Local community group Tits and Toggles donated $100,000 from its fundraising efforts to Calvary Riverina to purchase a Trident HD. This machine is a specialised imaging device providing high-resolution x-ray imaging of excised tissue. The Trident HD is particularly valuable for breast cancer surgeries.

Calvary Riverina General Manager, Michael Morris, thanked Tits and Toggles and said the new machine enabled more efficient treatment for patients.

“This new technology means clinicians can generate digital imaging of the excised tissue in real time in our Calvary Riverina theatres, significantly reducing processing and review times,” Mr Morris said.

“The machine may reduce the need for patients to have to come back for further surgical procedures.

“On behalf of Calvary Riverina staff and patients, I want to express my gratitude to Tits and Toggles, as well as the wider community for this generous donation. Having this machine at our hospital will improve the holistic care of breast cancer patients.”

‘Tits and Toggles’ committee co-founder, Penny Lamont, said the Wagga Wagga community’s generosity had changed local lives for good.

“We reached out to our wonderful local surgeons to see what equipment was needed. Once we found out about the need for an in-theatre x-ray, we focussed our fundraising efforts on the Trident HD,” Ms Lamont said.

“Through our recent masquerade charity ball we were able to purchase this machine, as well as continue our efforts to raise awareness of both breast cancer and prostate cancer and encourage early detection.”

Calvary Riverina General and Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, Dr Kate FitzGerald, treated the first patient with the machine earlier this month.

“This machine gives the surgeon a near immediate view of the removed cancer under imaging to better see if a margin is close and reduce the potential of having to come back for a second surgery,” Dr FitzGerald said.

“It also means a shorter anaesthetic for patients, as we can view the images within 20 seconds rather than waiting anywhere between 20 to 45 minutes for imaging to be performed in different area.”

Calvary Riverina Hospital is the only site in Wagga Wagga to have this type of technology.