Elekta to continue to help bring radiation treatment to developing countries with nonprofit organization Radiating Hope
Today, Elekta announced that it has expanded its partnership with Radiating Hope, a volunteer organization that provides radiation equipment to resource-constrained countries and educates medical physics and radiation oncology personnel in those countries to help better serve their patient populations.
Radiating Hope believes that no patient should be denied potentially life-saving treatment simply because the technology is not affordable. Consequently, it cooperates with hospitals and clinics around the world to take care of their replaced equipment, refurbish the machine and then ship it to a developing country. Funds are raised through a number of mountain climbing events, with diverse destinations including Mt. Rainier, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp. Proceeds go toward the purchasing or refurbishing of radiation equipment for use in developing countries.
“Radiating Hope has a mission to improve cancer care, specifically radiation oncology care in areas of the world where treatment can be hard to find,” says Tom Ladd, Executive Director of Radiating Hope. “We are very grateful for the support and partnership of Elekta in helping us to fulfill our mission. With Elekta’s guidance and involvement, Radiating Hope has been able to place radiation machines and equipment in Senegal, Tanzania, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama. The stronger partnership with Elekta will allow Radiating Hope to continue to support the areas of need in which we are engaged, particularly in Latin America and Africa. We look forward to working and partnering with Elekta for many years to come in order to bring needed treatment where, today, there is none.”
Focus on making equipment accessible to underserved regions
A recent publication in Lancet Oncology* estimates that a global scale-up of radiotherapy capacity in 2015–35 from current levels could lead to saving of 26.9 million life-years in low-income and middle-income countries over the lifetime of the patients who received treatment.
“We are so pleased to be strengthening our partnership with Radiating Hope, to further Elekta’s commitment to improving radiation therapy care for underserved patient populations in developing countries,” says Rachel White, Head of Corporate Brand Management for Elekta. “By expanding our partnership activities into Latin America, we aim to replicate the tremendous successes from our 2010 donation of a brachytherapy afterloader at the Institut Curie in Dakar, Senegal, which enabled thousands of Senegalese women with cervical cancer to receive treatment.”
In 2016, Ashley Cogswell, Director of Software Sales for Elekta, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with Radiating Hope, raising more than $16,000.
"When I heard about Radiating Hope and the work they were doing, I immediately knew I had to get involved,” says Cogswell. “I was so inspired by the thought that a small group of determined and caring people could eventually change the course of cancer care in developing countries throughout the world. They are fulfilling a need that most people thought wasn't possible. How amazing is that? Although the thought of climbing Kilimanjaro was terrifying, I knew it paled in comparison to all the men, women and children who have cancer, but have no access to treatment or medicine. This is why I climbed, and this is why I will continue to climb with Radiating Hope."
Learn more about Radiating Hope at: www.radiatinghope.org.
*Atun R, Jaffray DA, Barton MB, et al. Expanding global access to radiotherapy. Lancet Oncol. 2015;16(10):1153-86.
# # #
For further information, please contact:
Gert van Santen, Group Vice President Corporate Communications, Elekta AB
Tel: +31 653 561 242, Email: [email protected]
Time zone: CET: Central European Time
Raven Canzeri, Global Public Relations Manager
Tel: +1 770 670 2524, Email: [email protected]
Time zone: EST: Eastern Standard Time
About Elekta
Elekta is a human care company pioneering significant innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. The company develops sophisticated, state-of-the-art tools and treatment planning systems for radiation therapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy, as well as workflow enhancing software systems across the spectrum of cancer care. Stretching the boundaries of science and technology, providing intelligent and resource-efficient solutions that offer confidence to both health care providers and patients, Elekta aims to improve, prolong and even save patient lives.
Today, Elekta solutions in oncology and neurosurgery are used in over 6,000 hospitals worldwide. Elekta employs around 3,600 employees globally. The corporate headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is listed on NASDAQ Stockholm. Website: www.elekta.com Twitter: @Elekta.