Doctors suffer virtual reality cancer treatment

Doctors will experience a virtual reality simulation of fatigue

Doctors are to receive a virtual reality insight into the suffering of patients undergoing cancer treatments.

Using hi-tech equipment, medical staff at Belfast City Hospital will be among the first to experience a computer simulation of the fatigue, which affects 76% of patients undergoing chemotherapy.

A truck packed with virtual reality equipment is visiting the city as part of a nationwide tour of hospitals.

The programme takes the professionals on a 15 minute journey in which they "become" the cancer patient.

Dr Seamus McAleer: Good insight into symptoms

Dr Seamus McAleer, Professor of Oncology at the hospital said it was a good opportunity for doctors to experience what their patients are going through.

"It gives you a very good feel for the energy sapping frustration associated with fatigue," he said.

"I found it very informative and was able to get an insight into what a patient feels."

With specific instructions from a guide, the user is asked to move from room to room in a simulated home, while attempting to perform routine tasks that become increasingly challenging and taxing.

Frustration of living with fatigue

Using foot pedals, the user is first guided into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Then the doorbell rings.

As the user slowly walks through the living room toward the door, a delivery van with prescription medications drives away.

The experience becomes frustrating and exhausting and ends when the user is faced with climbing the stairs to return to bed.

Jean Mossman, Chief Executive of Cancer Bacup hopes the programme will increase awareness of cancer related fatigue amongst physicians.

She said: "Fatigue is one of the most debilitating symptoms that cancer patients have to endure during their treatment.

"Unfortunately this has not been fully appreciated in the past by physicians.

"We hope that the Cancer Bacup poster campaign and the 'In My Steps' virtual reality programme will help to increase awareness of cancer related fatigue and ensure that patients are treated appropriately for it."