LONDON – A surgical procedure performed by an Indo-British doctor will be broadcast live on a TV channel in the UK for the first time, to highlight the positive impact of research on cancer treatment.
A one-and-a-half minute TV ad of the procedure, which will air on Wednesday during a property programme, will demonstrate an operation to remove two bowel polyps inside the patient Philip McSparron.
McSparron said he hoped the live broadcast of his procedure would show people that cancer screenings are “not something to be frightened of”.
“Hopefully people will be interested in seeing the live footage and it will encourage them to be more willing to talk about cancer and think about taking up regular screening,” he said.
Channel 4 and Cancer Research UK have teamed up to air the colonoscopy being performed live in what they claim is a world first in broadcasting.
Bowel polyps are common, and not usually cancerous, but some can become cancerous if left untreated.
The surgery will be performed by Dr Sunil Dolwani, at the Cardiff and Vale University hospital in the UK, who will give a running commentary on what viewers are seeing.
Cancer Research UK hopes the procedure, which will see a camera on a flexible tube called a colonoscope inserted into patient’s anus, will help to show the positive impact research has had in helping to treat cancer, ‘The Guardian’ reported.
The TV ad, titled Live from the Inside, will be promoted with 10-second teaser trails.
The charity will simultaneously stream the ad on Facebook, with a cancer nurse to field questions posted by social media users.
