Celebrating 25 years with Mobile Medical this month, Simon Felton is one of our esteemed medical imaging technologists (MIT). His journey from the vast sheep stations of Central Otago to the high-tech world of radiography is inspiring.

Initially envisioning a future of working on the family farm in Central Otago, Simon spent a year in 1988 working on a beef and sheep station in Walcha, Australia. A trip to Sweden to visit his brother saw him working on a large cropping and pig farming operation for 18 months, where he also met his future wife, Tracey, a fellow New Zealander working as a nanny.

Returning to New Zealand in 1990, the couple married and continued their farming life on a large sheep station in Bannockburn until 1997. It was during this time that Simon discovered his passion for radiography, leading him to transition from the fields of farming to the cutting-edge field of radiography.

“In 1997 at the age of 33, I decided to leave the great outdoors and pursue a new career. What I term going from the ‘great outdoors to the great indoors’”, Simon begins. “ After considering several options of study, radiography somehow stuck. After a visit to Christchurch Radiology in 1996, I applied for the MRT three-year BA in Medical Imaging through Ara Institute (formerly Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT)).”

“In my last year of training in 1999, I had my first visit to the mobile lithotripsy unit which was parked outside the ED department at Christchurch Hospital. I left thinking, if a job offer ever came up, I would definitely be applying.”

“As a student I used to work in the holidays at Christchurch Radiology Group and got to meet a lot of the radiologists and staff. This was to be a stepping stone when I qualified, as two months after qualifying I was approached by one of the radiologists and offered a position at Southern Cross Radiology.”

In 2000 Simon was offered a position on the mobile lithotripsy unit from Dr Stu Gowland, the co-founder of Mobile Medical, who was visiting Christchurch Radiology Group looking to recruit MRTs to work on the mobile unit. “…a lot of stars aligned that led to me working for MMT (Mobile Medical Technology).”

The mobile unit treats patients with kidney stones using Extra Corporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), a non-invasive kidney stone procedure which breaks up stones using a shockwave introduced outside of the body. The key advantages of this method of treatment are that it is non-invasive and patients spends less time in hospital post-operation.

The recovery process for patients is straight forward: They leave the unit following treatment and go to the recovery room where they may spend two to four hours under observation before being sent home. “Most people would return to work within 48 hours unless there were any post-op complications.” Generally, six weeks after treatment, patients are seen by their urologist to have a follow-up review scan (x-ray). They are also sent a text message two weeks post-op and six months post-op, where they can provide feedback about the treatment they received.

“Other procedures, such as ureteroscopy, involve an invasive approach requiring the insertion of specialised equipment through the urethra-bladder and into the ureter. This way stones can be visualised on a camera and treated directly with a laser or lithoclast device that can slowly break the stone into small pieces.”

Although ESWL is non-invasive, it is not for every patient. ESWL is less effective for patients with a larger body habitus, the distance from the skin to the stone must not exceed 180 cm, as this is the maximum focal length of the focused shock wave. ESWL is also less effective on a stone with a high Hu measured from a CT scan because very hard stones do not break easily with ESWL, and a stone overlying a rib or next to a JJ stent “…the shock wave can be deflected or reduced when either are in the shock field.”

Simon says the biggest technology change in kidney stone treatment was removing the bulky bath that patients used to be treated in. Forty-four years ago in 1980, the Department of Urology at Munich University Hospital, Grosshardern campus, performed the first kidney stone treatment using shock waves. Initially, the lithotripter models utilised a water bath to couple the shock waves. Over the following decades, advancements led to the use of water cushions for coupling. Eventually, non-invasive stone treatment became possible with the introduction of a mechanism for three-dimensional stone localisation – a lithotripsy machine that functions in both a fixed or mobile environment. This innovation marked the start of the successful journey of contactless urinary stone fragmentation using shock waves. (credit: Storz website) “The overall concept of producing a shockwave in water that is focused on a kidney stone has remained the same,” Simon says.

As AI continues to advance in healthcare, Simon was asked about its potential impact on medical imaging. He suggested that AI could be instrumental in developing stone tracking. This would minimise the number of shocks that miss the stone target, which often happens due to movement with respiration.

Having worked on the mobile lithotripsy unit as a contractor since 2000, Simon splits his time between working on the unit and Pacific Radiology Group in Christchurch as an MRI Technologist. With an impressive tenure as one of the longest-serving employees, Simon has provided exceptional care to more than 2,900 patients onboard the lithotripsy unit.

He has a deep understanding of the business, from its early days to its current achievements. His journey with Mobile Medical has been marked by his unwavering commitment and a genuine passion for his work. He frequently praises the company for its dedication to patient care and cherishes the strong sense of camaraderie among colleagues. “The great back-up from the office when on the road – whenever there are flight delays, breakdowns and so on, there is always someone to call to help with resolving issues. Working with awesome people who are all dedicated to providing mobile health care to the community and celebrating birthdays with the famous office cake.”

Simon’s story is a testament to how life’s unexpected turns and the alignment of opportunities can lead to fulfilling new paths.

Main photo: Simon featured in The Press newspaper in April 2000.

Pictured top right: Simon standing in the control room in the mobile lithotripsy unit.

Pictured middle: Simon with his fellow colleagues at Mobile Medical. (L-R) James Hayes, MIT; Simon Felton, MIT; Debbie Bourke, MIT; Karen Miller, MIT.

Pictured bottom: Simon celebrates his 25 year anniversary at Mobile Medical at the Christchurch head office. 

We count ourselves fortunate to have long-serving staff who are deeply dedicated to their roles. Their commitment and passion have been instrumental in our success and growth, and creates a strong foundation for our organisation.

We are thrilled to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Simon Felton, a dedicated MIT who has been a cornerstone of our team. That’s a quarter of a century of invaluable expertise, innovation, commitment and probably a lot of coffee!

We express our deepest gratitude for Simon’s contributions and steadfast loyalty. Here’s to celebrating 25 years of excellence and looking forward to many more years of success.

Congratulations on this incredible milestone!

Main photo: Simon Felton standing in the control room in the mobile lithotripsy unit.

Pictured top left: Simon Felton featured in The Press newspaper in April 2000.

Pictured bottom left: Simon celebrates his 25th anniversary at Christchurch head office with a catered lunch, gift and, of course, cake (!) with colleagues.  

In March  gathered to celebrate one of our esteemed co-founders, Jon Cadwallader, who retired at the end of last year. The evening was filled with joy and nostalgia as colleagues and friends came together to honour his remarkable contributions. There were heartfelt speeches from guest speakers who shared memorable anecdotes and praised his visionary leadership.

Jon was presented with a pounamu mere and a crystal award to recognise his dedication and the lasting legacy he leaves behind. It was a fitting tribute to an individual who has touched the lives of many and whose influence will continue to inspire us all.

We wish Jon all the best in his well-deserved retirement!

Dr Jon Cadwallader is a dedicated urologist with 34 years of experience and co-founded a groundbreaking mobile kidney stone treatment service three decades ago.

Jon tirelessly advocated for mobile delivery, believing it could bridge gaps in healthcare access. His relentless promotion and dedication to these concepts have left a lasting legacy, ensuring that quality medical care reaches even the most remote areas. His contributions have truly transformed the landscape of modern healthcare.

As he prepares for retirement this month, his legacy of innovation and compassionate care leaves an enduring impact on both patients and the medical community.

Urology particularly intrigued Jon because of the diverse opportunities it offers and qualified as a urological surgeon in 1985. He travelled overseas to the UK where he obtained a position as senior registrar at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. At that time, St Thomas’ Hospital was also the second site of the second lithotripter in the UK, so he had the opportunity to be involved and obtained early experience of lithotripsy treatment. When he returned to New Zealand this experience was invaluable considering the opportunity in establishing lithotripsy in the country. He was appointed as a urology consultant at Auckland Hospital in 1986/87 and his involvement in that position was associated with being a medical director of a spinal unit in South Auckland. He was also appointed as a lecturer in surgery at the Auckland of University medical school, where he has inspired and mentored many future medical professionals.

Looking at the problems of establishing lithotripsy in New Zealand, such as funding, politics and technology during the time, he met with Dr Stu Gowland who was a consultant in Christchurch – a forward-thinking individual who has an extreme interest in technology. It was Stu’s idea of sharing high-cost technology nationally. And it was the combined vision between Stu and Jon which led to meaningful conversations and plans to develop the concept of establishing mobile technology versus fixed site technology.

In 1995 they established Mobile Medical Technology. They both recognised the significant barriers of rural patients in accessing specialised urological care. Traditional healthcare facilities were often too far away, making it difficult for rural patients to receive timely and effective treatment. So, from the outset, the new mobile service aimed to bridge this gap with the primary focus to bring advanced medical technology directly to rural communities. At the beginning, it wasn’t easy. A lithotripter machine is expensive technology and there are a limited number of stones here in New Zealand.

“There were issues of developing the concept, including raising money to buy the machine, building the first vehicle, and at the same time, we were building a specialist urology centre in Auckland,” Jon says, referring to the specialist urology centre, Urology 161, which he established with two other urologists. Despite the issues, there were many who recognised the potential and innovation behind the service. They had support from Helen Clark, the then Prime Minister of New Zealand and Annette King, former Minister of Health, who saw the immense benefits of bringing advanced medical care directly to rural patients. Mobile Medical started with a five-year contract, which was then renewed for another five years.

In 2025 the company celebrates its 30th anniversary and has successfully treated more than 16,000 patients. The success of the business venture, Jon says, was largely due to the buy-in from most of the urologists in New Zealand, as well as robust support and funding from central government, which was instrumental.

“The UK was developing a transportable hospital for rural England; they were these very sophisticated temporary support units/pods that came out of Nottingham. A lot of people visited the company looking at mobile solutions.”

“We were unique in the world when you look back at it. New Zealand is a unique, long thin country, and there’s the Cook Strait, so there were logistical challenges while trying to keep a unified business. As well as medical politics in the background. It wasn’t easy.”

“We all got to know each other; the guys (urologists) were very supportive but there were difficult times when it came to cashflow. It was an evolving business.”

“The mobile lithotripsy unit was the embryo of mobile units in the country.”

Jon and Stu have a very close friendship and travelled the world together to look at mobile concepts. “It was novel at the time.” Their shared vision and dedication have left a legacy in the field of urology and mobile health services. Mobile Medical remains their greatest achievement and when they reflect on their journey, they both smile at the challenges they overcame. Starting the business tested their limits, but it also strengthened their bond. Their innovative approach not only enhanced the efficiency of urological treatments but also set a new standard in the field, benefiting countless patients. Their dedication to reaching underserved populations and providing equitable healthcare has been and remains a cornerstone of the service’s enduring success and impact.

“I’m very proud of being involved. I’m not one to come to the fore very much, but it’s been a great privilege to be part of the (Mobile Medical) journey and a great pleasure of meeting businesspeople.”

“I’m a people-person. It’s a great privilege to be a surgeon, to be a doctor, to look after people.”

“Urological symptoms have a significant social impact on individuals. Over 10 percent of the population experiences frequent incontinence. Incontinence is devastating and such we are able to make a major contribution to their quality of life.”

“Jon would make sure everyone on the unit was well informed about how ESWL worked. He would always take the time to explain this to anyone that was visiting, such as nursing students or registrars. He very much appreciated the skills of the MRTs and would acknowledge this and was always more than happy to be guided by the MRTs recommendations for the course of the treatment,” Simon Felton, charge MIT, Mobile Medical, says. “Jon was always keen to use U/S as a preferred targeting technique for kidney stones and again liked to show people how this worked.”

Several years after the successful launch of the mobile lithotripsy unit, the concept of a mobile surgical service was envisioned by Dr Alistair Yule, a Dunedin-based general surgeon. This service aimed to bring medical care closer to rural patients. Having previously developed the mobile lithotripsy unit, Stu and Jon were well-equipped to bring Dr Yule’s vision to life, with strong support from rural communities. In 2002, the Mobile Surgical Unit – Te Waka Hauora went on the road to deliver low risk, elective day surgery. In the past two decades, the service has performed more than 33,000 treatments, further enhancing their expertise in mobile healthcare solutions.

There was a turning point with the success of Mobile Medical which prompted looking at other opportunities of mobile services. Meeting with Stu over a casual cup of coffee in 2007, Jon sketched a drawing on a napkin. “What’s that?” Stu enquired. “A ship.” Jon responded. It was this simple drawing that symbolised a vision for expanding mobile solutions and represented a breakthrough in their thinking: Why limit themselves to just mobile units on wheels? They realised the potential for mobile technology to revolutionise various aspects of healthcare. Their innovative mindset and willingness to think beyond conventional boundaries have been key drivers in their ongoing journey to improve patient care. Although the concept of a pacific medical ship to deliver healthcare, similar to other ships in Africa and off Australia, went as far as initial design concepts, unfortunately it never progressed further due to a number of issues, including politics, world health issues and funding at the time.

“The concept of a pacific medical ship remains to this day a distinct opportunity for improving ‘the rural pacific’,” Jon says.

Nevertheless, Jon’s innovative spirit didn’t stop there; he also conceptualised a mobile PET-CT unit, bringing advanced imaging to patients’ doorsteps. An idea that finally came to fruition earlier this year when Mobile Imaging was launched – the Southern Hemisphere’s first mobile PET-CT unit delivering state-of-the-art cancer diagnostics to those outside major metropolitan cities. The service has been rolled out to Rotorua, Palmerston North, Lower Hutt, and Dunedin, with more locations underway.

“I’m delighted it is planned to honour Jon for his contributions to urology over many years. The contribution is not only to the large number of his patients but also to the associated hospitals and of course to urology in general across the country. Jon has been involved in many projects including, as mentioned above, the development and operation of the mobile lithotripsy unit and the mobile surgical unit and potentially others,” Stu Gowland, co-founder of Mobile Medical.

“As I look back over the many years of our association, I have always reflected on one of his great strengths that is his ability to never be suspicious of new or different ideas. This is not an idle observation but is relatively unique and often lacking in the medical fraternity. Jon’s wife Robyn was well aware of these contributions and was a great support. It is hoped young people entering medicine will seek to emulate the open-minded attitudes discussed.”

Beyond his primary specialties, Jon has a background as a qualified veterinary surgeon and has a keen interest in fertility technologies, specifically harvesting of sperm and assisted fertility management associated with Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This interest, he says, goes back to his veterinary training where the industry was 20 years ahead of human fertility technology. Jon was part of the founding team who developed ICSI in New Zealand, further broadening his impact on patient care.

As Jon steps into this exciting new chapter of his life, the team at Mobile Health Group wish him all the best. Thank you, Jon, for all the wonderful memories and contributions – go forth and have fun!

“Jon has been a cornerstone of Mobile Health Group since its earliest days, bringing vision, heart and humanity to our journey. With Stu Gowland, Jon’s steady hand and forward-thinking shaped our path, always seeking new horizons. His jovial spirit and genuine care for the team laid the foundation of the ‘secret sauce’ that defines our culture today. Jon’s legacy is one of leadership — a true people person who always ensured we are more than just a team; we are a family.” Mark Eager, chief executive, Mobile Health Group, says.

Main picture: Pictured (L-R): Stephen Marks, urologist, Dr Jon Cadwallader and Dr Stu Gowland holding the well-recognised number plate of the first mobile lithotripsy unit, and Andrew Williams, urologist. Urology Conference 2019, Christchurch.

Second picture right: Dr Stu Gowland and Dr Jon Cadwallader (middle) standing with the Mobile Surgical Unit – Te Waka Hauora with the team at Fieldays 2011. 

Bottom picture: Dr Jon Cadwallader with Nicky Atwood, theatre associate clinical nurse manager at Gisborne Hospital, on Jon’s last day on the mobile lithotripsy unit in December 2024. 

Not many patients know the mobile lithotripsy unit as intimately has John Hillyer who embarked on his 15th procedure at the end of last year. But it was familiarity that gave him confidence in knowing he was in good hands.

John, a Christchurch resident, was first introduced to Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) by Dr Stuart Gowland, who at the time was pioneering the mobile lithotripsy unit. He was relieved to hear there was an alternative to invasive procedures and traditional hospital visits, especially because he had a ruptured urethra from a historical accident. He recalls from his first consultation being struck by Dr Gowland’s thoroughness and passion for his work. “Mr. Gowland explained very clearly with enthusiasm, may I add all about the process. I felt completely relaxed and confident with him and his explanation,” John says.

“It was explained to me at the time that due to the possibility of a tear occurring in the urethra, lithotripsy treatment was the best alternative. Thus, you can imagine how much of a relief that was for me.”

“I had extreme kidney and abdominal pain, so it was a Godsend to have access to immediate treatment.”

Having the treatment conveniently located close to home also helped reduce a significant amount of stress, enabling John to focus solely on his wellbeing. “The mobile unit was fully accessible and comfortable and exceptionally convenient for my lifestyle schedule at that time.”

From his first treatment in 1995 to his last treatment in 2023, he continues to receive the same high level of care and professionalism from the clinical team, ensuring his comfort and wellbeing throughout the process. His experiences reflect the team’s commitment to providing top-notch care, regardless of location or circumstance. “The experience on the unit, and fellowship with the crew was relaxed and jovial. They were very professional, kind and empathetic. The level of care and communication from the crew was exemplary.”

John would also be one of very few patients to have received kidney stone treatment both on the old mobile lithotripsy unit and the new unit launched in June 2021. He says both units were excellent; when he first saw the new mobile unit he recalls thinking how much the service has grown. “I was in awe of the set-up and advanced technology of the unit. And also, the short time it took to perform my treatment.”

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) uses shock waves to break down kidney stones into smaller fragments, enabling their passage through the urinary tract with reduced discomfort and complications. The non-invasive approach of ESWL minimises the need for surgery and reduces recovery time, making it an attractive option for patients like John who seek effective relief without prolonged hospital stays. John was able to have a swift recovery and return to normal activities. “My recovery was amazing. I needed no pain relief and passed the fragmented stones easily.”

“I have had no kidney or abdominal discomfort since (his last treatment).”

As John reflects on his journey, he recognises the significance of the mobile lithotripsy unit and its unique service, and how having timely access to healthcare paved the way to better health.

(Pictured above L-R: Standing outside the Mobile Lithotripsy Unit – Karen Miller, Medical Imaging Technologist; John Hillyer, patient; and Simon Felton, Medical Imaging Technologist)