Under the microscope: Epsom ear, nose and throat team receive generous donation
Epsom Medical Equipment Fund and the Leatherhead Lions Club have joined forces once again, this time to purchase a new £6,000 microscope for the ear, nose and throat (ENT) service at Epsom Hospital.
The fundraising partnership has already made several generous donations to Epsom Hospital during the last year, and their latest purchase is already proving another welcome addition. Consultant ENT surgeon Mr Peter Robb explained: “Thanks to the generosity of the Epsom Medical Equipment Fund and the Leatherhead Lions, we now have two diagnostic microscopes to use in our busy ENT clinics.
“Between 25-30% of our outpatient appointments involve using a diagnostic microscopic to examine patients’ ears – that adds up to quite a few people! We are able to perform a number of minor outpatient procedures in our clinics, such as wax removal, treatment of infection, removal of foreign bodies from the ear canal and detailed examination of the ear drum – all of which will be made much easier thanks to the addition of a second microscope.
“This new microscope will also help us reduce clinic waiting times, as we will be able to run two microscopy treatment rooms in every ENT clinic, which is fantastic news for our patients. We are very grateful to Bess and all at the Fund, and of course to the Leatherhead Lions Club, for this wonderful donation.”
Epsom Medical Equipment Fund co-ordinator Bess Harding MBE was joined by Leatherhead Lions mascot Roary to present the new microscope to the ENT team, which also gave Roary the perfect opportunity to have his own ears checked. Bess said: “It was a real pleasure to present Mr Robb and the team with their new microscope. A big thank you to President Mike Hallam and all at the Leatherhead Lions Club for their continued support. Thanks also to Roary for joining us for the big occasion – I am relieved to say he was given a clean bill of health!”
Mike Hallam President of the Leatherhead Lions Club, which donated £3,500 towards the new microscope, said: “The Lions had a very successful Christmas collection, touring the streets with our illuminated float, so we were especially glad to be able to give this sum to the hospital. It always our intention that money we raise goes to helping people living in the area – being able to support Fund and Epsom Hospital is an excellent example of how the club can help the local community.”
The work of the Epsom Medical Equipment Fund is ongoing – they are currently raising money for a £54,000 ultrasound machine for Epsom Hospital. If you would like to know more about the work of the Fund, including how to make a donation, please visit please visit www.emef.org.uk/.
