Cancer survivor funds robotic surgery training
A former patient has funded a groundbreaking surgical training programme for the hospital that saved her life.
Linda Pottinger, 63, from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, underwent lifesaving surgery for bowel cancer at Watford General Hospital in 2023.
She raised over £13,000 in March by walking between each hospital that helped treat her.
The money has paid for a training programme for theatre nurses, which includes supporting robotic surgery.
'It's so rewarding'
Ms Pottinger walked between Watford General Hospital, Mount Vernon Hospital, Hemel Hempstead Hospital and St Albans City Hospital - a total of 33 miles.
The former police officer said the money collected would help provide care "for the next person who walks through the door with bowel cancer".
"The surgeon sits behind a console away from the bedside, operating the arms of the robot. Instead of handing the surgeon a scalpel, this training enables the nurses to change the instruments on the robot.
"Then the trainee surgeons can get on the console. It's so rewarding to know its being spent on something for everyone's benefit," she said.
West Herts Hospitals Trust'Robots are really good for patients'
Mr Vanash Patel, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at West Herts Hospitals, said the surgical robots are really good for patients : "We have less complications, less pain, less blood loss and patients are going home the day after major surgery whereas before they'd be staying in hospital for 5 or 6 days."
"I'm no longer scrubbed in to the operation, that's why it's so vital we have surgical nurses that can help. They need to go back to university and do about 100 hours of training, so it's quite rigorous."
Ms Pottinger prepared for her challenge by walking 525 miles to build up her strength.
She said: "It's been brilliant, I've been stoked up by the support I've had from everybody.
"I almost consider what happened to me last year as a blessing, it brought positive things back into my life that have been missing for a long time."
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