Keep urology cancer surgery in Colchester

Her mother, Valerie, has been diagnosed with a cancerous kidney tumour.

Tracy described her mother’s cancer as silent.

“She said: “She had an ache in one arm and her neck. It wasn’t anything significant, but she started to lose energy.

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Valerie, who is 60, went to her doctor, who carried out blood tests and referred her to Colchester General Hospital.

She is now so exhausted she has to use a wheelchair.

Tracy, who lives in the Tendring area, said: “Even the relatively shor t journey to Colchester General Hospital and back absolutely tires her.

“It is bad at the moment. To have to go further would make matters so much worse .

“The vast majority of people do not realise how debilitating the symptoms of this type of cancer can be.

“There is a syndrome often suffered by these patients which makes them suffer with symptoms such a s anaemia and vomiting. I cannot express how saddened and angry I a m thatadissociated body of individuals with no real experience of this and other urological-type cancers can make an apparently informed decision regarding the closing or relocation of a surgical team, butaclinical body has decided Essex should have just one urological surgical unit.

“Ask yourselves whether you would be happy for your mother or grandmother to be making a 120-mile round trip for surgery when they are already in pain, having dropped tw o stone in weight and facing a potentially deadly disease.”

Health bosses are looking into having just one centre for cancer urology surgery in Essex and it is believed Colchester and Southend will both bid for it.

If the centre is placed in Southend, it will mean a round trip of up to 120 miles for patients living in the Tendring district. 

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