Taylors Tyres Ltd in Redruth has generously donated £2,000 to the Robotic Surgery Fund of Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity.

The £2k gift will boost the local fundraising efforts of Falmouth Rotary Club, helping to bring transformative healthcare technology to the region.

Surgeons at the already highly-rated Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust are eager to obtain this advanced robotic equipment.

These devices are believed to not only simplify and enhance surgical procedures but also to attract and retain skilled staff within the Trust.

Falmouth Rotary Club's dedication to this cause has been stirred by a stark regional disparity.

As Falmouth Rotary president, David Stewart, said: "Devon already has seven robots spread across their county, each of which cost around 2.7 million pounds."

He contrasts this with the current situation in Cornwall, noting that despite having the "highest average resident age of any UK county" and a sizeable population, there are no such machines in the county's hospitals.

Mr Stewart added: "As people age there is an increased risk of bowel, prostate and uterine cancers, all of which we understand can more easily be treated by robotic surgery."

"Having this equipment will save Cornish residents the trauma and cost of having to travel out of county for treatment."

The substantially needed donation from Taylor Tyres also carries a personal note.

Matt Taylor says: "From a family perspective, we know only too well how this kind of technology will be of benefit to patients across Cornwall.

"We were only too happy to support the fund and hope that other businesses may choose to follow our lead."

Such community and corporate involvement is paramount for the project’s success.

The Packet previously reported in October 2023 that despite Royal Cornwall Hospital being the 13th busiest for bowel cancer patients in the UK and caring for over 600,000 people, it did not offer robotic treatment.

This deficit led to loss of prostate cancer treatment to other centres, raising concerns about the potential loss of bowel and rectal cancer care and potentially their most skilled surgeons.

Yet, the initiative of locals and clubs like Falmouth Rotary hopes to reverse this by securing match funding from Rotary International.