Blog Diary 2017

Chris Curtis, H&N Cancer Survivor & World Patient Ambassador
Monday, 13 th 2017 – Day 3
I arrived at the Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr Negrín H&N Cancer
Centre, Barranco de la Ballena, Las Palmas at 9.30am to meet Professor Lara (fellow
H&N Cancer Survivor and Professor and Chair Clinical Oncology).
The Tour
Professor Lara took us all on a tour of the Head & Neck Cancer Department within
the hospital. To see first-hand the most advanced equipment in the field of HnC
treatment was unbelievable.
The department had its own MRI & CT Scanners, Lenex Intensity Modulated
Radiotherapy (IMRT) machine, plus a new addition will be the The Cyber Knife
System is the first and only fully robotic radiation delivery system. It treats cancerous
and non-cancerous tumours and other targets, precisely and accurately delivering
radiation anywhere in the body.
Another treatment machine is the Hyperthermia (also called thermal therapy or
thermotherapy) is a type of cancer treatment in which body tissue is exposed to high
temperatures. Research has shown that high temperatures can damage and kill cancer
cells, usually with minimal injury to normal tissue
To be fair the list goes on and on and I was blown away by how Professor Lara’s
department was a ‘One Stop Clinic’ and the ‘Patient’ was at the heart of all this.
Clearly Professor Lara after surviving HnC Cancer himself fully understands the
patient’s journey and what is important to a patient and strives to offer the very best
for all his patients.
Robots on the corridors of the hospital...
On walking around the hospital, you are met by Robots delivering items within the
hospital, they even call their own lift to get to the floors within the hospital. It is truly
amazing to see and they are accepted by the patients, families, visitors and health
professionals and are integrated within the hospital. I asked, ‘How long have you had
these Robots?’ expecting to be told it was the latest technology but how far from the
truth, the answer was ’20 Years’ WOW...
NHS needs more beds, or do they?
The hospital is massive in size, so I asked, ‘How many beds in the hospital?’
expecting a very high number and was told ‘Only 600 and looking to reduce these to
500. Getting patients treated the same day & back home the day helps with a faster
recovery’.
I will update more after my final visit in Professor Lara’s department tomorrow.