Morriston Hospital receives £70,000 worth of vital new equipment thanks to charity League of Friends

Pictured above: Dr Richard Sweeney (third from right) and Dr Ahsan Mughal (third left) with the bronchoscope which was paid for by the fund raising of Morriston League of Friends. League of Friends Chairman John Hughes MBE is second from right.

Morriston Hospital departments have benefitted from almost £70,000 of new equipment thanks to the fundraising of the hospital’s League of Friends charity.

The hospital’s Acute Medical Unit and Cardiac ITU are among departments to have received new kit, including an ultra-slim bronchoscope, to allow respiratory specialists to search for tumours deep in the lungs, ECG machines and coronary care ventilation devices which deliver warmed and humidified oxygen for patients who require it.

The new equipment is already making a big difference – in the case of the bronchoscope, it’s helping to reduce the time patients wait for diagnosis.  As the ventilation devices are more manoeuvrable, patients now also have more freedom to get up and move around their ward.

“We are eternally grateful to the League of Friends for making a solution to our problem possible,” said respiratory consultant Richard Sweeney.

“They have kindly donated £30,000 to procure an ultra-slim bronchoscope for us to reach tumours that were previously inaccessible or could only be accessed with external pathways.

“Diagnosing a lung cancer involves gathering a combination of data from scans and information from biopsies of tumour tissue itself. The latter can prove challenging when the lungs contain a complex tree-like network of airways that can be difficult to navigate.

“Tumours close to the central airways, or those lying within the inner third can be accessed with a traditional bronchoscope. The challenge lies with reaching tumours lying in the "middle third" region. This is where the new bronchoscope comes in.

“There were patients that were extremely difficult to diagnose and without a diagnosis and the complex information that comes with it, it becomes extremely difficult to offer the correct and targeted treatment for the patients.

“So I am delighted to see that the people of Swansea Bay are getting a swift diagnoses from their own health board, granting them access to life saving treatment.

“This bronchoscope isn't just a piece of kit, it's a symbol that the lung cancer team in Swansea Bay has started building a diagnostic centre of excellence. We aspire to make Swansea Bay a shining example of optimal lung cancer care in Wales. I want to say a massive thank you from the bottom of my heart to the Morriston League of Friends.”

The Morriston League of Friends pre-dates the NHS, making them the oldest League of Friends in the UK.  Over the decades the group’s dedicated members have raised £2.3m to pay for a myriad of projects and items of equipment, from 3D scanners and laser machines to Christmas boxes for thousands of patients and staff.

Chairman John Hughes MBE, who has been involved with the League of Friends for almost 70 years, said: “There’s no big secret as to how we go about raising funds. At this time of year, we’ve sold Christmas cards, for example. But over a long period of time we’ve gained a lot of experience and developed a lot of the contacts we’ve needed.

“It’s all been about the collective effort and we’re so proud of what the Friends have achieved over the years. Our simple aim has always been to do whatever we can to make life more comfortable for patients.”

Lewis Bradley, manager of Swansea Bay Health Charity, which is the health board’s official, in-house charity, said: “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Morriston League of Friends for their remarkable fundraising efforts and for their continued commitment to supporting our hospital. Their generosity has enabled us to invest in equipment that is not only enhancing the quality of care we can provide today, but will continue to benefit patients for many years to come.

“The new bronchoscope, ECG machines and ventilation devices are already transforming the experience of both patients and clinical teams. Faster diagnoses, greater comfort on the wards, and improved clinical accuracy are all direct results of the League’s dedication. These are changes that genuinely improve lives.

“The League of Friends has an extraordinary legacy of care and compassion, and this latest contribution is yet another example of the profound impact they have on our services. On behalf of Swansea Bay Health Charity and everyone at Morriston Hospital, thank you for making such a meaningful difference to our patients and staff.”