The Blue Horizon Robot Appeal was launched by Prostate Scotland, Scotland’s prostate disease charity, to raise £2.86 million towards the introduction of and purchase of two robots  one each for the East and West of Scotland and provision of robotic equipment – in order to provide robotically assisted prostate surgery for the first time in east and west Scotland. This appeal was aimed at enabling  men, with prostate cancer living in Scotland, to have access to the latest appropriate surgical treatment, without having to travel outwith Scotland. The Appeal was succesfully completed in November 2016 having met its target.

The announcement of the conclusion of the Appeal coincided with the launch of robotic prostate cancer surgery at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital. Inaugurated by Health Secretary Shona Robison MSP, the technology assists surgeons treating prostate cancer patients across the south and east of Scotland. Jointly funded by Prostate Scotland, the Scottish Government and health boards from the SCAN (South East Scotland Cancer Network) regional network, the robotic service will treat around 180 men a year. The £1.4m da Vinci SI Surgical System, operated by surgeons, has already helped to save the lives of over 50 men with prostate cancer since its introduction at the hospital. The introduction of the service will ensure that men undergoing surgery for prostate cancer will benefit from the latest technological advances. To see a video on the launch of the service on the Scottish Government’s You Tube site please click here  

Earlier in March 2016 at the Queen Elizabeth University ?Hospital in Glasgow a robot for prostate cancer surgery for the west of Scotland was launched as the result of a partnership between West of Scotland Health Boards, the ?Scottish Government and Prostate Scotland.

Prostate Scotland would like to thank to all our supporters and donors for their kind and generous support of the Appeal which has enabled a significant step forward in treatment options for men with prostate cancer in Scotland. With our partners the Scottish Government and the health boards we have enabled men in East and West of Scotland to have access to the most up-to-date surgery for prostate cancer.