Cancer survivor raises a whopping £22,000 to fund NHS equipment so others "don't have to wait as long"

Over £22,000 has now been raised by a cancer survivor who was determined to buy NHS equipment for other patients.

Littleborough man Warwick Smith is now in remission after initially being given six months to live, following a devastating diagnosis of stage 4 throat cancer in 2022.

As previously reported by Rochdale Online News, Warwick decided to raise the funds to buy a head and neck scanner, which will allow patients to receive a cancer scan at their first appointment, with biopsies taken immediately – eliminating the need for general anaesthesia.
 

Read more: Remarkable cancer survivor raises £21,000 to fund “desperately needed” NHS equipmentPublished: 05 September 2024

Warwick had already raised a whopping £21,000, but after a successful fundraiser on 14 September, he has now confirmed the amount to be £22,265.

“The all day swing music marathon went brilliantly, raising £820 and knocking the total over £22,000, which is incredible in these times of financial hardship.

“The singer Tony King donated his fee and the rest of the money raised was from raffles, scratch cards, donations and sales of one of my fundraising books, My Laryngectomy Journey (on sale on Amazon).

He added: “I’m over the moon to see the grand total reach such a number.

“One in two people reading this will experience cancer in their lifetime and this project will not only save lives in the Rochdale and Greater Manchester area but will also save time and money for both the public and the NHS, thank you everyone”.

The scanner could significantly speed up diagnosis, save NHS resources, and reduce the anxiety and suffering caused by delayed diagnoses.

 

 

Warwick had previously explained how crucial early detection is, having waited five months after his initial GP visit to receive his own diagnosis. “By the time I was diagnosed, my cancer had progressed to stage 4. There is no stage 5 – it’s death.”

Warwick said. “By buying this scanner, we could avoid this situation for countless patients in the future.”

His fundraising efforts have drawn support from many, including his surgeon, Mr Alex Bowen, consultant ENT head and neck surgeon, who has suggested that the funds could also be used to purchase portable handheld ultrasound scanners for dynamic USS-guided biopsies in clinics.

For anyone wishing to donate, you can visit Warwick’s page here.

Another way to support him would be to buy his charity poetry book, which is available on Amazon.