Grateful patients at the Royal United Hospital have been helping to raise money for new cancer equipment.

The Forever Friends Appeal is raising money to buy a new £650,000 gamma-CT scanner, which will help doctors to more accurately diagnose cancer.

A letter was sent by medics to people who had benefited from the existing gamma camera in the nuclear medicine department, and they have helped to bring in £100,000 towards the final target.

Consultant radiologist Dr Richard Graham said: "Knowing at first hand what a difference a state-of-the-art gamma-CT scanner will provide for our patients, the nuclear medicine team felt that they wanted to help the appeal raise funds towards its £650,000 target.

"The equipment will benefit numerous areas of the hospital including cardiology, neurology, orthopaedics and many more.

"Knowing previous similar initiatives by the radiology department and NICU have been successfully supported, we decided to set ourselves a similar challenge and write to all our gamma camera patients."

More than 500 people responded to the appeal, donating amounts from £5 to £100.

Appeal head of fundraising Tim Hobbs said: "We and the medical staff of the RUH have been truly surprised and grateful for the immediate generosity of our patients.

"The nuclear medicine department was seeking offers of fundraising help towards their target and we have certainly received many of those, ranging from coffee mornings to skydiving. What was less expected were the immediate donations coming in over a short period of time.

"The overall response from patients has made it a very positive and worthwhile project. It is proving to be an important fundraising initiative that is ultimately aimed at helping to save lives."

To support the appeal and for more information, visit www. foreverfriendsappeal.co. uk.