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We are inspired by the contribution our funded posts make to patients at The Beatson, including Karen Moore who was part of the Beatson Cancer Charity funded posts & ambassadors programme. Karen was awarded the title of Scottish Radiographer of the Year 2018 - an outstanding achievement which Beatson Cancer Charity are incredibly proud of.
Karen primarily works with lung cancer patients with aim to cure or to help give them a better quality of life after treatment. Many of the patients from this group can come from the poorest areas of Glasgow and beyond, and Karen believes her job as a consultant radiographer can really help this ‘unique’ group. She said:
The lung cancer group don’t always seek information, they often come from the poorer areas…some tell me they feel guilty and so they don’t want to ask any questions and take up anybodies time. So my job is to change that... I encourage everyone to ask me anything at all, I’m not going to be judging them… they are just a very unique group and they wouldn’t have this service if the Beatson Cancer Charity wasn’t funding my role
Karen Moore
Karen, who has been a Therapy Radiographer for 23 years, was appointed a Consultant Radiographer in 2012 and in this time has helped to implement a SABR service (Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy) for early stage lung cancer patients. (A specialised way of delivering radiotherapy which uses a small number of very precisely targeted treatments to destroy tumours, whilst minimising damage to surrounding tissues.) She said:
We hope these patients are still going to be here for a long time to come. SABR in this patient group has been shown in to be an effective treatment. We are really hoping to improve the outcomes of the West of Scotland lung cancer group.
Karen Moore
Karen explained they have been few years into the programme now and have had a really good success rate as patients have been tolerating the treatment so well, with very few side effects. She said:
“This is something that, with time, we hope to demonstrate that patients may even do as well with radiotherapy as with surgical options, which is amazing.”
She has also gained official competence in planning and prescribing palliative radiotherapy, the first in Scotland. The impact of her work has improved patient care by reducing the time required to receive treatment.
As well as finding time to teach student radiographers and trainee clinical oncologists, Karen also shares her knowledge and experience at national and international conferences.
Karen, like all our specialist funded posts, has access to our education and training grants annually.
Having worked in The Beatson for so long, she has always felt a real sense of togetherness in the centre.
We all support one another and I don’t just mean what’s going on in work, but whatever is going on in your personal life… The Beatson is our extended family.
Karen Moore
Karen is a very enthusiastic supporter of the charity and feels it has brought a real feeling of fun to the staff at The Beatson especially under the circumstances they are working in. She is also very honoured to have been in a post that Beatson Cancer Charity funded, as she knows the NHS would not have enough money to fund her position if the charity wasn’t there at the time
We are committed to funding additional posts to support the ground-breaking work The Beatson does. We currently fund clinical nurse specialists, radiographers like Karen and research staff and aim to fund many more, to help in the fight against cancer. You can help us to raise money by signing up to one of our exciting and challenging events, holding your own fundraiser or by simply making a donation.
