8 November 2010
Retired Chelsea and Barcelona footballer Allan Harris dropped into Epsom Hospital last Wednesday (3 November) to present the ear, nose and throat team with two brand new pieces of medical equipment.
Allan, who lives in nearby Ashtead and has coached international superstars including Diego Maradona and Paul Gascoigne, spent time chatting to hospital staff before officially presenting them with two portable nasal endoscopes (miniscule cameras), costing almost £9,000. The donation comes from the Epsom Medical Equipment Fund, a charity which supports the work of the hospital.
The fibreoptic endoscopes are the latest in state-of-the-art technology and are inserted into a patient's nose. They help doctors detect cancers of the nose and throat, as well as polyps (cysts) on people's vocal chords.
Charlotte Hamilton is the Deputy Director of Operations at Epsom Hospital and accepted the donation on behalf of the Trust. She said: "The volunteers of Epsom Medical Equipment Fund do fantastic work to support the work of the hospital, and we are incredibly grateful for their tireless commitment and ongoing support."
Mr Peter Robb is an ear, nose and throat surgeon at the hospital. He said: "This equipment will make a real difference to our patients. Each endoscope we use is cleaned in a special decontaminating washer after each examination. Having additional endoscopes cuts down delays in the clinic and means we can see our patients, and give them the tests they need, as promptly as possible."
Allan Harris said: "It was a genuine pleasure to come down and meet the staff and volunteers at Epsom Hospital - they do a fantastic job."
Bess Harding is the Epsom Medical Equipment Fund Co-ordinator. Bess said: "I was thrilled that Allan could come and present this equipment, which will make a real difference to patients at the hospital."
