By Beth Crackles,
Chief Executive,
Sheffield Hospitals Charity
Every month, 2,500 people undergo diagnostic tests for cancer at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. For many, these tests – carried out at the Royal Hallamshire and the Northern General – bring reassuring news. But sadly, some people do receive a cancer diagnosis and may require surgery.
As CEO of Sheffield Hospitals Charity, I see every day how generosity can transform healthcare. I also feel a profound responsibility to honour the trust people place in us when they donate. Our role is not simply to raise funds, but to ensure those funds are spent wisely, transparently, and on what matters most to people in our region.
The arrival of the new da Vinci Xi surgical robot at the Northern General is, to me, a powerful expression of this responsibility.
We have contributed £1.45 million towards this robot – the largest single donation Sheffield Hospitals Charity has ever made. At a time when the NHS is under unprecedented strain, I firmly believe that charitable funding should be used purposefully and with ambition.
Each year, more than 3,600 cancer surgeries are performed across the Royal Hallamshire and the Northern General. Diagnosis and surgery take place almost exclusively across these two sites, and this new robot strengthens that vital partnership by expanding advanced surgical capability at the Northern General.
The technology allows surgeons to work in hard-to-reach areas using robotic arms with flexible, fully rotating wrists and a high-definition 3D view. This enables them to see up to ten times more than the naked eye, enlarging something the size of a 2p coin to that of a dinner plate.
What makes this investment especially meaningful is how it has been raised. This funding represents years of generosity from thousands of people across our communities – playing our weekly lottery, leaving a gift in their will, taking part in events, fundraising at work, giving regularly, and donating in moments both big and small. This robot is not the result of a single act of giving, but a collective achievement shaped by people who care deeply about our local NHS.
Beyond the clinical outcomes of fewer and less invasive incisions, faster recovery times, and shorter hospital stays, this technology offers something just as important – it gives people precious time back with those they love.
By coming together, we strengthen our NHS and improve the care that our families, friends, and communities rely on across Sheffield and beyond.
From us all at Sheffield Hospitals Charity, and the patients whose lives will be changed, thank you.
