Equipment

The charity purchases and maintains specialist equipment for the Centre. This ranges from everyday pieces that make patient's lives easier, like electric beds, to very specialised apparatus that enable the medical team to diagnose illness with greater efficiency.

Fluorescence activated cell sorter

FACS stands for "Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting." ELF is delighted to have replaced the existing FACS machine costing £32,000.

FACS Machine

The FACS machine has revolutionised biology by allowing researchers to identify and consequently study cells based on their immunological qualities. In effect it is a sophisticated tool which can provide a total picture of all cells and isolate specific cells, which greatly aids diagnosis and subsequent treatments.

ELF funded the first FACS machine back in 2002. However, the old one needed replacing and with technological advances the new machine will be even better than before.

Dr Miles Joyner, ELF Trustee, commented “Again this an excellent example of ELF helping to provide state of the art equipment which will help all people affected with leukaemia in Devon and beyond. I know the medical and laboratory staff will make full use of the machine and its technology.”

Graseby pumps

Graseby pumps which infuse both chemotherapy and blood, they cost almost £3,000 each and with the growth of the disease more and more are required, last year we bought another ten.

Electric beds

We have also recently purchased ten electric beds for the unit at a cost of £15,000. Having electric beds will make a huge difference to our patients’ experience. It will promote their independence, as they will be able, for example, to sit themselves up in bed where they were unable to do so previously without a nurse’s assistance. It will benefit nurses as it will reduce the amount of manual handling that is necessary, helping to avoid back injury. The beds also offer more flexibility for patients, so that they find their most comfortable position to lie in, and nurses can position patients in the optimum way for their intervention.

 

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