Bryon is one of the many patients who has benefited from the initiative.

Thanks to your generous donations, Leeds Hospitals Charity is continuing to fund bespoke water bottles for pelvic radiotherapy patients at Leeds Cancer Centre.

The initiative – created to ensure that patients drink the correct amount of water before treatment, helping to produce more accurate results – first launched on the Radiotherapy department in June 2019, following a suggestion from a former patient, and has proved a huge success.

Byron Tomlinson is one of the many patients who has benefited from the initiative. The 68-year-old has prostate cancer and says having the water bottle has really helped him, “I was so grateful to be given the bottle on my first day, it’s very kind of the charity to provide them for patients! For each treatment session I need a full bladder, it can be confusing knowing how much to drink and when, but the bottles really help with this.”

The bottles are also much more environmentally friendly, they are made from recyclable materials and are BPA free.

Last year over £2,000 was raised to help repurchase the bottles

During the coronavirus pandemic, Byron continues to visit Leeds Cancer Centre regularly for his treatment. He says he is so grateful to be treated in Leeds, “I want to assure any patients who come to St James Hospital for treatment that there’s no need to be frightened like I was – I actually look forward to coming in for my treatment! The staff are absolutely fantastic, from the ambulance service who transport me to and from hospital, to the helpful receptionists and especially the treatment Radiographers!”

Tara Dilworth, Macmillan Specialist Practitioner Radiographer said, “The water bottles really help our patients to fill their bladder correctly for treatment and helps us get the most accurate results. Before Leeds Hospitals Charity provided our department with these bottles, our patients had to drink 3 cups of water and many come in for treatment at least 20 times so this has really helped us reduce plastic waste!”

To continue providing future patients with the bottles, the Radiotherapy department have asked patients for a minimum donation of £3 per bottle, with all proceeds going towards repurchasing the bottles.

Last year over £2,000 was raised thanks to donations, helping us purchase 1,500 more water bottles for cancer patients undergoing pelvic radiotherapy this year.