James Paget staff to run and cycle for £1.6m robot appeal

The James Paget Hospital Charity is campaigning to raise £1.6m for a robot for the Gorleston-based site.

The robot will allow for complex surgeries to be performed through small incisions.

It will also provide enhanced three-dimensional vision to allow surgeries to be performed with more precision.

This weekend a team of James Paget University Hospital staff, including consultants, nurses and other health professionals, will be taking part in the Blickling Half Marathon to raise funds for the robot appeal.

The James Paget staff members who will be running at Blickling Hall at the weekend Picture: JPUH (Image: JPUH)

The spring half marathon, which takes place on Sunday, starts in front of the 17th Century Blicking Hall and follows a 13.1-mile course through the Norfolk countryside.

Kamal Aryal is a consultant lead colorectal surgeon and is leading the robotic project and initiated this fundraising event.

He said: “It’s great to see the enthusiasm from all participants towards this great cause.

"We will certainly see great benefits to our patients, staff and hospital with the introduction of the surgical robot.”

In a further effort to help raise the money to fund the robot, three surgeons, Carl Philpott, Vamsi Velchuru and Christopher Liao, are joining divisional operations directors Jonathan Harrowven for a cycling challenge.

They will be cycling 129 miles over the Easter weekend.

The cycle ride is being held on Saturday, April 8 and starts from Huntingdon and will see the four cyclist pedal through March, King's Lynn and Spalding before returning to the start.

If you would like to contribute to the surgical robot visit www.jpaget-charity.org.uk/donate/surgical-robot-appeal/5/SinglePayment or hand in donations to the charity office next to the James Paget's main entrance.

More information on the two fundraising events and how to donate via participants' fundraising pages can be found on the James Paget's news section on its website.