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Birmingham Children’s Hospital celebrate iMRI target appeal goal
Via Ali for Birmingham Children’s Hospital
This week, Birmingham Children’s Hospital celebrated the charity reaching the £1.5m target in its iMRI Appeal to bring an intraoperative MRI scanner to the hospital to transform brain surgery.
Birmingham Children’s Hospital is home to one of the largest paediatric neurosurgical centres in the UK, but it is the only one without an iMRI scanner. The hospital will now be able to bring this state-of-the-art technology to patients.
Currently, the hospital’s expert neurosurgeons rely on pre-operative images to plan an operation. By making an MRI intraoperative, the MRI scanner is moved directly to the patient on an operating table, or the patient to the scanner, to ensure surgeons can obtain ‘live’ information about the position of the tumour right when they need it the most.
Mark Brider, CEO of Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said:
We’re thrilled to have reached this phenomenal amount raised – and in just twelve months! It’s a testament to the generosity of the public, local businesses and philanthropic organisations, who have all put their full support behind the appeal.
We’re a world-renowned hospital and it’s important that we can offer our patients the very best treatments and experience while with us. Once in place, the iMRI technology will transform surgery for our brain tumour and epilepsy patients.
It will provide the ability to scan a patient mid or towards the end of surgery. In many cases, the family and surgeon are immediately reassured the tumour has been removed, but ultimately it vastly reduces the need for a second operation, sparing patients and families from going through another lengthy surgical procedure.
On behalf of our hospital, charity, patients and families, thank you to everyone who donated, fundraised and helped spread the word about this appeal.”
Work is currently ongoing on a brand-new elective care hub at the hospital, which will house a new theatre, and the new iMRI in an adjacent room. Building is expected to be complete, and the iMRI in clinical use, in spring 2025.
For further information on the iMRI Appeal, please visit bch.org.uk/iMRI
