, charity
Trustee Catherine Armitage,
member of the Ethics
Committee Dr Michael Harding,
Annie Gallon, and supporter
Dr Fui Mee Quek.
Princess Alexandra unveiled
a commemorative plaque
declaring the refurbished ward
open, before being presented
with a bouquet by three-year-old
HRH Princess Alexandra
with xxxxxx xxxxxx and
xxxxxx xxxxx
Anna Wood, daughter of
Palliative Care Consultant
Dr Jayne Wood.
Dr Riley said: “It was a
fantastic visit and we were
delighted to welcome HRH
Princess Alexandra. It was a
great opportunity to showcase
our new facilities and highlight
how important the refurbishment
has been to both patients and
staff on the ward.”
HRH Princess
Alexandra with
xxxxxx xxxxxx and
xxxxxx xxxxx
The Palliative Care service
at The Royal Marsden
has received Europewide accreditation for its
groundbreaking work.
The European Society for
Medical Oncology (ESMO)
Designated Centers of
Integrated Oncology and
Palliative Care accreditation
programme recognises
cancer centres that achieve a
high standard of integration
between medical oncology
and palliative care. This
is the second time that
The Royal Marsden has been
awarded this accreditation,
which is valid for three years.
Anna-Marie Stevens,
Macmillan Nurse Consultant
in Palliative Care at
The Royal Marsden, said:
“We are incredibly proud
of our palliative care
service and the support
and care we give to patients
and their families. This
re-accreditation recognises
the comprehensive and
multidisciplinary approach
to the care we provide, as
well as our groundbreaking
initiatives such as
Hospital2Home and
Coordinate My Care,
which support patients’
end-of-life choices.”
This accreditation follows
the £3-million refurbishment
of Horder Ward, the
hospital’s palliative care
ward, which was recently
opened by HRH Princess
Alexandra (see left).
RM MAGAZINE 05
Hospital news
CMP: GROUNDBREAKING
FACILITY NOW OPEN
he Centre for Molecular
Pathology (CMP), a
world-class research
facility that will revolutionise
how we diagnose and treat
cancer, is now open.
The CMP was officially
opened by Professor Dame Sally
Davies, Chief Medical Officer
for England, in late November.
It brings together clinicians,
geneticists, pathologists and
scientists under one roof for
the first time to advance
cancer research and treatment.
This will dramatically speed
up the research and treatment
development process. Working
T
New Director of
Clinical Research
The Royal Marsden has
appointed Professor David
Cunningham (above) as
Director of Clinical Research.
In this role, Professor
Cunningham will provide
leadership for the development
and performance of all
aspects of clinical research.
He will also be Director of
the National Institute for
Health Biomedical Research
Centre, working closely with
Professor Alan Ashworth,
Chief Executive of The
Institute of Cancer Research
(ICR), and the Research
Directorate at the ICR.
Professor Cunningham is
an international leader in
KLV¿HOGZLWKDGLVWLQJXLVKHG
record of contribution to
research, treatment and
education. He will be
supported by Jane Lawrence,
Assistant Director of Clinical
R&D; Dr Liz Bishop, who has
operational responsibility for
clinical research on behalf of
the Management Executive
team; and Professor Mitch
Dowsett, who is responsible
for the operation of the new
Centre for Molecular
Pathology at Sutton.
06 RM MAGAZINE
The new Centre for
Molecular Pathology
heralds a new era of
personalised treatment
side by side, experts will be
able to better understand each
patient’s individual tumour
type and develop personalised
treatment plans faster than ever
before, making our vision of
personalised medicine a reality.
The centre was born out of
the unique relationship between
The Royal Marsden and The
Institute of Cancer Research.
Together, they form the only
Biomedical Research Centre
(BRC) specialising in cancer
in the UK. BRC status was
awarded by the National
Institute for Health Research
in 2006 and renewed in 2011.
Professor Mitch Dowsett,
Professor of Biomedical
Endocrinology at The Royal
Marsden, has been appointed
Head of the CMP. For more
news on the centre and how the
different teams work together,
see our spring 2013 issue.
Experts will be
able to better
understand each
patient’s individual
tumour type
Hospital news
Professor
Mitch Dowsett,
Professor of
Biochemical
Endocrinology
CHARITY
HELPS FUND
NEW SKIN
CANCER DRUG
PROJECT
Money raised by The Sam Keen
Foundation, in memory of a
Royal Marsden patient, is to be
used to set up a groundbreaking
research fellowship to develop a
new skin cancer drug. This, in
collaboration with other worldleading cancer research
institutions, will start the process
of developing and testing a new
drug that is hoped will succeed
ipilimumab, currently used to
treat malignant melanoma.
Professor Martin Gore,
The Royal Marsden’s Medical
Director, announced the news at
a gala event in July, organised by
The Sam Keen Foundation. Set
up to honour the memory of Sam
Keen, who died in 2011 at the
age of 27 after fighting malignant
melanoma for seven years, the
foundation hopes to raise
£100,000 for The Royal Marsden
in gratitude for the treatment he
received and to aid research into
malignant melanoma treatment.
Professor Gore said: “This
second generation of new
immunotherapy drugs promises
to be better than the ones that we
have developed over the past four
years. We are immensely indebted
to the Keen family for doing this.”
This generation of
new immunotherapy
drugs promises to
be better than ones
we developed earlier
PROFESSOR MARTIN GORE, MEDICAL DIRECTOR,
THE ROYAL MARSDEN
Avoiding side effects
NEW TEST MAY REDUCE
CHEMOTHERAPY USE
IN BREAST CANCER
A
new molecular test
could identify patients
who are at such low risk
of their breast cancer returning
after surgery that they could be
spared chemotherapy.
A study of 101 breast cancer
patients suggested that almost
half of those who are classified
as at ‘intermediate’ risk of
recurrence would be
downgraded to ‘low’ risk by
the test, known as IHC4. This
would mean they could avoid
chemotherapy and its side effects.
The IHC4 test uses simple
technology that is available in
most treatment centres around
the UK and is relevant to the
treatment for patients with
oestrogen-receptor-positive (ER
positive) breast cancer. This is
the most common type of the
disease, accounting for around
three out of four breast cancer
cases – about 36,000 patients
in the UK each year. While
many patients will benefit from
chemotherapy, others have
very low-risk disease and this
molecular test will help to
identify this group.
The research – conducted by
clinicians including Professor
Ian Smith, Dr Sarah Barton and
Dr Nick Turner at The Royal
Marsden, in collaboration with
scientists from The Institute
of Cancer Research, and the
Breakthrough Breast Cancer
Research Centre – was
published in the British Journal
of Cancer this year. The test is
being assessed by the National
Institute for Clinical Excellence
for use throughout the NHS.
Professor Mitch Dowsett,
Professor of Biochemical
Endocrinology at The Royal
Marsden, said: “This is a simple,
cost-effective test. The research
suggests that many patients
could be classified as ‘low’ risk
after surgery and therefore could
avoid chemotherapy and its
toxic side effects. It could make a
big difference to those patients,
and also save the NHS money.”
Latest research
presented at ESMO
New and exciting research
carried out at The Royal
Marsden has been presented
at this year’s European
Society for Medical Oncology
(ESMO) Congress in Vienna.
Professor Ian Judson,
Head of the Sarcoma Unit
at The Royal Marsden
and Professor of Cancer
Pharmacology at The
Institute of Cancer Research,
SUHVHQWHG¿QGLQJVIURPKLV
Phase III trial. The trial
compared the standard
sarcoma treatment with a
combination treatment and
a second chemotherapeutic
called ifosfamide – a
nitrogen mustard and a
particularly aggressive
and toxic treatment.
Other studies have
FRPSDUHGWKHEHQH¿WVRI
combination and singleagent treatments, but there
had been concerns that the
doses of ifosfamide given
to patients in these trials
were too low to be effective
for all. The trial showed that
combination treatment did
block cancer growth for
longer than single-agent
treatment (7.4 months versus
4.6 months), and was more
likely to shrink the tumours
(24 per cent versus 13.2 per
cent), but after two years
there was no difference in
survival rates between the
two groups.
Professor Martin Gore,
Medical Director at The
Royal Marsden, also spoke
several times at the congress
on a number of subjects.
RM MAGAZINE 07
Hospital news
Breast cancer care
ROYAL MARSDEN NURSES TO
PRESENT STUDY AT SYMPOSIUM
Play House Day
Nursery expansion
The Play House Day Nursery
in Sutton has created more
nursery places by changing
the use of existing rooms.
This will also decrease the
waiting list and ease the high
demand for childcare places
in the baby room.
Dawn Smith, Nursery
Manager, said: “The recent
changes to our environment
mean that we are able to
accommodate a further six
babies under 18 months.
“We have also been given
permission by Ofsted to
increase numbers across the
nursery. This is good news
for those parents who have
EHQH¿WHGIURPDUHFHQWSODFH
and will allow us to reduce
waiting times.”
The baby room has also
been refurbished, making for
a much brighter environment
that is being enjoyed by both
staff and the children.
The Play House Day
Nursery has 58 children in
total and was awarded the
Quality Mark, a national
accreditation for schools
that demonstrate high
standards, earlier this year.
08 RM MAGAZINE
Two clinical nurse specialists
(CNSs) from The Royal Marsden
are to present their research
work at this year’s San Antonio
Breast Cancer Symposium in the
USA – a first for the Trust.
Melissa Warren and Diane
Mackie, CNSs in secondary
(metastatic) breast cancer, will
present their study – entitled
‘The complexity of non face-toface work with patients affected
by metastatic breast cancer
and their carers. The “hidden
consultations” of the clinical
nurse specialist’ – at the
prestigious annual symposium,
held in San Antonio, Texas,
in December.
The needs of women with
metastatic breast cancer can
be complex and the role of the
CNS is important in their care.
Having contact with someone
who has specialist knowledge
and understanding of a patient’s
treatment and care can help
reduce a patient’s anxieties
and help them to cope with
the complications of having
metastatic breast cancer.
The study looked at the
complexity of patient interaction
via telephone, which is not
a formally recognised part of
a CNS’s role, compared with
face-to-face contact. It has
highlighted the importance
of telephone contact between
CNSs, patients and their carers,
and that this work needs to
be formally identified.
Melissa and Diane said: “To
have our abstract accepted by
the San Antonio Breast Cancer
Symposium is a real honour
and gives us an unprecedented
opportunity to present our
work and promote the role
of The Royal Marsden CNS
for secondary breast cancer.
“It will allow us to show that
the nursing profession is also
striving to produce evidencebased research that benefits
patient care and validates the
role of the CNS.”
Dr Shelley Dolan, Chief Nurse
at The Royal Marsden, said: “It
is a true testament of Melissa and
Diane’s skills as CNSs that their
work is being presented to their
peers from around the world.”
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Diane Mackie (left) and
Melissa Warren
Hospital news
Professor Martin Gore, Royal
Marsden Medical Director, with
nurses at the Chemotherapy
&DUHZLWK&RQÀGHQFHHYHQW
Multidisciplinary approach
CHEMO FORUM
FOR NURSES
Nursing staff from across the
Trust have participated in a day
of training in which they shared
up-to-date information in the
prescription and administration
of chemotherapy.
The Chemotherapy Care
with Confidence study day
in August followed two key
principles: dissemination of
evidence-based information, and
addressing everyday activities
performed in the clinical area.
A key theme was collaboration
with other members of the
multidisciplinary team who are
directly involved with decisionmaking and the prescription
of chemotherapy drugs.
SURGEON
ELECTED TO
PRESTIGIOUS
ROLE
It is a real honour
to have been elected
by my peers to
this role
MR BILL ALLUM, CONSULTANT UPPER
GI SURGEON, THE ROYAL MARSDEN
Royal Marsden surgeon
Mr Bill Allum has been elected
as President of the Association
of Upper Gastrointestinal
Surgeons of Great Britain
and Ireland (AUGIS).
The President is elected by the
AUGIS membership, signifying
the appointment as a public
demonstration of the high regard
Mr Allum’s peers have for his
abilities and for him personally.
Mr Allum said: “It is a real
honour to have been elected by
my peers to this role. It is a role
with real responsibility, advising
nationally on significant surgical
developments, training and
service provision for upper GI
surgery across the country,
as well as hosting our annual
scientific meeting.”
New fellowship honours
pioneering breast surgeon
A fellowship has been set up in memory
of one of The Royal Marsden’s most
popular and respected breast and
oncoplastics surgeons.
Caroline Richardson and Monika Kaushik
ZLOOEHWKH¿UVWWZREUHDVWWUDLQHHVRIWKH
Guidubaldo Querci della Rovere fellowship.
Mr Querci was a Consultant Breast and
Oncoplastic Surgeon at The Royal Marsden
in Sutton until his untimely death from
prostate cancer. He pioneered oncoplastic
EUHDVWVXUJHU\DQGGHGLFDWHGWKH¿QDO\HDUV
of his career to teaching and training young
surgeons from around the world.
RM MAGAZINE 09
Hospital news
Former patient Emily
Ash (right) with Nicki
Murtagh, Head of
Therapies
Young patients’ therapy
NEW EQUIPMENT
FOR OAK CENTRE
The Royal Marsden’s young
patients have benefited from
equipment worth more than
£6,000 thanks to a generous
donation from the Emily Ash
Trust and the Bender family.
The Oak Centre for Children
and Young People therapy room
has been filled with brightly
coloured therapy equipment
and sensory toys to aid young
patients’ rehabilitation during
their cancer treatment.
Nicki Murtagh, Head of
Therapies, said: “We are so
grateful to the Emily Ash Trust
and the Bender family for their
support and generous donation.
It will make a huge difference
to our patients and staff.
“The equipment is interactive
and colourful to appeal to all
ages. The room is now really
motivational and a fun
environment for the children
to receive their therapy. It will
be used for physiotherapy,
occupational therapy, speech
therapy and dietetics.
“The walking bars have
helped one of our young
patients take her first steps,
which is wonderful.”
The Emily Ash Trust was set
up in Emily’s name following
her successful cancer treatment
at The Royal Marsden 12 years
ago. Emily, now 18, said: “This
really means a lot to me to see
how we can help patients.”
Helping patients to live well
ART GETS THUMBS UP
Patients, carers and visitors
have given their approval to
the artwork, poetry and music
at The Royal Marsden in the
Arts Forum Survey.
Nearly 90 per cent of
respondents felt that the artwork
at The Royal Marsden helps to
improve the atmosphere and
the patient experience in the
hospital, with one patient
describing it as “very calming”.
10 RM MAGAZINE
The survey also showed that
people found our poetry leaflets
enjoyable – with one saying
they encouraged “good and
peaceful thoughts”. Following
feedback, the Arts Forum is
looking into ways to promote
the leaflets and make them
more accessible.
Respondents also said that
they would enjoy hearing more
music around the hospital.
A new health and wellbeing event for
Royal Marsden patients who want to make
positive changes to their lifestyle following
treatment has been hailed as a success.
The ‘Make Change, Live Well’ event was
held in September at The Royal Marsden in
Chelsea. In attendance were breast cancer
patients on open-access follow-up who had
completed their treatment in the past year.
They heard presentations from experts
about healthy living and cancer prevention,
with a focus on physical activity, healthy
eating and awareness of other long-term
conditions such as diabetes. Patients also
had the chance the talk to Royal Marsden
staff and other professionals from
organisations such as Macmillan Cancer
Support and Diabetes UK.
Hospital news
Staff Awards 2012
Pop-up shop boosts
cancer awareness
The winners of the 2012
Staff Achievement Awards,
announced at the Staff Awards
Ceremony on 24 November at
the Tower of London, are:
Pursuing Excellence
Dawn Smith, Nursery Manager
Ensuring Quality
Individual: Paulina Markovic,
Quality Manager
Team: Pathology Quality Leads
Driving Efficiency
Individual: Claudine Cleaver,
Service Improvement Manager
Team: Physiotherapy –
outpatients, Sutton and Merton
Community Services
Breaking Boundaries
Individual: Emilda Thompson,
Senior Research Nurse
Team: Professor Mitch Dowsett
and team, Academic Biochemistry
Developing Potential
Dr Khin Thway, Consultant
Histopathologist
Anything’s Possible
Individual: Tina Shaughnessy,
Senior Staff Nurse, IV Team
Team: PATCH team
Working Together
Individual: Lisa Ogden,
Specialist Speech and
Language Therapist
Team: Dr Julia Chisholm,
Consultant Paediatric
Oncologist, and Amber Conley,
Matron, Oak Centre for Children
and Young People
Outstanding Contribution
Individual: Bernadette Knight,
Staff Support Facilitator,
Psychological Support
Team: Lung unit research team,
research nurses and clinical trial
co-ordinators
Unsung Hero/Heroine Patricia
Stanley, Welfare Rights Advisor
Outstanding Leadership
Caroline Blackburn, Specialist
Nurse, Dietetics
We’ll have more details of the
Staff Awards Ceremony in the
spring 2013 issue of RM.
Dr Vincent Khoo,
Consultant Clinical
Oncologist
Acclaim for clinical trials
UROLOGY UNIT
RECOGNISED WITH
RESEARCH AWARD
he Royal Marsden’s
Urology Unit has been
recognised with an INC
Research Recognition Award
for its work in clinical trials.
In recent years, the Urology
Unit has continued to develop
its portfolio to offer all prostate
cancer patients choices in their
treatment, as well as access to
new treatments and therapies.
INC Research – a global
contract research organisation
that runs trials for pharmaceutical
companies – named the unit
as Best Performance Site for
Clinical Trials, deeming it the
highest recruiter in trials in
its field and praising the
exceptional quality of data.
Dr Vincent Khoo, Consultant
Clinical Oncologist and Head
of Radiotherapy Services at
The Royal Marsden, said:
“It is an honour to be selected
from an international field and
to be recognised for the high
quality of work undertaken for
the clinical trials conducted here.
“This is due to the dedicated
and cohesive teamwork from all
T
our unit members, particularly
our Clinical Trials Unit, in
ensuring and maintaining high
standards. This award speaks
to the excellent calibre of our
research team members and
I am very proud to be part of
this great team.”
Debra Townsend-Thorn,
Senior Research Nurse in the
Urology Unit, said: “The team
works extremely hard to
maintain our excellent research
conduct. It’s a pleasure to work
with a team where we all strive
to do our best at all times, with
obvious dedication.”
This award speaks
to the excellent
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RM MAGAZINE 11
SPOTLIGHT ON SURGERY
In theatre:
meet our surgeons
We speak to some of The Royal Marsden surgeons who are performing
groundbreaking procedures in the treatment of cancer
s
urgery is one of the most common
treatments for cancer. At The Royal
Marsden, we pride ourselves in
pushing the boundaries of surgical innovation.
By constantly improving surgical
techniques and investing in leading-edge
technologies such as our da Vinci S robot,
we strive to ensure that both inpatients and
outpatients – whether under local or general
anaesthetic – continue to receive the best
new treatments. This can mean less time
in theatre, less time in hospital, quicker
recovery times and better outcomes.
BREAST RECONSTRUCTION
New advances for mastectomy patients
Mr Paul Harris, Consultant Plastic Surgeon
and Clinical Lead of the Department of Plastic
and Reconstructive Surgery, explains that the
multidisciplinary care at The Royal Marsden
allows other specialists to remove cancers with
a wider clearance margin, without worrying
about how to close the opening afterwards.
“There are many techniques to close large
or difficult wounds, but the main method
involves isolating unaffected parts of the
body – tissue flaps – away from the tumour
and then transferring them by reconnecting
their blood supply at the new site,” he says.
“This involves the use of a microscope to
reconnect the blood supply, and at
The Royal Marsden we have become highly
specialised in the use of microvascular
tissue-transfer techniques.” Examples of
this are newer types of breast reconstruction
that use flaps connected to one another.
12 RM MAGAZINE
The most frequently used tissue for breast
reconstruction following a mastectomy is
from the stomach in the form of a DIEP (deep
inferior epigastric perforator) flap. However,
Mr Harris explains, not all patients have
enough tissue to undergo this procedure – an
athletic build or previous abdominal surgery
would rule a patient out of a DIEP flap.
He says: “We have now developed a
surgical procedure that uses tissue from the
upper inner-thigh area. This tissue is based
on a muscle called the gracilis – hence it is
called the TUG (transverse upper gracilis)
flap. The procedure involves the removal of
the loose skin and fat with a small underlying
muscle high up in the groin and leaves
a hidden scar in the groin crease.” Both
inner-thigh muscles are used, connected
using microvascular surgery techniques
and transferred as a double flap to the
chest wall, in a procedure known as a
flap-to-flap bilateral TUG reconstruction.
Mr Harris says: “The advantage of not
using implants is that these reconstructions
are permanent and age naturally with the
patient. This offers a significant improvement
in terms of recovery from breast cancer
treatment that includes a mastectomy.” «
These reconstructions
are permanent and age
naturally with the patient
MR PAUL HARRIS, CONSULTANT PLASTIC SURGEON
AND CLINICAL LEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY
Surgery focus
RM MAGAZINE 13
Mr Satvinder
Mudan, Consultant
Gastrointestinal
Surgeon
Professor David Nicol,
Consultant Urological
Surgeon
Mr Kelvin Ramsey,
Consultant Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgeon
Mr Paul Harris,
Consultant Plastic
Surgeon and Clinical
Lead of the Department
of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery
Mr Cyrus Kerawala,
Consultant Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgeon
14 RM MAGAZINE
Surgery focus
Surgery
statistics
90%
of cancer
patients have
some type of
surgery, whether
for diagnosis,
treatment
or ongoing
management of
complications
6,000–
7,000
operations take
place at The
Royal Marsden
every year
85%
of breast cancer
patients have
surgery
10%
of lung cancer
patients have
surgery
CASE STUDY:
Christine Fellows,
47, teacher
“When I was told I
had breast cancer,
I was so frightened
that I wouldn’t
survive, the last thing
I was thinking about
was how I was going to look afterwards.
“I found a lump in July 2011 and thought
it was just a cyst. That October, I eventually
went to the doctor, who assured me it was
fine. I went back just before Christmas and
was referred to The Royal Marsden.
“Just before I was about to go Christmas
shopping, I arrived at the Rapid Diagnostic
and Assessment Centre, not expecting
anything to be wrong with me. I was
given the results of my mammogram and
was told it was cancer. I was so shocked
– I couldn’t believe it.
“I went away and surprisingly had a
wonderful Christmas with my husband and
three children. I suppose I was treasuring my
life more than I had just days before.
“After Christmas, I had several more tests
including an MRI scan. As my tumour was
2cm in diameter and was surrounded by
7cm of pre-cancerous tissue, and I had small
breasts, a mastectomy was the best option.
I was involved with this decision every step
of the way. The support nurses were very
kind and showed me various options and
photographs, which was really helpful.
“I didn’t realise I would have so many
options, as reconstruction was not something
I was thinking about at that stage. I just
wanted to be free of cancer, and the
reconstruction was more for my family’s sake.
“My surgeon, Mr Paul Harris, had
explained that I would not have been able
to have the standard procedure as I didn’t
have enough spare tissue in the stomach
area, and that the TUG reconstruction was
better for me. I was grateful to have another
option, as it was all quite new at this stage.
“My operation to have a flap-to-flap
bilateral TUG breast reconstruction was
scheduled for Valentine’s Day. The first
half of the surgery was with Mr Bill Allum,
who removed the cancer and my breast
tissue. A lymph gland was also taken
for biopsy. He then handed over to Mr
Harris and his team.
“Mr Harris took a circular disc from the
gracilis muscle in my thighs and used the
tissue to reconstruct my breast. The operation
took about six hours in total. I was in hospital
for about five days after the operation and
was back to work within six weeks.
“It is incredible to think that it is all my own
tissue with its own blood supply. Fortunately,
my cancer was slow-growing and not
aggressive, so I did not need chemotherapy
and radiotherapy. I’d like to sincerely thank
all the staff at The Royal Marsden involved
in my treatment and care. They not only
saved my life, but also reconstructed me
to feel like me again.” «
Consultant Plastic
Surgeon Mr Paul
Harris in theatre
Mr Harris took tissue from
my thighs and used it to
reconstruct my breast...
It is incredible
CHRISTINE FELLOWS, ROYAL MARSDEN PATIENT
RM MAGAZINE 15
patients who are suffering from
lymphoedema after breast cancer. We hope
to prove that this treatment can provide
significant benefit to our patients.
“We hope that this new procedure
can potentially change these patients’
lives and reduce the need to wear
compression garments.’’
The Royal Marsden’s
surgeons at work
16 RM MAGAZINE
MICROSURGERY
UROLOGICAL SURGERY
The future of microsurgical techniques at
The Royal Marsden looks exciting, with
a lymphoedema patient undergoing
pioneering surgery here recently.
This microsurgery involves the connection
of the lymphatic channels to the veins to treat
swollen limbs that can become blocked when
cancer spreads to the lymph nodes.
“Microsurgical techniques have improved
enormously in the past few years,” says
Mr Kelvin Ramsey, Consultant Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgeon. “We can now use
near infrared imaging systems to image the
limb – the arm, for example – and show the
position of functioning lymphatic channels.
I can then find those tiny lymphatic channels
and reroute them into the bloodstream,
therefore emptying the arm of the excess
fluid and improving the lymphoedema.
“Initially we shall be offering this surgery
to a limited number of patients. However,
once the service has been fully set up,
we hope to offer it to many more, and in
particular we will be concentrating on those
Building up a minimally invasive urological
service at The Royal Marsden is a priority
for Professor David Nicol, Consultant
Urological Surgeon, and his colleague
Mr Pardeep Kumar.
Professor Nicol, who was one of the first
surgeons in the world to use laparoscopic
surgical techniques for urology patients
20 years ago, joined The Royal Marsden
earlier this year. He is increasing the number
of minimally invasive procedures performed
at the hospital for patients with kidney cancer.
These keyhole operations aim to remove all
or part of the kidney that contains a cancer.
Laparoscopic nephrectomy is used when the
entire kidney needs to be removed. For many
smaller tumours, robotic partial nephrectomy
using the da Vinci S, removing only a part
of the kidney, is now also being performed.
These minimally invasive procedures are
best suited to patients who are at an early
stage of the disease when the tumours are
small (generally up to about 4cm in size).
The techniques are, however, not appropriate
Pioneering techniques
improve outcomes
New keyhole procedures
for kidney patients
Surgery focus
for patients who have large kidney tumours or
whose disease is at a very advanced stage.
Until recently, the standard treatment
for kidney cancer has been an open
nephrectomy under general anaesthetic to
remove the kidney through a large incision.
While laparoscopic nephrectomy and
robotically assisted partial nephrectomy are
also performed under general anaesthetic,
just three or four small abdominal incisions
are enough to provide access for the surgical
instruments used to operate on the kidney.
When the whole kidney is removed, it is
enclosed in a bag and extracted through
a small incision in the lower abdomen.
Because these operations are less invasive,
the patient experiences much less pain,
spends less time in hospital and is able to
return to normal activities much sooner
than with traditional open surgery.
Professor Nicol says: “We are lucky at
The Royal Marsden to have the infrastructure
and equipment to perform these operations,
as well as the support to continue to develop
new surgical techniques for our patients.”
FACIAL RECONSTRUCTION
Combined operation helps
reduce surgery time
operations that remove the tumour and
install teeth implants.
The current approach to reconstruction
is free tissue transfer – the transplantation of
a flap of bone or soft tissue from a remote
part of the body into the surgical defect and
the re-establishment of its blood supply via
microvascular surgery techniques. Although
this fills the defect with living tissue and
restores the lost bones and soft tissues of the
face, it does not comprehensively rehabilitate
the patient – because teeth are not replaced,
functions such as chewing are compromised.
“The traditional approach is to then place
dental implants into the transplanted bone
about six months after the initial operation,”
says Mr Kerawala. “After another period
of some three months to allow the implants
to fuse to the bone, crowns or bridges are
attached to them – only then is function and
cosmesis truly restored. In total, this approach
requires three separate operations and means
that patients rarely have teeth replaced until
at least a year after their initial surgery.”
The new procedure will combine these
three stages of surgery into one operation.
Mr Kerawala explains that a template is
made with the aid of stereolithographic
models derived from CT scan data, which
allows dental implants to be placed at the
time of the initial free tissue transfer.
He says: “Typically, a patient stays in
hospital for 10 to 14 days following free-flap
surgery. This time will be used to construct a
temporary bridge so that on discharge from
hospital, the patient will have their teeth
replaced just a fortnight after their initial
operation, rather than a year. This should
return appearance and function quickly, with
obvious benefits to their quality of life.” rm
The patient will have their
teeth replaced after two
weeks rather than a year
MR CYRUS KERAWALA, CONSULTANT ORAL AND
MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON
Iron
infusions
pilot
Consultant
Surgeon Mr
Satvinder Mudan
and Consultant
Anaesthetist Dr
Ravi RaoBaikady
have been working
on a new project
that is reducing the
amount of donated
blood being used in
major operations.
Over the past
three years, the
pair – with the
help of the Blood
Transfusion
Service and clinical
colleagues – have
trialled a pilot in
which patients are
given iron infusions
instead of blood.
Using iron infusions
pushes a patient’s
body to produce
its own blood,
meaning they no
longer need to have
transfusions using
donated blood.
Mr Mudan says:
³7KHPDLQEHQH¿W
of using iron
infusions instead of
blood is that there
can be some side
effects from giving
patients someone
else’s blood – some
people can develop
unpleasant
LQÀDPPDWRU\
reactions.” He adds
that because it is
expensive to buy in
blood, there are cost
savings as well.
The Royal Marsden will become one of
the world’s first hospitals to combine three
surgical procedures into one for head
and neck cancer patients. The pioneering
surgery – designed and performed by Mr
Cyrus Kerawala, Consultant Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgeon – merges three
RM MAGAZINE 17
SURGERY STAFF
The team
behind the
scenes
Theatre staff are the unsung heroes of
surgery at The Royal Marsden, providing
essential perioperative care to our patients
b
ehind every surgical procedure
performed at The Royal Marsden is
a large team responsible for ensuring
that the operation goes smoothly. The care
provided is known as perioperative care,
which comprises three interconnected
phases: anaesthetics, surgery and recovery.
Theatre staff are essential in ensuring that
the patient receives the best care – surgery
would not be able to go ahead without them.
The Anaesthetist
Dr Matthew Hacking is Lead Anaesthetist
at The Royal Marsden – an important and
specialised role within the surgical team.
The safety of patients is key to his role.
Before a patient goes into theatre, he will visit
them, take their medical history to identify
any risk factors that could increase the
likelihood of complications, and discuss the
most appropriate method of anaesthesia and
pain management. He may also prescribe
premedication (premeds), to reduce anxiety
or nausea, or to meet the specific operation
or medical needs of a patient.
In theatre, Matthew monitors the patient
during the operation, and makes sure that
they wake up comfortably afterwards. He then
ensures that the patient receives pain relief,
treats any nausea, prescribes fluids and
oxygen, and checks that the patient is stable
before being returned to the ward.
Matthew has seen great change over the
past decade. “The anaesthetics team has
grown in line with the increasingly dedicated
and specialised surgical departments,” he
says. “The acute care facilities are fully
developed, with an exceptional new theatre
18 RM MAGAZINE
complex and Critical Care Unit. Many new
surgical advances are being made, such as
robotic techniques, for ever more complex
procedures. These bring their own challenges.
“The department is committed to improving
the patient experience, reducing risk and
improving outcomes. We are in a position
to make a serious impact on the future of
perioperative care for cancer patients.”
The Team Leader
Operating department practitioners (ODPs)
work with surgeons, anaesthetists and theatre
nurses to ensure that every operation is as
safe and effective as possible. ODPs need
a broad knowledge base, including
management and communication skills,
and are involved with the assessment and
delivery of perioperative care.
As an ODP with the role of Team Leader,
Miriam Skeates co-ordinates the theatre staff
rota and ensures the effective and timely
running of the operating lists. Miriam is
also Team Leader ODP for head and neck
surgery, which means that she works to
improve the service, ensuring that the patient
remains the primary focus.
“I work closely with the head and neck
multidisciplinary team, planning and
preparing for major complex surgical cases,”
she says. “I also carry out post-operative
visits to patients to evaluate the care that
Dr Matthew Hacking,
Lead Anaesthetist (top),
DQG'DQLHO*ULIÀWKV
Operating Department
Practitioner (above)
Surgery focus
they received in theatre. This allows me to
have patient contact as I don’t get to meet
them before their operations.
“Often, complex surgeries can last
for around 12 hours so my role can be quite
challenging and tiring. But it is a unique
working environment and I feel privileged to
be part of such a talented, dedicated team.”
The Operating Department Practitioner
Daniel Griffiths is an Operating Department
Practitioner specialising in anaesthetics.
“I work with anaesthetists to make sure
that a patient doesn’t have any pain from,
or memory of, their procedure,” he says.
Daniel is also responsible for the ‘difficult
airway’ trolley, which is used in anaesthetic
emergencies when a patient is experiencing
difficulties breathing. He says: “I work
closely with the multidisciplinary team to
carry out the best plan of care for patients.
A patient cannot have an invasive operation
without an anaesthetic, so our role is
essential in a patient’s care journey.”
Daniel has contact with patients who
have specific emotional and clinical needs,
and he enjoys making a positive impact at
an otherwise difficult time in their lives.
“The job is very rewarding, but it can be a
challenge. I work with a lot of great people
who have become friends and that can help
make the job a lot less stressful.”
The Recovery Staff Nurse
Martin Galligan is a Recovery Staff Nurse,
caring for patients in the Recovery Unit
immediately after their surgery. His
role involves waking patients from their
anaesthetic, making sure they are stable and
helping to manage any pain they may have.
Patients can be in recovery from 30 minutes
to a couple of hours, or even overnight,
depending on the complexity of their surgery.
“We are a really close team, which is
important,” says Martin. “We often care for a
number of patients who have varying health
complexities, and it takes a real team effort to
make sure all their needs are met.”
The team also looks at new ways to
streamline care, processes and pain
management following day surgery. Martin
says: “Streamlining care is better for patients
because the less time they spend in the
Recovery Unit, the quicker they can start
eating, drinking and moving – all of which
helps speed up their recovery.” rm
Miriam Skeates,
Operating Department
Practitioner Team
Leader (above left),
and Martin Galligan,
Recovery Staff Nurse
(above)
Complex surgery can be
challenging and tiring, but
I am lucky to work with
such a dedicated team
MIRIAM SKEATES, OPERATING DEPARTMENT PRACTITIONER
TEAM LEADER
RM MAGAZINE 19
PAEDIATRIC DRUG DEVELOPMENT
Progress in childhood
cancer treatments
Pioneering work at the Oak Centre for Children and Young People
has improved treatment options for a range of paediatric cancers
d
rug development to treat paediatric
cancers has rapidly grown at The
Royal Marsden in the past five years.
The ambition to cure children who have
cancer has led to the hospital becoming the
UK’s leading centre for paediatric Phase I
and II clinical trials and playing a key role in
the development of new drugs for childhood
cancers in Europe.
The opening of the state-of-the-art Oak
Centre for Children and Young People
(OCCYP) last year has greatly aided the ability
of the centre’s drug development team to
recruit patients onto studies. Professor Andy
Pearson, Head of Drug Development at the
OCCYP and Cancer Research UK Professor
of Paediatric Oncology, says: “We currently
have 12 trials running: seven are Phase I trials
and five are Phase II. We strive to cure all
children with cancer, but also want to improve
the prognosis for four specific tumour types:
high-risk neuroblastoma, high-grade glioma,
high-risk rhabdomyosarcoma and leukaemia.
“All four of these have a low treatment
success rate at present – between 20 and
40 per cent – so the drug development
team is working hard to increase these rates.
We hope that by opening Phase I trials, we
will get more drugs into the clinical process.”
The centre’s larger children’s outpatients
department and day care unit have helped
accommodate the additional early-phase
study patients for outpatient visits and
trial-related investigations. The new dedicated
‘hot-lab’ facility, drug development research
nurses and clinical fellows, and the
20 RM MAGAZINE
appointment of a tissue collector, means
that samples can be prepared on site
immediately, ensuring the quality of study
samples and expediting shipment to the
analysing facilities. The increase in the
number of studies has broadened treatment
options for a wider spectrum of poorprognosis paediatric cancers.
Every young patient who experiences a
relapse is now considered for Phase I and II
trials of new drugs. “Parents regard our trials
as offering hope and want their children to
have access to new drugs,” says Dr Lynley
Marshall, Oak Consultant in Paediatric
Oncology Drug Development. “Thirty per
cent of our paediatric early-phase trial
patients have been referred to us from
other centres around the country.
“We’ve had some excellent results. I have
patients who were considered to have a very
poor prognosis at the beginning of the year
and are still doing well. It is hugely rewarding
to see trial drugs working for young patients.”
Paediatric
cancers
Surgery
focus
Professor Andy
Pearson, Head of Drug
Development at the
OCCYP (previous page);
drug development
under way in the
‘hot-lab’ (below)
Trials in the media spotlight
CASE STUDY:
In a recent interview for Channel 4 News,
Dr Julia Chisholm, Head of the Oak Centre
for Children and Young People, discussed
a trial taking place at the centre for relapsed
rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft-tissue tumour
affecting about 70–80 children and 35–40
adults each year in the UK.
Dr Chisholm is the UK Chief Investigator
for this international trial, the first European
trial in recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma that is
open to both adults and children. The trial is
a randomised Phase II study looking at the
activity and tolerability of the combination
of three drugs (vincristine, irinotecan and
temozolomide) in relapsed and refractory
rhabdomyosarcoma. The aim of the study is
to define the efficacy of using vincristine and
irinotecan alone or with temozolomide as
standard therapy for patients with recurrent
rhadomyosarcoma. The hope is then to add
targeted therapies to the defined standard
therapy in an attempt to produce a
personalised medicine approach, leading
to better outcomes in relapsed disease and
new approaches for first-line therapies.
Joan Hurst, mother
of patient Clarissa, 15
“Clarissa was
diagnosed with a gradefour pineoblastoma two
years ago. By the time it
was diagnosed, the tumour in her brain had
spread down her spine. She had high-dose
chemotherapy followed by six weeks of
radiotherapy, but an MRI scan revealed that
the brain tumour had started growing again.
“We took up the offer of an initial drug trial.
Initially it worked, but the tumour returned
again. We were then told about another trial
using an adult drug: ridaforolimus. Clarissa
was one of the first children to go on the trial
in February and now takes a tablet every
other day. So far, the tumour has stayed the
same size. She is back at school and
worrying about her GCSEs.
“I believe that the drug development team
will keep finding something else for Clarissa.
They’ve given me hope.” rm
RM MAGAZINE 19
Varied days: Lizzie
assesses the needs
of her patients (left);
discussing case notes
and care plans with
colleagues (above,
right and below)
Helping
someone to
regain their
strength and
independence
makes my
job very
rewarding
22 RM MAGAZINE
6WDIISUR¿OH
A DAY IN THE LIFE
/L]]LH-RQHV
6HQLRU 2FFXSDWLRQDO7KHUDSLVW
a
fter a brisk cycle to work, my
morning starts with multidisciplinary
handovers on Wilson Ward and
with the physiotherapists in the Critical
Care Unit (CCU). I review my caseload
with the other occupational therapists
and we plan our day ahead.
Patient assessments and rehabilitation
sessions on Wilson Ward and the CCU
take up much of the day. Cancer treatment
can have both emotional and physical
repercussions for a patient. I assess a
patient’s functional and practical needs by
finding out about their home life, routines
and environment and then assessing and
practising particular activities of daily life.
This could be anything from mobility and
practising personal care to performing
kitchen tasks, which may prove physically
harder after cancer treatment.
I once baked a cake with a patient in the
CCU to help improve their sitting balance,
upper limb strength, dexterity and exercise
tolerance. Baking was an important activity
for him, helping to restore a sense of
normality. It was a fun task, but it also shows
the variety of therapeutic activities we use in
the CCU. As for the cake, it was enjoyed by
the patient’s family on the CCU balcony.
)URPVWUHQJWKWRVWUHQJWK
I’ve been in this role for three years, and
love the fact that I cover a wide range of
areas, seeing patients at different stages
of their cancer journey. In the CCU, I’m
involved in the early rehabilitation of
patients to maximise their general strength
and their independence with functional
tasks such as getting out of bed, getting
washed and engaging in leisure activities
on the ward. It’s a key stage of a patient’s
rehabilitation, giving patients a greater
sense of control and feeling of improvement.
On Wilson Ward, I tend to work with
patients who may require discharge
planning. Following assessment, I make
recommendations for any discharge
requirements, such as social services
referrals, rehabilitation at home or arranging
equipment to maximise their independence.
$KROLVWLFDSSURDFK
Relaxation therapy with both inpatients and
outpatients is an important aspect of my
work. Taking a holistic approach, I teach
one-to-one techniques using guided
visualisation or muscular relaxation to help
patients manage fatigue, anxiety, pain or
stress. Relaxation therapy gives patients the
chance to relax in a tranquil environment.
Seeing a patient’s functionality improve
or helping someone to regain their strength
and independence makes my job very
rewarding. Helping them achieve their
goal to go home or manage anxiety with
relaxation techniques makes me feel proud
of what I do. I also enjoy working with my
colleagues across all disciplines.
Effective teamwork provides the highest
standard of care for our patients, and
working so closely with such experienced
and caring colleagues means that I always
enjoy my job. This year, I was also lucky
enough to represent The Royal Marsden
in the Olympic Opening Ceremony. I wore
my Royal Marsden badge on my costume
and felt proud to be a part of such a
momentous occasion. rm
RM MAGAZINE 23
Hospital groups
PCAG AND
THE FRIENDS
NEW PCAG CHAIRMAN
TAKES STOCK
Charles McGregor, Chairman of the Patient and Carer
$GYLVRU\*URXSUHÀHFWVRQWKHJURXS¶VLPSRUWDQWUROH
The Patient and Carer Advisory
Group (PCAG) is represented in
a large number of important
committees throughout the
hospital framework. The work
we do highlights the scope of
our engagement to improve the
patient experience in all parts
of the Trust, from our Chelsea
and Sutton sites to our unit
at Kingston Hospital and
within Sutton and Merton
Community Services.
I would like to highlight the
significance of PCAG’s role.
We are not just an advisory
group: we are an engagement
group to help better the Trust
as it reflects on the patient
experience. PCAG members
sit on committees such as
the Clinical Audit Committee,
Equality and Diversity
Committee, Integrated
Governance and Risk
Management Committee,
the Patient Environment
Action Team and the Pelvic
Radiation Steering Group to
name but a few.
As well as our committee
work, we also scrutinise the
Trust’s information booklets,
run our successful Listening
Post scheme and work with the
hospital’s Patient Advice and
Liaison Service and the
Customer Service Excellence
Steering Group.
PCAG members have a
particular interest in many
different areas, namely the
safeguarding of vulnerable
adults, chemotherapy waiting
times, the vital role of the
breast care clinical nurse
specialist, and improvements
in the hospital’s automated
switchboard. We are looking
forward to our continued work
in these areas.
PCAG plays a significant
role within the framework of
the Trust and we have achieved
a lot over the years. We do face
some challenges ahead in how
we can best engage with
patients and staff within Sutton
and Merton Community
Services, but as well as
developing a strategy for this,
my focus as Chairman is to
ensure PCAG continues its
important work.
Charles took over
from previous
PCAG Chairman
Mandie Adams
McGuire and will
remain in this role
until 2014
Charles McGregor, Chairman of the
Patient and Carer Advisory Group
24 RM MAGAZINE
Detail from the
Chelsea chapel
(right) features
on this year’s
Christmas card
selection
THE FRIENDS OF THE ROYAL MARSDEN, CHELSEA
Christmas cards and
gifts now available
The Friends of The Royal
Marsden, Chelsea have used
an image from the chapel in
the Chelsea hospital as one of
the designs for their Christmas
cards. It is the first time the
chapel has been featured in the
Christmas collection.
“It’s been an exciting
project,” said Wendy Crabb,
Chairman of The Friends of
The Royal Marsden, Chelsea.
“Lots of departments have
worked together to make this
happen, including the Medical
Photography team, the hospital
Chaplain Alistair McCulloch
and, of course, our volunteers
in The Friends shop.”
The result is a lovely card
depicting one of the mosaic
angels from behind the altar.
The design is available from
The Friends shop, trolley and
café along with a further
selection of Christmas cards.
All profits go to The Friends
and their support of The
Royal Marsden.
Lots of new gifts are also
available in The Friends shop,
including wash bags, photo
frames, notelets and the new
Lulu Guinness tote bag.
The Friends Carol Concert
On Tuesday 4 December,
The Friends Carol Concert
took place at Holy Trinity
Church in Sloane Square.
Held jointly with The Royal
Brompton and Chelsea and
Westminster hospitals, the
event was a lovely evening
of wine and mince pies,
featuring guest speakers
including television
personality Angela Rippon.
Fundraising
THE ROYAL MARSDEN
CANCER CHARITY
The Marsden March: back for a third year
In 2012, The Marsden
March raised over
£1 million. This year,
we’re hoping to go
one step better
or two years running,
The Marsden March has
surpassed all expectations.
In light of the huge enthusiasm
and support for the event, the
2013 event on Sunday 17 March
is open to even more walkers,
giving many more patients, staff,
family and friends of The Royal
Marsden a chance to take part.
Registration is now open for
the 14-mile sponsored walk
from our Chelsea hospital to our
Sutton hospital and the familyfriendly five-mile route between
King George’s Playing Fields in
Merton and The Royal Marsden
in Sutton. At the finish line, there
will be a party with live music, a
BBQ, children’s entertainment
and various stalls and activities.
Last year, the five-mile event
attracted more families with
young children than ever before.
Michelle Stepney, who was
F
treated for cervical cancer at
The Royal Marsden six years
ago, took part in 2012 with her
family. She said: “I am forever
grateful to The Royal Marsden.
The Marsden March was
wonderful and was poignant
for us, as we did it as a family.”
All the funds raised from
The Marsden March go directly
to The Royal Marsden Cancer
Charity, which supports the
work of The Royal Marsden.
To get involved, visit www.
royalmarsden.org/march
TRH The Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge and Prince Harry
attended the Audi Polo Challenge
Celebrate a Life this year
Every year at The Royal
Marsden, we place thousands
of stars on our Christmas trees
– each one celebrating the life
of a loved one.
This year, the Christmas
tree lights will be switched
on at 6pm on Tuesday 11
December in Sutton and
Thursday 13 December in
Chelsea, followed by a short
carol service to celebrate the
lives of those we love.
To find out more, visit
www.royalmarsden.org/star
CHRISTMAS CARDS
There’s still time to buy your Christmas cards from
The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity’s Christmas
selection, which includes a wide range of cards,
wrapping paper, 2013 diaries and pin badges. Order
online at www.royalmarsden.org/shop by Monday
10 December to ensure you receive your cards in plenty
of time before last posting. Alternatively, visit our
IXQGUDLVLQJRI¿FHVLQ&KHOVHDDQG6XWWRQGXULQJRI¿FH
hours and purchase cards any time until Christmas.
RM MAGAZINE 25
Celebrating a decade
of innovation
Since 2002, The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity has raised
£100 million to fund developments in cancer research, diagnosis,
treatment and care. As we celebrate, vital support is still needed
ver the course of 2013, we
will be celebrating 10 years
of incredible fundraising
achievements. We will also be
looking ahead to the next 10 years
and our vision of even greater
progress, as cancer treatment
becomes ever more personalised.
Fundraising and philanthropy
have been central to the
development of the hospital for
decades, which prompted the
formation of our official charity
The Royal Marsden Cancer
Charity on 31 December 2002.
Over the past decade, The
Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
has raised £100 million and
funded a variety of pioneering
developments, including
CyberKnife, the latest in
radiotherapy technology; the
da Vinci S, a robot which has
revolutionised prostate surgery;
the Critical Care Unit, the only
facility in the UK providing full
O
26 RM MAGAZINE
intensive care exclusively for
cancer patients; and the Oak
Centre for Children and Young
People, Europe’s leading centre
for children and young people.
Our year-long campaign,
ten10 – a decade of innovation
at The Royal Marsden, will
celebrate a different project every
month and highlight the impact
it has had on cancer treatment
both at The Royal Marsden and
across the country.
This is only half the story,
though. There is much more still
to be achieved. Over the next 10
years, there will be even greater
progress as cancer treatment
becomes ever more personalised.
Our world-leading consultants
will be sharing their visions for
the next decade and the exciting
developments that hold so much
potential. Our ten10 campaign
aims to highlight the innovation
the charity has made possible
over the past decade, and share
the exciting visions of how cancer
treatment will change for the
benefit of cancer patients at
The Royal Marsden and beyond.
Supporting the charity and
raising money will be more
important than ever if we are
to make these visions a reality
and continue to invest in the
latest technology, facilities and
research at The Royal Marsden.
To watch a film about our
ten10 campaign and to find out
how you can get involved, visit
www.royalmarsden.org/ten10
DONATE YOUR BIRTHDAY
This year, make your birthday really count by donating
it to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Simply ask
friends and family to make a donation instead of buying
you presents. It could be the cost of a beer or a meal out –
every penny will make a difference to people with cancer.
Many hospital staff are taking part, from Chief
Executive Cally Palmer and Medical Director Professor
Martin Gore to Head of Radiotherapy Dr Vincent Khoo
and Community Fundraising Manager Amanda Heaton.
Donating your birthday will help us continue investing
in world-class innovation at The Royal Marsden to
EHQH¿WFDQFHUSDWLHQWVHYHU\ZKHUH7RGRQDWH\RXU
birthday, simply visit www.royalmarsden.org/ten10
Fundraising
da Vinci S
robotic
surgery
treated 200+
patients in
2009/10
300 young
inpatients a year
are treated at
the OCCYP
CyberKnife
treated 200+
patients in its
first year at
The Royal
Marsden
RM MAGAZINE 27
FOUNDATION NEWS
I have a great
admiration and
attachment to
your hospital after
my treatment there
last year – it is a
way of showing
appreciation
and support
IVY DOUGLAS, PATIENT MEMBER
Join now...
Pick up a leaflet
from around the
Trust, visit www.
royalmarsden.nhs.
uk/membership or
call the Foundation
Trust Office on
020 7808 2844.
Members take part in
a round-table discussion
(above) and tour the
Critical Care Unit (left)
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS
Join The Royal Marsden as a Member and help the hospital to stay patient-focused
Why The Royal Marsden
needs more Foundation
Trust Members
As an NHS Foundation
Trust, The Royal Marsden
is accountable to the
communities that it serves,
and an essential part of the way
that we do this is through
our Members.
It is vital that people join
the Trust as Members, as
not only is it a requirement of
a Foundation Trust on which it
is measured, but fundamentally
it helps the hospital to maintain
a patient-centred focus.
Whether a person’s interest
in the Trust is as a patient, as a
carer or as someone affected by
cancer, it is vital that we have as
many Members as possible.
28 RM MAGAZINE
What is Membership?
Membership is a simple way for
anyone who takes an interest in
The Royal Marsden to make a
difference. It’s free to join and
allows people to show their
support of the hospital and
the services that it provides.
Members receive information
that keeps them updated on
the Trust’s work – including
a copy of RM magazine – and
I like being able to
keep up to date with
what is happening
and to receive the
lovely RM magazine
KATE LANCEY-SMITH, PUBLIC MEMBER
can be invited to Members’
Events, which range from
clinical presentations by
pioneering experts to behindthe-scenes tours of the hospital
and leading-edge technology.
Governors, elected by
Members, represent community
interests at the highest level in
the Trust. They sit alongside
the Board of Directors and
ensure our accountability to the
communities the Trust serves.
connected with Members,
we are able to use their input
to shape our services.
If you are over 16 years old
and live in England, you can
become a Member. It is free, and
you can get involved as much
or as little as you wish. As a
Member, you can also have the
chance to vote for or stand as
a Governor, representing the
interests of patients, carers or
the local community.
Making a difference
Spread the word
Joining as a Member gives you
the opportunity to support and
get involved with one of the
world’s leading cancer centres.
As a Foundation Trust, we have
freedom to develop services for
our patients, and by staying
If you’re already a Member,
help us to spread the
Membership message to your
friends, family and colleagues
and encourage the people you
know to join and support
The Royal Marsden.
Foundation news
Your Governors
at a glance
Survey success
The Trust has received
the results of the National
Cancer Patient Experience
Survey, which saw more
than 1,600 Royal Marsden
patients provide their views.
The overall experience of
patients was rated very
highly at 92 per cent, and the
Trust was in the top 10 per
cent of Foundation Trusts
that had shown the most
improvement. To ensure
that the voice of patients
is heard, Governors will
be kept updated on the
plans to address areas
for improvement through
the Council of Governors
and the Patient Experience
Feedback Group.
Feedback on the experience
of patients is vital to the
Trust. As part of their role
in representing the interests
of Members, Governors are
involved in forums through
which assurance is sought.
They continue to receive
regular reports on Quality
Accounts at every Council of
Governors meeting in order
to monitor progress towards
quality targets, and are also
involved in the process for
producing the Annual
Quality Account Report,
ensuring that it focuses
on priorities for patients
and the public and is
presented in a way that
is accessible to them.
Date for your diary
Council of
Governors meeting
Tuesday 4 December
2012, 11am–1pm in
the Board Room,
The Royal Marsden,
Fulham Road, Chelsea.
Patient Governors
XPaediatric and Adolescent
Stacey Munns
XSouth West London
Anita Gray, Fiona Stewart, Edward
Crocker, Liz Coyne
XEast Elmbridge & Mid-Surrey
Dr James Laxton, Simon Spevack
XGreater London Dr Geoff
Harding, Hilary Bateson
XElsewhere in England
Sally Mason, Vikki Orvice
AGM
ROUNDUP
Carer Governors
Lesley-Ann Gooden,
John Preston, John Howard
Public Governors
XKensington & Chelsea
Dr Carol Joseph
XSutton & Merton
Tony Hazeldine
XElsewhere in England
Ann Curtis
Cally Palmer, Royal
Marsden Chief
Executive, and
R. Ian Molson, Royal
Marsden Chairman
he theme of the
Trust’s Annual
General Meeting, held
on 26 September, focused on
‘The future of cancer research’.
R. Ian Molson, Chairman of
The Royal Marsden, welcomed
guests, including Foundation
Trust Members, and chaired
the formal business of the
meeting, during which
Governors received the 2011–12
Annual Report and Accounts
as part of their statutory role
in assuring the Trust on behalf
of Members. He added that the
Trust was “well served by the
management team”.
Chief Executive Cally Palmer
praised staff as a precious
resource and thanked Governors
for their contribution, saying
that they had demonstrated a
powerful commitment to the
Trust. She then provided an
update on the developments and
key achievements at the Trust, as
well as plans for the year ahead.
Alan Goldsman, Director of
Finance, provided a review
of the Trust’s financial
performance and a forecast.
The audience also had the
opportunity to ask questions
of the Board of Directors.
Keynote presentations
came from Professor Mitch
Dowsett, who discussed the
new Centre for Molecular
Pathology at Sutton, and
Professor David Cunningham,
who, in his new role as Director
of Clinical Research, spoke
about the challenges and
focus for research and
development at the Trust.
Staff Governors
XDoctor Professor Ian Smith
XNurse Lorraine Hyde
XOther clinical professional
Nina Kite
XNon-clinical
Kim Andrews
Nominated Governors
X Institute of Cancer Research
Cathy Scivier
X Primary Care Referrer
Dr Chris Elliott
X South West London Cancer
Network vacant
X West London Cancer Network
vacant
X London Borough of
Kensington & Chelsea
Councillor Robert Freeman
X Sutton & Merton PCT
Dr Martyn Wake
X Croydon PCT vacant
X NHS Kensington & Chelsea
Mable Wu
X Surrey PCT vacant
XCancer Research UK (charity)
Kate Law
XUniversity Partner vacant
Keep in contact
If you would like to contact a
Governor, call the Foundation
Trust Office on 020 7808 2844.
RM MAGAZINE 29
PUZZLES & PRIZES
Test your wits
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Complete our crossword and you could win a £50 John Lewis voucher
SUDOKU
7
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2
Star letter
4
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I would like to place on record
the quiet and peaceful chapel at
The Royal Marsden in Chelsea.
Many a night, while my mum was
having her stay and treatment at
the hospital, it became my refuge,
and a refuge for many others.
Thank you, Andy Strowman
3
9
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30 RM MAGAZINE
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3UR¿W
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Down
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Congratulations to Jean Jennings, who
won last issue’s crossword prize.
The lucky winner
of our prize
crossword will
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Lewis vouchers.
We also welcome
your thoughts on
RM magazine and
love to hear about
your experiences at
the hospital. Star
Letters win a £50
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Send your crossword or
letter with your name and
contact details to RM, Press
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London SW3 6JJ. The
closing date for entry is
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See below for prize
draw rules.
PRIZE DRAWS & STAR LETTER TERMS &
CONDITIONS: 1. The Prize Draws and Star Letter
are open to all readers of RM except employees
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Sunday, who produce RM magazine. 2. The closing
date for receipt of all entries is Friday 18 January
2013. Only one entry per person per draw. 3.
Responsibility cannot be accepted for entries
that are incomplete, illegible or not received.
Proof of posting is not proof of receipt. No cash
alternative is available and prizes are not
transferable. Value of prizes is correct at time of
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within 14 days of closing date. 5. The Promoter’s
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and binding and no correspondence will be
entered into. 6. The Promoter reserves the right
to substitute a prize of equal or greater value
should circumstances make this necessary. 7.
Entry implies acceptance of rules. 8. The winner
of the Star Letter prize of £50 of John Lewis
vouchers is the sender of the best letter selected
by RM magazine. 9. The winner of the crossword
prize of £50 of John Lewis vouchers will be the
ÀUVWFRUUHFWHQWU\GUDZQRXWRIWKHEDJ7KH
Promoter is The Royal Marsden Hospital, 203
Fulham Road, London SW3 6JJ.
IN THE NEXT ISSUE
RM brings you the latest hospital updates, research news, inspiring
stories and exclusive interviews. The spring 2013 issue is coming soon…
More news on the Centre
for Molecular Pathology
Prostate cancer in focus
Pioneering radiotherapy
at The Royal Marsden
FOR THE ROYAL MARSDEN
Rachael Reeve – Director of Marketing and Communications
Elaine Parr – Head of PR and Communications Naomi Owen – PR and Communications Manager
Belinda Lock – Senior Press Officer Catherine O’Mara – Senior Press Officer Marie-Thérèse Shepherd – Press Officer
FOR SUNDAY
Lucy Ryan – Editor Marc Grainger – Deputy Editor Catherine Hopkinson – Art Director
Mathilda Evans – Account Director Matt Beaven – Creative Director
Toby Smeeton – Managing Director
RM magazine is published by The Royal Marsden in partnership with Sunday: sundaypublishing.com
© The Royal Marsden 2012. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission of the Editor. The Royal Marsden
and Sunday accept no responsibility for the views expressed by contributors to the magazine. Repro by F1 Colour. Printed by Pureprint.