The prospect of having an operation can be worrying for many people. How quickly will they be able to get back to normal? Will they be left with a big scar? Will there be a long hospital stay?

A surgical robot can help to make the thought of surgery easier for patients.

Robotic surgery is a form of keyhole surgery involving small incisions where the surgeon controls a computer-enhanced robot, mimicking the surgeons hands and wrist movements, and allowing absolute precision.

It can take months to recover from traditional, open surgery but incisions made using robotic surgery are much smaller, reducing the risk of complications and infection, minimising scarring, pain and discomfort and helping patients recover and return home more quickly. Following robot-assisted surgery, patients can be discharged from hospital within a matter of days, not weeks.

However, Addenbrookes currently only has one robot which is dedicated to kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer patients. ACTs new appeal will help fund another surgical robot, revolutionising patient care across six specialities in the hospital including urology, gynae-oncology, gynaecology, lower GI (gastrointestinal tract), ENT (ear, nose and throat) and HPB (Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary diseases of the liver, pancreas and biliary tree) and improving outcomes for many more patients every year.

Help buy Addenbrookes a robot and change the lives of thousands of patients every year.

For more information visit www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk/robot or email the ACT Fundraising team at fundraising@act4addenbrookes.org.uk