Halifax firm's owners help fund life-saving treatment

The centre wanted to raise £160,000 for life-saving treatment and have now reached that target thanks to the Wilby family, who own Caravan Guard.

A friend of the family whose son received treatment for a brain tumour and whose wife is currently a patient, mentioned the appeal to Caravan Guard chairman Peter Wilby.

“Our friends spoke highly about Leeds Cancer Centre,” Peter said, “and as a family, we agreed to make up the £68,000 shortfall for this pioneering treatment. Our friend’s son worked with us at Caravan Guard during his recovery and rehabilitation.”

Dr Tze Wah, consultant radiologist and clinical lead for Leeds Teaching Hospitals Interventional Radiology Programme, said: “Charitable funding was essential to maintain this service for patients and we are very fortunate to have received so many generous donations.

“The new NanoKnife technology uses electrical pulses to destroy cancer cells (irreversible electroporation) but leaves surrounding normal tissue unaffected. For patients where the cancer site is too close to arteries, airways or the surface of organs, this treatment offers a real alternative.”

Leeds Teaching Hospitals Charitable Foundation chairman, Edward Ziff added: ‘We are delighted with this early Christmas gift to Yorkshire Cancer Centre Appeal and extremely grateful to all our donors. This innovative technology will be a huge benefit to patients for many years to come’.

A celebration to mark the fundraising milestone was held in Bexley Wing at St James’ Hospital and guests included other major donors, John Cotton Group, Mirfield, The John Hainsworth Bates Charitable Trust, The Biswas Foundation, The Wah Kwong Chinese Association and the Yorkshire Cancer Centre September Ball Committee.

Caravan Guard’s Managing Director, Ryan Wilby, added”My family is very proud to support this very worthwhile project at this leading cancer centre which serves 2,000 patients per day and which enjoys a national and international reputation for excellence in the treatment of cancer.”