An appeal for money to upgrade the equipment in the neurology ward at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary has reached nearly £18,000.
Campaigners Caroline Critchlow and Carolyn Toshney are aiming to raise £50,000, which will buy a virtual protein reveal imaging machine that allows surgeons to look at brain scans in 3D.
There is currently one on loan to the hospital, but it will be returned to Holland in June.
Both women, who run the charity Friends of The Neuro Ward – ARI with Orkney-based Mandy Sykes, have partners who are living with brain tumours.
Ms Critchlow’s husband, Kevin, was successfully operated on at ARI, but 10% of his non-cancerous tumour remains in his brain.
He also has facial palsy, which means he cannot smile, is deaf in one ear and has a gold weight in one eye so he can see.
Ms Toshney’s husband, Mark, who had a grade three cancerous tumour, also underwent an operation at the hospital and he too still carries round part of the growth.
The £18,000 has been raised since the pair launched an appeal in the Press and Journal last month.
They have also raised
£125,000 to put towards the planned refurbishment of the ward.
This was scheduled to begin in the summer but has been put back until next year.
Ms Critchlow said she was all the more determined to raise money for the machine after hearing “nothing” from the UK Government yesterday that will improve the situation for patients in the short-term.
