Animated video on TV star Rita May's cancer experience launched to improve awareness of radiotherapy treatment

Video featuring familiar voice of TV actress Rita May aims to challenge negative perceptions of life-saving radiotherapy treatment

A SHORT animated video inspired by the real-life experiences of TV star Rita May while she underwent radiotherapy treatment at Weston Park Hospital has been launched to improve awareness of the life-saving treatment.

The TV actress, who is now hoping her future is cancer-free thanks to the team at Weston Park Hospital’s radiotherapy department, provides the familiar voice for the two-and-a-half minute video.

The film ‘A personal experience of radiotherapy in the words of TV star Rita May who was treated for cancer at Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield’ focuses on the Weston Park Radiotherapy department and aims to dispel myths and lessen anxieties of patients. It was the idea of Lucie Martin, a Macmillan Radiotherapy Awareness Project Specialist who worked for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust until September 2014 and was put together with the support of students from Sheffield Hallam University.

In the video, Rita’s emotive words retell her cancer journey – from the moment she apprehensively walks into Weston Park Hospital to the first time she has treatment.

Talking in the video, Rita says:

Radiotherapy is a bit of a mystery. What is it? What are they going to do to me? Will it be painful? I'd got thoughts of a laser-like beam zooming down my breast like Star Wars. Nothing like it. After a few measurements the radiotherapist left. I lay there a few minutes, and then they came and said it was all done. I didn't even know we'd started. The staff were so fantastic so professional. As a patient you like to feel you are in safe hands, and the staff here do that.

Radiotherapy involves the use of high-energy radiation and saves millions of lives a year. It is commonly used to treat cancer as part of a treatment plan.

Nicki Lee, Clinical Specialist Radiographer, at Weston Park Hospital, said:

It’s natural for patients to feel apprehensive about coming in for radiotherapy treatment, what it involves and what it is to come. Using the familiar voice of Rita talking openly as a recent patient at Weston Park Hospital and a simple animation style this video aims to challenge the negative perceptions about radiotherapy and what it is like to be treated at a specialist cancer hospital such as Weston Park Hospital so they can better prepare for their visit.

The video can be viewed from the Trust’s website or via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHR1t-0F4a8&feature=youtu.be