Workers from TheDirectTree.com, a business search website, got involved in the Great Manchester Run last month and collected sponsorship money from friends, family members and colleagues.
Mike De Martiis, the firm’s chief executive, spoke about the company's presence at the charity run, saying:
“When I heard the charity was fund-raising for the liver scanner I was passionate about raising money for this particular cause because I have a close family member who suffers from hepatitis C.
“They have been helped tremendously by the support of the team at Manchester Royal Infirmary. I can really understand the dramatic difference this equipment could make in saving lives and helping those people diagnosed with illnesses such as this.”
The team from TheDirectTree.com presented the hospital with a giant cheque for the amount raised, which had been produced with the help of a printing company in Altrincham.
When it has been installed, the new piece of equipment will allow the hospital to carry out fast, painless scans that could detect illnesses quickly without the need for biopsies, by assessing how advanced liver fibrosis is in patients. Treatment can then be administered, giving the patient a much better chance of living a healthy life.
The Great Manchester Run is a 10 kilometre race through the city which raises money for a variety of charities each year.