A NURSE who helped devise a system to improve the effectiveness of drugs taken by chemotherapy patients has won a �1,000 bursary.

Jo Tonkin, a nurse consultant in haematology at Colchester General Hospital, was awarded the bursary in a competition held by the UK Myeloma Forum – a registered charity which wanted to hear about projects that had improved the experience of patients.

Myeloma is a cancer of certain white blood cells in the bone marrow which can lead to infections, bone and kidney damage, and other issues.

Mrs Tonkin and her consultant haematologist colleague Dr Mike Hamblin produced a diary or treatment planner for patients with myeloma who undergo a particular type of chemotherapy.

Mrs Tonkin said: “This group of patients comes to clinic every three to four weeks and then take their tablets at home. They need to take a number of different drugs in different combinations.

“We found that some patients were getting muddled up so created a treatment diary so they knew which drugs to take when.

“If the treatment regime is not strictly adhered to, it can either reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy or potentially harm the patient.”

The prize money was used by Mrs Tonkin to attend a four-day annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology in San Diego, California.

The event was attended by about 30,000 delegates from all over the world. Mrs Tonkin said it was a chance to hear about the latest research, but was also reassuring because it made her realise that patients in Colchester were already benefiting from some of the latest techniques.

The UK Myeloma Forum provides resources for the diagnosis, care and research of myeloma. For more information, visit www.ukmf.org.uk.

n On Tuesday actors from a Colchester pantomime will visit the children’s unit at Colchester General Hospital.

It will be the 20th year that cast members from the Mercury Theatre’s panto have visited the unit to hand out presents to children.

The characters attending from the production of Beauty and the Beast will include Dame Twiggy, Belle and Rollo the Ranger.