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Life transformed through keyhole
Sophie Goodchild, Health Editor07.10.08
Thanks to pioneering surgery by this man, Andrew Orange's life has been transformed.
The father-of-three from Hertfordshire spent nearly a decade in crippling pain from colon disease. It meant he was unable to play with his children and felt constantly tired and low.
But Mr Orange, 38, is now able to enjoy a normal life thanks to Dr Robin Kennedy at St Mark's Hospital in Harrow. The consultant has helped hundreds of patients suffering from colorectal disease, which affects the body's digestive system.
He specialises in minimally invasive surgery, making only a small incision in the skin, even for complex operations involving cancer. It means people can be discharged in four days, compared with two weeks normally.
Mr Orange underwent keyhole surgery earlier this year at St Mark's. Dr Kennedy and his team removed part of his intestine then did reconstructive surgery.
The businessman told how years of treatment with steroids had made him seriously ill: "For my wife, it was like going out with an old man. I couldn't play with the children or do any sport. I'd get very dizzy - the illness was interfering with my whole life. It gets to you mentally. The doctors increased the dosage of the drugs but there were huge side-effects.
"Dr Kennedy and his team are really forward-thinking. They're keen to get you up and about so I was up the next day after my operation. I've started going to the gym and have really got my life back."
The surgeon aims to make treatment as streamlined and quick as possible. Patients are allowed to eat normally before they go into theatre, and they start walking a day after surgery. Dr Kennedy said: "This type of condition can be devastating, especially for teenagers who have a family risk of colon trouble which puts them at risk of cancer. Keyhole surgery ensures patients have less pain."
It is this dedication that the Evening Standard, The King's Fund and NHS London are celebrating through the NHS Champions awards, which honour health staff who go beyond the call of duty.
To nominate your champion log on to www.standard.co.uk/nhschampions. You can print off and send the form via Freepost to: NHS Champions, The King's Fund, Freepost 23KE3007, 11-13 Cavendish Square, London W1 0AX.
