Elekta helps raise $33,000 to bring radiation treatment to developing countries

BARCELONA, Spain, April 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Together with its customers, Elekta raised EUR 30,575 (USD 33,250) during the 3rd ESTRO Forum in Barcelona. The funds will be donated to Radiating Hope, a nonprofit organization with the mission to improve cancer care, specifically radiation oncology care, around the world.

Radiating Hope believes that no patient should be denied potentially life-saving treatment simply because the technology is not affordable. Consequently, it cooperates with hospitals and clinics around the world to take care of their replaced equipment, refurbish the machine and then ship it to a developing country.

President and co-founder of the organization, Dr. Brandon Fisher, says: "While I was a radiation oncology resident, I did a medical mission in Africa and discovered that such missions in radiation therapy were almost nonexistent. I wanted to change that."

An avid mountaineer, Fisher explains that Radiating Hope raises awareness and funds by organizing mountain climbs around the world, with an annual trek up Mount Kilimanjaro. "Almost anyone in decent physical shape can make this climb," he says. "We'd love to have any of Elekta's customers and employees join us next year."

Elekta and Radiating Hope used the ESTRO Forum to strengthen their partnership agreement, which will see Elekta making an increased commitment to giving people in developing countries access to radiation therapy. The partners also discussed how to advance the role of education and training in countries where the equipment might exist, but not the clinical experience.

Ian Alexander, Executive Vice President of Elekta's Region Europe, Africa, Latin America and Middle East says the two organizations are well matched. "Supporting Radiating Hope is a natural choice for us as we both work from what is best for the patient, are devoted to emerging markets and we share experience in overcoming challenges.

"Our collaboration goes back to 2010 when Elekta helped install a brachytherapy afterloader at the Institut Curie in Dakar, Senegal. Since then, thousands of Senegalese women with cervical cancer have received treatment they might never have had without Radiating Hope. I look forward to developing this relationship further and repeating our success in Senegal and perhaps climbing Kilimanjaro with Radiating Hope."

Read more about Radiating Hope at: www.radiatinghope.org

For further information, please contact:
Gert van Santen, Group Vice President Corporate Communications, Elekta AB
Tel: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail] 
Time zone: CET: Central European Time

Raven Canzeri, Global Public Relations Manager, Elekta
Tel: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail] 
Time zone: ET: Eastern Time

About Elekta

Elekta is a human care company pioneering significant innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. The company develops sophisticated, state-of-the-art tools and treatment planning systems for radiation therapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy, as well as workflow enhancing software systems across the spectrum of cancer care. Stretching the boundaries of science and technology, providing intelligent and resource-efficient solutions that offer confidence to both health care providers and patients, Elekta aims to improve, prolong and even save patient lives.

Today, Elekta solutions in oncology and neurosurgery are used in over 6,000 hospitals worldwide. Elekta employs around 3,800 employees globally. The corporate headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is listed on NASDAQ Stockholm. Website: www.elekta.com.

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SOURCE Elekta

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