Rosemere Cancer Foundations funds special training for Royal Lancaster Infirmary staff - which will massively benefit cancer patients

Rosemere Cancer Foundation is helping fund advanced training for the Royal Lancaster Infirmary based pair to help them bring new “best practice” techniques to recovering head and neck cancer patients needing restorative dentistry.

Between them, restorative consultant Mr William Anderson and speciality registrar in oral surgery Ms Melissa Loh, who work in the hospital’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Restorative Dentistry Department, treat approximately 350 such patients a year via a weekly joint clinic.

Their caseload is set to increase in the ew Year with a monthly session at Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal but before then, they are to attend a bone and tissue regeneration and sinus grafting course at the ICE Postgraduate Dental Institute and Hospital in Salford.

The fee of £7,800 for the duo is being equally shared by Rosemere Cancer Foundation and the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.

Ms Loh said: “The incidence of head and neck cancer in the UK has been increasing steadily over the last few years. It’s now the country’s sixth most common form of cancer and its diagnosis and treatment can be life altering.

“Treatment can be radical surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which in some cases, may negatively affect patients’ oral appearance and function to a quality of life impacting extent.

“This course, which focuses on the latest bone graft and dental implantation techniques, will vastly assist us in the management and rehabilitation of such patients.”

Mr Anderson added: “While the course will benefit Melissa and myself massively, more importantly it will benefit all the patients we go on to help in the future.”

*Rosemere Cancer Foundation works to bring world class cancer treatments and services to cancer patients from throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria being treated at Rosemere Cancer Centre, the region’s specialist cancer treatment and radiotherapy centre at the Royal Preston Hospital, and at another eight local hospital cancer units across the two counties, including at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

*The charity funds cutting edge equipment, research, training and other cancer services and therapies that the NHS is unable to afford. Find out more at www.rosemere.org.uk