BUSINESSMAN Ian Jukes did not think he had any health problems when he and his wife moved to Worcester in 2011.

He felt perfectly well but, as a normal part of moving to a new area, the 56 year-old went along to register with a new GP.

But a routine blood test threw up some shattering news – he had raised Prostate-Specific Antigen levels and prostate cancer.

“I had no symptoms and it was only as a result of moving home it was picked up in my case,” he said.

In May 2014 Ian, who runs Praybourne Products in Redditch, had surgery at the Alexandra Hospital to remove his prostate gland and the tumour.

During his recovery he discovered other hospitals were using hi-tech surgical robots to do the operation, which was a much less invasive treatment.

“I have a 12 inch scar which isn’t a problem personally. I’d rather have my life and a scar that not, but a few small incisions would have meant an easier recovery that having full open surgery.

“It was at least six months before I felt fine and up to 12 months before I felt as though I’d never had the operation.”

Now Ian is one of the main driving forces behind the Rory the Robot Campaign to raise £1.6 million to bring a state-of-the-art surgical robot to perform prostate surgery at Redditch in Worcestershire.

Ian said it was extremely important to him to have his operation close to home so that his family and friends could easily visit him.

“The most important thing is the surgeon, you have to have faith in the surgeon, but from my point of view I wanted the operation in a Worcestershire hospital. I live in Worcestershire and I wanted the support network of family and friends around me.

“I think it is important that the men of Worcestershire have this facility available to them,” said Ian.

Urology consultant and lead cancer clinician at Worcestershire Royal Hospital Mr Adel Makar explained: “In Worcestershire we have more than 500 new patients with prostate cancer each year. Of those 150 will have surgery and 150 will have radiotherapy.

“The other 200 will have an advanced disease and will choose not to do anything about it apart from monitor it.

“For a long time we had good surgery here but we did not have radiotherapy. Now, with our new state-of-the-art oncology centre, we are able to give radiotherapy here. The highly focused radiotherapy is targeting the tumour but reducing the side effects of the treatment.”

Mr Makar said adding the robot surgery would give Worcestershire the entire range of modern treatments for prostate cancer. “We do surgery here and now radiotherapy but other areas have robots. The robot has been around for about 10 years but very few were available. Now there are more than 50 in the UK but we do not have one in Worcestershire.

“If we had the robot, it would add to our centre of excellence here. The men of Worcestershire would have access to the total package.”

He added that it could also attract new surgeons to come and work in the county and there could be the opportunity of training surgeons to use this method of surgery.

The main benefits of using a robot to perform surgery to remove the prostate is less pain, less blood loss, more precise surgery, shorter hospital stay and quicker recovery times. “Patients can go back in half the time compare to having conventional surgery,” said Mr Makar.

“The main benefits are to get rid of the cancer, for the patient to be continent and have potency. With this technology, it is possible to satisfy all these three good outcomes. It is making the surgery easier for the patient.”

The technology for the robot was developed by the US military to operate on troops in Iraq using the internet. However the programme was stopped because of the delay in the internet connection between the surgeon using a computer in the US and the robot’s response in Iraq.

However, the technology is now being used as the surgeon is right next to the patient in the operating room. The system can also be used to treat head and neck cancer, as well as do colorectal and heart surgery.

The Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust launched its Rory the Robot Campaign a year ago and has so far received £52,000 towards the £1.6 million target. Now, during Prostate Cancer Awareness month, the trust is putting out a rallying call to urge the local community to get behind this cause and start raising funds.

A number of events is already planned and for information about what is going on or ways to get involved visit www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/rorytherobot

Ian said: “We want to get as many people as possible behind this appeal. People can donate money or organise events.”

He added that groups like Redditch Lions Club are organising events but individuals or employers could do their own fundraising. Ideas for events include bike rides, cake baking and sales, golf days, skittles tournaments, charity ball, a sponsored silence and a sponsored run.

Apart from the robot campaign to improve prostate cancer treatment, the trust is also stressing the importance of early diagnosis.

Mr Makar said: “If we are going to improve on the excellent results we already achieve in Worcestershire, we have to diagnose these men early. In some patients we can turn it from a life threatening disease to a chronic condition.

“It means when these men reach the end of their lives they will die with the disease and not from it.”

Unlike some other countries, the UK does not have a national screening programme like the ones for breast and cervical cancers.

In Britain between 5,000 and 6,000 prostatectomy operations are performed each year, while in France where there is a screening programme for a similar population, there are 28,000 prostatectomy procedures a year.

Because there are no symptoms in the early stages, prostate cancer is not always picked up. “Once you present with symptoms, you have waited too long. It is important to detect it as soon as possible,” said Mr Makar.

Most cases of prostate cancer affect men over the age of 50 and the risk increases with age and Mr Makar said most men living into old age will have prostate problems.

“If a man wants to be screened he should go along to his GP. It is a simple blood test. With early diagnosis you can make an informed decision and go for surgery to remove the prostate or radio therapy with an aim to cure the cancer.”