'My face was badly burnt': Man backs Beatson appeal for research on radiotherapy
Ken Mair says the procedure needs further research to reduce the pain cancer patients go through
An Ayrshire man who went through 6 weeks of intense radiotherapy is backing an appeal to keep research going to help others go through less pain.
70-year-old Kenneth Mair is backing Glasgow-based charity Beatson's plea for support to continue research into lessening the impact of the treatment.
They need just under £300,000 for a 19-month extension of the programme.
The research would help increase opportunities for patients to take part in clinical trials, generate new radiotherapy-based treatments for cancer patients.
Clinical trials often provide a radical treatment option for people who have exhausted all traditional therapies – giving hope to those who have explored all other routes.
Intense radiotherapy
Ken Mair, who is from Darvel in East Ayrshire, was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and received radiotherapy treatment.
He said: “In 2021 I had a growth removed from my head which was possibly cancerous. The doctor said they’d have to see me every three months to keep an eye on it.
“Just shortly after that I felt a lump on my face. I saw him after my biopsy had been taken and he said ‘I’m sorry it's not good news, it’s spread’.
“I ended up getting a neck dissection where they cut out all the lymph nodes followed by radiotherapy a few weeks after.
“I had the operation in January 2021 and the radiotherapy started in March. It was for six weeks, five days a week, so 30 sessions. After that it was just recovery.”
'My face was quite badly burnt'
Ken decided after his treatment was complete that he would like to get involved in helping with research.
The dad-of-two continued: “It's so important to refine this more and more, and I was keen to take part in it, because I was very impressed with the staff - they were so professional as well as being compassionate.
“The thought that research will lead to a better outcome inevitably in time, it's a slow burner, but someone is doing it and I just though t that was a good thing to be a part of.
"The harm is does is amazing. My face was quite badly burnt, but others have it even worse.
"It's such a powerful procedure - so the more the medics can refine it to the absolute minimum while still getting the same effects - the better."