A MAJOR appeal to raise money for equipment to help the early detection of cancer was launched with a flurry of balloons at Basingstoke hospital.

The Early Bird Appeal is seeking to drum up £250,000 for endoscopy equipment which involves highly-specialised probe cameras being used to find out if patients have cancers in their gut, oesophagus or stomach. The equipment can also be used with lasers to remove growths.

The appeal is being run by the North Hampshire Medical Fund and Jeannie, Countess of Carnarvon, helped release the balloons on Friday with North West Hampshire MP Sir George Young. The late Earl of Carnarvon was chairman of the fund until his death last year.

The Countess told The Gazette: "I'm delighted to be involved in the launch of such a wonderful project. The medical fund was very dear to my husband's heart. If he took something up, he was very persistent."

The medical fund's new chairman, Julian Sheffield, told the audience in the hospital foyer: "I'm very happy to start this appeal. The medical fund has already donated £30,000 towards it." He said he was confident the money would come in.

Consultant physician Andrew Bishop said the new equipment would be needed for the pioneering £7.5million diagnosis and treatment centre which is to be built in the hospital grounds. This will include a special endoscopy suite. He said the aim was to speed up treatment for the non-emergency cases and to shorten waiting time for diagnosis of some very serious illnesses.

He added: "With a new endoscopy suite, we will be able to detect cancer and the diseases of the gut which are a major medical problem earlier. Basingstoke has always been better than average in its reputation for the treatment of these conditions."

Among the audience at the launch was 90-year-old Florence Butler, from Sherfield-on-Loddon. She told The Gazette how she has had to go 20 times to Gloucester for treatment with a laser endoscope because she has a tumour in her oesophagus.

She said: "I go up on a Tuesday and come back on Thursday. It's very good, but quite a journey."

Consultant Dr John Ramage, the endoscopist at Basingstoke hospital, said Mrs Butler's case was a good one to illustrate why the Early Bird Appeal was worth backing.

He said: "A patient like Mrs Butler would not have to travel that kind of distance. At the moment Gloucester is the recognised centre for this treatment."

Anyone wishing to back the appeal should contact fundraiser Liz Horne at the hospital on 01256 314759.