Pull on walking shoes and fundraise for QA Hospital's Da Vinci robot

Registration for the Rocky Appeal’s annual walk is now open with the five-mile walk taking place in Southsea, in May.

The appeal is raising money to keep the Da Vinci Robot, which performs keyhole surgery, at the Cosham hospital.

Currently, it is on lease and QA needs to raise the remaining £178,000 before June.

One of the Rocky Appeal’s biggest events is the walk which takes participants from Eastney to the Still and West pub, in Old Portsmouth.

Mick Lyons, co-ordinator of the appeal, said: ‘This walk is one of our main events and we normally raise about £12,000 from it. We still have a way to go to pay off the robot, but it is because of the people like those who have taken part in past years that we have raised so much already.

‘It is always great to see people coming down to support the robot and many sign up year after year.

‘It shows just how important it is to the city.’

The Rocky Appeal Walk is free to register and the event on May 13 starts by the public toilets on the seafront in Eastney. People should meet at 10.30am for an 11am start.

The Da Vinci robot which has four arms and manoeuvrable hands and can twist 360 degrees for keyhole operations. The robot means narrow and hard-to-reach parts of the body can be operated on with precision and care. Using the remote-controlled robot means surgeons can work with more manoeuvrability than by using traditional methods. It also leaves the patients with minimal scarring and pain during recovery.

To take part in this walk, email [email protected] or call (023) 9228 6487.