A urological cancer research nurse flew to an oil platform in the middle of the North Sea to offer offshore workers advice which could potentially save their lives.
Catherine Paterson (26) travelled to TOTAL E&P UK’s Elgin/Franklin platform on Monday (May 19), where she delivered a series of educational talks as part of an awareness raising drive by north-east urological cancer charity, UCAN.
She told workers how to spot the warning signs and symptoms of the four main urological cancers – kidney, bladder, testicular, which particularly affects men aged between 20 and 44, and prostate, which affects older men.
Catherine’s post was created after three years funding for the position was provided by TOTAL E&P UK.
She is tasked with raising awareness about urological cancers and educating people about how to spot the symptoms, in a bid to increase the number of early diagnoses and reducing the number of fatal cases each year. Around 18,000 people die of urological cancers in the UK every year, including 500 in the North-east, and this figure is rising.
This was Catherine’s first offshore trip but she will travel to TOTAL’s other platforms over the course of this research project in order to reach as many people as possible.
“The main purpose of the trip was to raise awareness and educate men, and women, on the early signs and symptoms of urological cancers," she said.
“Urological cancers affect both men and women but my main drive is to tackle men’s attitudes and increase their knowledge. Offshore is an ideal environment to do so as it is largely a male dominated workforce.
“Hopefully after my trips offshore people will head home armed with the knowledge which will empower them to seek further medical advice should an abnormality be suspected.
“I know this kind of health education initiative works and for this I am very grateful to TOTAL as without the generous sponsorship of my role this would not be possible.”
To enable her to make her offshore trips Catherine completed her Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training, which involved being submerged underwater in a mock-up helicopter.
Laura Cliffe, Head of HR Operations at TOTAL, said: “We hope Catherine’s visit will raise the awareness of urological cancers and that it gave personnel the opportunity to ask questions they may not have had until now. TOTAL E&P UK is delighted to be supporting Catherine in her role as research nurse and ultimately helping UCAN reach their goal of reducing the risk of urological cancer.”
UCAN was established in late 2005 to raise awareness of urological cancers and improve support and quality of life for patients by raising £2.6million to bolster NHS services.
The UCAN care centre, located in a purpose-built former ward bay at Ward 44 at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, was opened in January. The first urological facility of its type in the UK, the base is designed to provide newly diagnosed urological cancer patients with clear information and guidance.
The campaign to raise the remaining £700,000 is ongoing.
For more information on how to get involved with supporting UCAN, visit www.ucanhelp.org.uk or www.bebo.com/UCAN-Help or call fundraising manager Kate Synott on (01224) 559312.
