A hospital team in Hull is taking part in a trial to train dogs to detect cancer in patients.

Researchers from Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust are taking part in the three-year study to train dogs to diagnose colorectal cancer.

Dogs are renowned for their acute sense of smell and it has been known for centuries that some conditions and diseases emit characteristic odours.

Cancer cells release small amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the trust is working with the Medical Detection Dogs charity to train dogs to detect these compounds in urine and faecal samples.

If the specific smells relating to bowel cancer can be identified, an “electronic nose” could be developed in the future, allowing for faster identification and treatment for cancer patients.

Iain Hunter, Consultant in Colorectal Surgery, said: “The early detection of bowel cancer dramatically improves the effectiveness of treatment in achieving a long-term cure for this unfortunately common condition.

“The current methods used to screen for early bowel cancer invite people over 60 to test their own bowel motions for the presence of invisible amounts of blood, using special sampling kits.

“While this is a good screening test, it still doesn’t detect all cancers.”

He said people with abnormal test results are invited for a colonoscopy but only half will have cancer or precancerous polyps and the uptake is low, with just  60 per cent of people eligible for screening in Yorkshire and Humber carrying out the screening.

“This may be related to the inconvenience of having to test your own poo,” said Mr Hunter. “Finding new ways to screen for bowel cancer that are more accurate and less inconvenient,  such as a urine test, may reduce the number of patients having a normal and effectively unnecessary colonoscopy and increase the number of people taking part in screening.”

Around 2,000 patients are being recruited for the study over the next three years and samples will be taken from patients aged 18 and over who have been referred to the trust’s colorectal colonoscopy clinics to see if they have cancer.

Research Nurse Mandie Bulmer said: “If we have a test that says there is a high probability this patient has or hasn’t cancer, we would know which patients would need to be seen more quickly. In patients coming for follow-up checks, we could see whether there was an increased chance the cancer has or hasn’t returned.”

Colonoscopy is used to determine the presence of colorectal cancer and patient samples will be divided into those with and those without bowel cancer.

The samples will be frozen before being transported from Castle Hill Hospital to the charity’s lab in Milton Keynes where they will be used to train the dogs.

The dogs will initially be trained to detect colorectal cancer by using samples from both patients with and without the disease.

Once training has been completed, the study will then move into the testing phase. Samples from participants already diagnosed with colorectal cancer, non-malignant disease or are free from colonic disease will be used to measure the dog’s ability to detect cancer.

A three year project designed to honour those lost to leukaemia and other cancers will receive its official unveiling at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham this week.

Over two hundred pairs of hands have been involved in making the ‘Quilt of Memories’, a giant patchwork quilt which includes 140 individually hand-crafted quilt blocks.

Staff, patients and visitors will gather along with the quilt’s creator, Sylvia Priest, in the main reception of the Queen’s Centre on Friday to celebrate the installation.

Sylvia, from Gunness in North Lincolnshire says:

“My husband was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2015, and to make sense of this, I turned to what I feel happiest with, and that’s quilting. It was a source of help to me, but I also wanted to do something which would help others too; both those who had loved ones affected by cancer but also those who may be coming to terms with a diagnosis of their own.

“There is a strong quilting community around the UK, so once I put an initial appeal out for help, the responses came thick and fast, and the arrival of quilt blocks was like an avalanche!”

The Quilt of Memories was created by members of the online group, Helping Hands – Stitching and Sewing for Good Causes along with UK Quilters United and others who contributed their own heart shaped blocks.

With help from members of the Cottingham-based East Yorkshire Embroidery Society, Sylvia stitched the initials of people whose lives have been touched by any cancer in return for a small donation.

The quilt initially raised £350 in donations from across the UK, money which has been donated to Castle Hill Hospital as a thank you for the care shown to Sylvia’s husband, Tony.

Since its completion, and prior to its arrival back in Cottingham, the quilt has also been on tour around the country. It was displayed at the 2017 Festival of Quilts, where Sylvia used it to raise funds for Bloodwise, a national blood cancer charity for which she is an ambassador.

The official celebration to mark the installation of the Quilt of Memories will take place at 12:00pm in the main reception of the Queen’s Centre, Castle Hill Hospital.

Fancy joining a team attracting national attention for setting standards in the care of older people?

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is offering nurses the chance to take their careers to new heights in its nationally-acclaimed Department of Elderly Medicine (DME).

Undergoing a significant transformation in the last two years, the department pushes boundaries to achieve excellence in patient care while maintaining its top ten ranking in the care of older people.

Now, the trust is offering nurses, either newly qualified, already qualified or almost qualified, the opportunity to join its DME team as part of its Remarkable People, Extraordinary Place recruitment campaign.

Nurses will be offered an outstanding training and education package to progress their careers and develop their nursing skills to the highest of standards.

Stacey Healand, Senior Matron in DME, said: “Our patients benefit from the best the NHS has to offer because we work as a team to drive up standards and achieve excellence.

“However, nurturing new staff is equally important to us so we make it our mission to support them in the development and progress of their careers.

“Working with older patients is a demanding job and we make no secret about that. But for those seeking a highly rewarding career in nursing, there can be few that beat this job.

“Not only will you work to the highest of standards in a supportive and friendly environment, we’ll ensure the hours you work are flexible to your needs and fit around family and home life.”

The team is also encouraging nurses who may have been working outside the health service for some time the chance to return to the NHS.

Stacey Healand said: “This is a perfect opportunity to come back to the NHS if you’ve been working in the care sector or elsewhere. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been away for years or months, we will support your return.”

As part of the recruitment drive, the trust has produced a video with Kirsty Norris, a Sister on Ward Nine in the DME.

Kirsty told how she thought she might not have the grades to study to become a nurse at the University of Hull but was able to begin her studies as an adult learner at the age of 21.

By the end of her first year at university, she knew she wanted to work with older people and now loves the multi-disciplinary approach to DME, with physiotherapists, dieticians and pharmacists working alongside clinical staff to look after patients.

She said: “What makes DME different is the support from management. Any problems or concerns, there’s always someone there.

“In DME, it’s all about team spirit and it’s like having that sort of family life in your working life.”

If you’re interested in joining the DME, call Stacey Healand or Kay Brighton on 01482 674131.

A student has told how she developed life-threatening sepsis on the day she was supposed to be leaving home to start university.

Olivia Young, 19, was rushed to Hull Royal Infirmary after experiencing a severe headache, fainting, vomiting and agonising pain in her stomach.

However, staff realised she had sepsis, the life-threatening condition featured in Coronation Street after character Jack Webster, played by Kyran Bowes, contracted the illness and had to have his foot amputated to save his life.

Now fully recovered from her ordeal, Olivia will be one of the guest speakers at a conference organised by the Sepsis team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in September to urge all health professionals to be on their guard for signs of sepsis.

Olivia, who lives in Kirk Ella, said: “If I had gone to university that day, I don’t think I would have been here.

“It’s just so important that people know about sepsis as it could be the difference between someone dying and someone surviving.”

Sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome triggered by an infection in any part of the body. It affects people of all ages and, without swift treatment, it can lead to multiple organ failure and death.

Early administering of antibiotics is vital and most people who receive antibiotics quickly go on to make a full recovery.

Around 250,000 in the UK develop sepsis each year and up to 44,000 will die. It is difficult to diagnose, with symptoms similar to flu.

Olivia will share her story with delegates attending the sepsis conference at the Medical Education Centre at Hull Royal Infirmary on September 13. During the conference, health professionals will learn about a range of topics including how to identify sepsis early, how to manage sepsis in children and how to recognise sepsis in the community.

She will tell how she woke up in the early hours of September 16 last year, the day she was due to move to university in Manchester to begin her chemistry degree course, feeling freezing cold although her boyfriend told her she was burning to the touch.

She said: ”I was supposed to take my sister to dance class that day but felt so bad, I’d to call my grandmother to take her instead.

“I had the worst headache I’ve ever experienced and every time I moved, it was just throbbing.”

With a temperature of almost 40 degrees and feeling clammy to the touch, it was thought that Olivia had experienced a severe reaction to the meningitis vaccine she had been given only days before.

However, when her mother Nichola, a nurse in endoscopy at Castle Hill Hospital, called 111 and described Olivia’s symptoms, an ambulance was dispatched immediately to rush Olivia to Hull Royal’s emergency department.

Olivia was seen in initial assessment before being transferred to the resuscitation unit while tests were carried out.

Although it was initially suspected that she had developed a blood clot on her spleen, staff realised she had sepsis and she was given intravenous antibiotics.

“When I was in the hospital to begin with, I couldn’t move by myself due to the agonising pain that was all over my body,” she said.

“It felt like I was being stabbed and my dad needed to pick me up to sit me up when family came to visit.”

She spent 13 days in hospital before she was allowed home and started her university degree. Although she was six weeks behind the rest of the course, she passed her first year with flying colours and is now about to start her second year.

Hull’s A&E department sees at least 50 patients with sepsis every month while other people already in hospital with other illnesses and injuries can also develop sepsis from a severe infection.

Since the trust introduced the sepsis team in 2015 as part of a national initiative to drive up survival rates, around 90 per cent of patients brought to A&E with signs of severe infection are now screened for sepsis.

And round 80 per cent of those diagnosed with sepsis receive life-saving antibiotics within an hour.

Donna Gotts, one of the trust’s clinical nurse specialists for sepsis, said: “We are really grateful to Olivia for attending our conference to help reinforce the message to health professionals.

“Simply asking “Could it be sepsis?” and taking immediate action if a patient shows any of the sepsis red flags could mean the difference between life or death.”

If your child is under five, call 999 or head straight for A&E if they have any of these symptoms – looks mottled or bluish, is very lethargic or difficult to wake, feels abnormally cold to the touch, is breathing very fast, has a fit or convulsion, has a rash that does not fade when pressed.

In older children or adults, early symptoms of sepsis may include a high temperature or low body temperature, chills and shivering, a fast heartbeat, fast breathing.

Symptoms of severe sepsis include feeling dizzy or faint, confusion or disorientation, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, slurred speech, severe muscle pain, severe breathlessness, less urine production than normal, cold, clammy and pale or mottled skin and loss of consciousness.

Pregnant women can reduce their risk of miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight and stillbirth by taking up the offer of vital protection against flu from next month.

Ten midwives at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital have received specialist training to administer the flu vaccine to women attending antenatal appointments, admitted to the wards for monitoring or visiting the HEY Baby Carousel event on the last Wednesday of the month.

With around 5,500 babies born in Hull every year, pregnant women are particularly susceptible to flu which can cause miscarriage in the early stage or stillbirth in the later stages of pregnancy.

Protect your baby

Healthy lifestyle midwife Caroline Clark said: “Pregnant women are more susceptible to flu because their immune systems are more suppressed in pregnancy and it can make them really ill.

“But still, most people don’t realise how serious flu can be if a woman catches it during her pregnancy.

“Studies have found links between flu and miscarriage in the early stages or early labour, resulting in premature births. There are also possible links to stillbirth.

“It’s just not worth the risk and we’ve made it as easy as possible for women to get vaccinated when they’re coming to hospital anyway, without the hassle of making a separate appointment.”

Women who already received the flu vaccine earlier this year at the start of their pregnancies will require a second vaccination from September to protect them and their babies against the most current strain.

Caroline Clark said: “Different vaccines are produced every year to protect us from different strains of the flu virus so those in the early stages of pregnancy who receive a flu jab in March will need a second one now in the later stages of their pregnancies.”

Midwives can also give women the vaccine to protect them and their babies from whooping cough, also known as pertussis, from the 20-week scan.

Women will still be able to receive the flu vaccine in the community from pharmacies or from their GP.

Driving round the country as a medical rep, Chris Jarratt piled on the pounds as he grabbed food on the go between client appointments.

By the time he’d decided to return to clinical practice as a physiotherapist at Castle Hill Hospital, he weighed 16 stone.

“I bought myself a cheap bike and thought it would be quicker than walking and cheaper than the bus so off I went,” he said.

“It was two and a half miles from my house to Castle Hill, it was all uphill but it got easier every day. Then I moved to Hull Royal and it only takes me 10 to 15 minutes.”

Now two stone lighter, Chris cycles to the hospital every day to start work on Ward 11 with patients recovering from strokes and those with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and MS.

Cycling has become his passion so he’s traded up his bike through the CycleScheme and even raised £300 for the ward after taking part in the Humber Bridge sportive in June.

He said: “Cycling to work has huge benefits. It used to take me 40 minutes to drive home through the rush-hour traffic. Now, I’m home in 15 to 20 minutes, even at the busiest times.

“It’s a great way to wind down and you get half an hour’s exercise in your day, which is the Government’s recommendation, before you’ve even tried or had to think about going to the gym.”

Chris’s advice to anyone thinking about cycling to work is to build up their confidence on a bike first, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve been on one.

“Practise on quieter roads first to get your confidence up,” he said. “Traffic is the main reason why people don’t want to cycle because they’ll be in the middle of the road so practising will give you confidence to use the bigger road junctions.

“Most of the roads now have cycle pathways so that can help you if you’re planning your route.”

She was used to cycling along Cornwall’s quieter, winding roads and thought cycling to work from Barton to Hull would be an ordeal.

But cycling over the Humber Bridge has become a highlight of her route when senior matron Trish Prady cycles to and from work at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital twice a week.

Taking around 40 minutes each way, Trish, who heads a team of specialist nurses and works in gastroenterology, urology and endoscopy, started cycling to work a year ago after much thought.

She said: “I was nervous initially when I first moved here about a year ago because I was used to different kinds of roads.

“But, actually, I think it’s safer to cycle here because you have dedicated cycle pathways.”

Once she’s crossed the bridge, Trish heads towards Castle Hill or Hull Royal, depending on where she’s working that day.

She said: “I’m used to exercising every day and I suppose it’s now a lifelong habit. I’m a runner originally but now we do triathlons and sportives so I suppose I’m confident on a bike.

“Still, I cycled to work for the first time with my husband so I could get used to the route and I was worried about cycling in the winter months.

“But I’ll be cycling this winter without a doubt. “

Although Trish has a key to one of the cycle sheds at work, she is hoping facilities for cyclists, like showers, lockers and cycle schemes, become more common in all businesses and workplaces.

Working in the NHS, she knows cycling is a major benefit in her everyday life.

She said: “We all do really stressful jobs and cycling to work is a really good beginning and end to the day. I love cycling over the bridge.”

Her best advice for anyone thinking about cycling to work is to find themselves a cycling buddy to make the journey together.

“If anyone is thinking about cycling over from Barton, I’m happy to link up. It’s just getting over the hurdle of doing it the first time because once you’ve done it, you’ll want to do it again.”

It will help you get into shape, it won’t wreck your joints and your purse or wallet will get a welcome boost.

Around 7.6m people jump on their bikes at least once a month and with high-profile events like May’s Tour De Yorkshire and Welshman Geraint Thomas winning this year’s Tour De France, cycling has never been more popular. But you don’t have to wear head-to-toe lycra to get wheely fit.

Today, to mark National Cycle to Work Day, the physiotherapy team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is outlining the benefits of getting on your bike.

Just how popular is cycling?

According to national statistics published by the Government in January, around 7.6m are getting on their bikes to cycle at least once a month.

In Hull, 19.2 per cent of people get on their bikes at least once a month with those in the East Riding not too far behind at 17.7 per cent.

However, Hull people are more likely to jump on their bikes to head to work as 14.4 per cent use their bikes at least once a month for travel compared to 6.4 per cent in the East Riding.

People are now cycling 26 per cent further than they were in 2006. But there’s a big difference between men and women, with men going on three times as many trips and cycling four times further than woman.

And more than one third of all cycling trips – 38 per cent – are people cycling back and forth to work.

Cycling is most popular in Cambridge and Oxford, with 56.9 per cent and 38.8 per cent of the population cycling. Just over 27 per cent of people use their bikes in York.

What are the health benefits of cycling?

Trust physiotherapist Kit Wilson said: “Cycling is a low-impact exercise so it’s much easier on your joints than other more high-impact activities such as running or aerobics. There’s less pressure on your knees and ankles because you’re not bearing your weight.

“It’s known as an aerobic activity stimulating and improving your heart, lungs and circulation which, in turn, reduces your risk of cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks.

Research has shown a link between cycling and reduced chances of contracting bowel cancer and there is some evidence that cycling reduces the risk of developing breast cancer.

Hull has some of the country’s highest rates of Type 2 diabetes and researchers have discovered people cycling more than 30 minutes a day have a 40 per cent lower risk of developing the condition.

“But that’s not all. Your body fat levels will decrease so you’ll be slimmer, your mental wellbeing will get a boost and your stress levels are likely to fall.

“It’s a win-win.”

The NHS’s Live Well campaign suggests cycling for 150 minutes over the court of a week can boost your cardiovascular fitness. That’s the equivalent of three days’ commuting for many people so you’re clocking up the benefits and the miles while achieving the practical purpose of getting to work.

Cyclists find their joints get stronger and more flexible the more they cycle and they’ll have improved joint mobility. They’ll also benefit from better posture and stronger bones.

You can burn up to 300 calories an hour so, combine it with a healthy eating plan and watch the weight fall off.

“Cycling is a great way of preventing you becoming ill in the first place because of the known health benefits,” said Kit, who is one of the trust staff cycling to work regularly.

“However, even if you’re already living with illness or musculoskeletal complaints like osteoarthritis, it can still be a great way to managing your condition. Just check with your GP, nursing team or physiotherapist first to make sure you’d benefit.”

Right, I’m convinced cycling to work is a good idea. What do I need to do?

Check and see if your workplace offers a Cycle to Work scheme where you can repay the cost of a bike through a salary sacrifice scheme.

If you’re a bit worried about getting back on your bike after a long absence, Hull City Council offer “Rusty Rider” courses in Adult Cycle Training to improve confidence and safe riding skills. Visit www.firststep-cycle.co.uk to book one of the three free sessions open to the public before the end of the year.

Find out where you can keep your bike at work. Hull Royal Infirmary has cycle lockers, sheds and shelters.

Plan your route to work. Cycle Streets lets you put your own location to work out your route to either Hull Royal or Castle Hill.

Get yourself a bike helmet which can help prevent a serious head injury or worse if you fall off your bike. Make sure it meets the British Standard BSEN 1078:1997 and it’s a snug fit, sitting squarely on your head. It needs to sit just above your eyebrows, not tilted back or forward.

It needs to be fastened securely with straps. You should only have room for two fingers between your chin and the strap. Don’t buy a second-hand helmet as it might already be damaged and offer you little or no protection.

If you’re cycling at night or when it’s still dark in the morning, make sure you’ve got lights on your bike.

Speak to the staff in the cycling shop for help in choosing your bike. Listen to the advice of the experts but keep in mind what you’ll be using the bike for most often. There’s little need for a mountain bike with off-road tyres if you’ll be cycling mainly in town.

You’re more likely to stick at it if you fit it into your daily routine.

Still swithering about cycling to work?

1. You’ll save a fortune on petrol and help the environment
2. You’ll save on wear and tear on your car
3. It’s cheaper than catching the train or bus every day, there and back
4. Getting on your bike for an early or day shift will give you the head space to prepare for the day ahead
5. The ride home will give you time to clear your mind, ready to enjoy home life when you walk through the door.
6. You’ll avoid the hassle of battling through traffic, using Hull’s network of cycle lane to whizz through the jams and queues
7. You won’t get stressed trying to find a parking space around Hull Royal Infirmary or Castle Hill Hospital as the seconds tick ever closer to clocking-on time
8. You’ll arrive fully-awake, alert and with your senses heightened, ready to put first-class effort into your job
9. You’ll make new friends, bonding with fellow cyclists from other departments, wards and buildings as you pass in the bike sheds
10. You’ll get fitter, slimmer and, chances are, happier.

Staff on Acorn Ward at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital are preparing to welcome a new teammate of the four-legged variety.

Hull-based charity, Nice2bNice has teamed up with staff on the children’s surgical ward to provide young patients with weekly visits from Lewis, the therapy dog.

Lewis, a black Labrador, has undergone months of training and visited more than 3,000 children in schools, colleges and activity groups across the area in readiness for his role.

David Freer, Founder of the Nice2bNice charity and Lewis’s owner, will accompany him on the visits. He says:

“Nice2bNice is such a big part of my family’s life that when we decided to get a dog last year, we wanted him to be able to play a part in the charity too.

“We looked at lots of dogs but when we went to visit Lewis, we knew he was the one.

“The idea is to take him on to the wards and allow him to serve as a distraction for children who are feeling poorly or upset, and to bring a bit of enjoyment for them and their families at a difficult time.

“He began training as a puppy, and now he’s at a stage where he’s ready to start visiting the wards and bringing smiles to the faces of the young patients there.”

Visits are expected to take place weekly in the first instance, with a view to extending the meet and greet sessions to the Paediatric Outpatients department and the young patients on Hull Royal Infirmary’s Ward 130 in due course.

Lewis has been independently assessed by a qualified dog behaviourist, he is fully insured for work in hospitals, and all visits are carried out in accordance with the respective health and hygiene policies.

On a recent introductory visit to the ward, Lewis was quick to draw attention, with hospital staff, patients and visitors all making a beeline to give him a stroke and say hello.

Deborah Bristow, Junior Sister on Acorn Ward, says:

“Even from the early visit to the ward, it was clear how much pleasure Lewis was bringing to the children.

“For many youngsters, just having a few minutes stroking or playing with the dog will really make their day. It can help to reduce their anxieties, serve as a calming influence, give them something positive while they’re in hospital, and help to take their minds off their surgery.

“We know not all children will be comfortable around dogs and some will not be able to see Lewis for infection control reasons, so we’ll always do a review of our patients on the ward ahead of each visit to see if they’re comfortable, to check for any allergies and so on.

“What was lovely to see on the early visit was the children taking Lewis for a little walk around the ward. For some whose mobility needs to improve after their operation, he’ll be a great incentive for them to get up and get moving, and even for those who can’t get out of bed, the visits will just be a lovely surprise.

“He certainly gets people talking and I think the staff are looking forward to the visits beginning just as much as the children!”

David adds:

“We’re looking to make weekly visits to fit in with my regular job and according to what suits the ward, so for some children it will be an unexpected surprise, and for those who may have to stay in hospital a bit longer, it will give them something to look forward to if they meet Lewis and know he’s coming back again in a few days’ time.”

For more information on Nice2bNice, visit www.nice2bnice.org.uk

Pregnant women are being urged to stop adding uncooked frozen sweetcorn to their salads after an international outbreak of food poisoning.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is supporting Public Health England by advising people to stop adding frozen sweetcorn to salads or other ready-to-eat foods unless it has been cooked or heated properly.

Pregnant women, older people and adults with weakened immune system are at particular risk of listeriosis, with 11 confirmed cases and two deaths in the UK.

Janet Cairns, the trust’s Head of Midwifery, said: “Pregnant women want to give their babies the best start in life and embrace the “five-a-day” healthy eating message.

“But we need to remember frozen sweetcorn and other frozen vegetables are raw food, so are not ready to eat, and we need to make sure they are heated or cooked adequately before they are eaten or added to salads.

“We know the incidence of severe listeria infection is around 13 times higher in pregnant women than in the rest of the population.

“Older people and adults with weakened immune systems are at particular risk of contracting listeriosis so they should take extra care.”

Last month, Greenyard Frozen UK recalled a number of frozen vegetable products due to the possible presence of listeria monocytogenes.

Although the majority of people in good health will have no symptoms or experience mild diarrhoea and stomach cramps, pregnant women, those over 60, people with pre-existing medical conditions like cancer, liver or kidney disease and are at higher risk.

They can experience symptoms such as fever, severe body ache, headaches and febrile gastroenteritis.

Pregnant women may experience flu-like symptoms, fever, backache and headache along with diarrhoea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

Janet Cairns said: “We don’t want women to worry unnecessarily if they have consumed uncooked frozen sweetcorn or frozen vegetables recently.

“But if you are experiencing these symptoms or even if you’re worried, speak to your midwife or see your GP who can help you.”