COMMUNITY generosity will shorten the wait for prostate surgery at Dubbo Hospital.
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The Marty Gordon Memorial NAIDOC Bowls Committee was assisted by Club Dubbo and the Dubbo Prostate Cancer Support Group in duplicating and updating instruments and equipment used by the public hospital's urologists, including Dr Bala Indrajit.
They produced $11,000 for the purchase of a TURP (Trans Urethral Resection of Prostate) Tray that will allow the surgeons to undertake two or three operations in a row, without needing to stop for sterilising of instruments.
Having only one set has previously restricted the number of prostate patients on the daily theatre list at the hospital.
General manager Debbie Bickerton reports the donation "means less waiting time" for patients while Dr Indrajit is talking about "more efficiency, better outcomes".
"TURP is called the gold standard of treatment," he said.
"The hospital does have a set but it is getting older and the new version makes the operation much quicker and efficient."
The new gear will not lie idle.
Dr Indrajit said between 40 and 50 per cent of men had "prostate enlargement leading to symptoms".
Various treatments were tried before surgery was considered.
"Ultimately about 15 to 20 per cent of men will need some sort of operation," Dr Indrajit said.
The TURP Tray will also be used to improve the quality of life of patients with advanced prostate cancer, allowing for a procedure that rids them of a catheter.
Representatives of the three donors joined Dr Indrajit and hospital staff in its boardroom earlier this week.
Facilitator of the Dubbo Prostate Cancer Support Group John Allen was convinced of the benefits of the donation.
"They won't have to send them to Sydney to have some of these procedures done," he said.
Club Dubbo director Craig Biles accompanied chairman and secretary of the Marty Gordon committee, Trevor Kennedy and Guy Naden.
He praised their efforts to honour the "community man" and cancer victim through support of the hospital.
The committee has previously donated money to the hospital's dialysis, oncology, cardiac rehabilitation and intensive care units, as well as G ward.