St George’s rare cancer care wins national award
The prestigious Karl-Storz-Harold Hopkins Golden Telescope has been awarded to consultant urological surgeon Mr Nick Watkin from St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust, London, in recognition of his work in male genital reconstruction and penile cancer.
St George’s is a specialist centre for penile cancer, a rare condition affecting around 400 men in Britain every year. The trust takes referrals from across the south of England, and is working to improve the treatments available for this distressing condition. In the majority of cases, surgery can be offered which preserves the penis. This obviously has a huge impact on the quality of life for patients.
Anne Bishop, chief executive of the British Association of Urological Surgeons, which awarded the Golden Telescope at its annual conference in June said: “This award is given to urologists who have made a significant and lasting contribution to urology.”
Rebecca Porta, chief executive of the male cancer charity Orchid, said: “It is encouraging to see the important work at St George’s being recognised and we congratulate the team on their success. Penile cancer is a rare illness, and one of the most emotionally difficult for men to deal with.
“The research carried out by Mr Watkin and his team will undoubtedly help the overall wellbeing of patients who are diagnosed with this disease and give them the encouragement and support they need during their treatment.”
Notes to editors
- For more information, please contact the Communications Unit on 020 8725 5151 or email communications@stgeorges.nhs.uk. Outside working hours, please page us by calling 0844 822 2888, leaving a short message and contact details for pager SG548.
- 2. The Karl-Storz-Harold Hopkins Golden Telescope was awarded to the trust in June, at the 2010 British Association of Urological Surgeons Annual General Meeting. St George’s was acknowledged as one of the leading centres in the world by the Professor of Urology at MD Anderson Cancer Centre Texas.
