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Mobile unit delivers cancer care closer to home

From this summer, an innovative partnership between NNUH, the N&N Hospitals Charity and cancer charity Hope for Tomorrow means chemotherapy and other cancer drug therapies can be delivered in a mobile cancer care unit.

The unit is funded by Hope for Tomorrow and a generous donation from the Mark Benevolent Fund, with the first three years’ running costs of almost £600,000 covered by the Hospitals Charity, before being handed over to NNUH.

It will treat up to 16 patients a day from up to five different venues across Norfolk each week, with Dereham, Fakenham, Beccles and Attleborough being considered as locations. North Norfolk is covered by separate developments at Cromer Hospital.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for our patients to receive treatment closer to their home,” said Jo Richardson, Lead Cancer Nurse. “Norfolk is a large rural county with limited transport links. By offering treatment closer to home we can reduce additional anxiety and costs of traveling into Norwich.”

Louise Cook, Head of Fundraising, said: “We’re delighted to provide nearly £600,000 of funding over the next three years, which comes from a legacy received by the charity. It will be used to provide all running costs, such as staff and clinical equipment, for the service.

“Working in conjunction with Hope for Tomorrow means that the N&N Hospitals Charity is at the heart of helping to be part of improving facilities for cancer patients across Norfolk.”

Leanda Bickley, Hope for Tomorrow Operations Manager, said: “We are very excited to be partnering with the hospital and its charity. This will be our 11th operational unit helping to bring cancer care closer to patients in such a rural area. We already have a great working relationship with the trust and look forward to developing this further to make the mobile unit a success.”

The Mobile Cancer Care Unit is owned and maintained by Hope for Tomorrow and will be provided along with a Nurses’ Support Vehicle allowing the nursing team to travel to and from the unit’s locations.
For more information, contact Hope for Tomorrow on 01666 505055 or via email info@hopefortomorrow.org.uk or visit www.hopefortomorrow.org.uk .

CrombieMobile unit delivers cancer care closer to home
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Boxer’s knockout performance for charity

A Norfolk boxer who made a sensational knock-out return to the sport after a four-year absence has presented £4,000 to the hospital which treated his young son.

Michael Walsh maintained his unbeaten 100% KO record from 12 fights at the event on December 16 at the Holiday Inn Norwich North, stopping his opponent after just 125 seconds in the ring.

Michael donated his entire fight purse to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Great Ormond Street Hospital, where doctors treated his young son Liam who was born with a heart just 20% of its normal size.

Last week, the 35-year-old Featherweight from Cromer visited the N&N along with little Liam who is now 20 months old, and trainer Graham Everett, to hand over the money to the N&N Hospitals Charity and the team on NICU.

Michael said: “I just wanted to pay them back for everything they have done for Liam.

“I have had great support from Graham, and the promoter Mervyn Turner and referee Lee Cook also gave his fee and expenses along with the other officials.

“Liam has already had seven operations and he will be having another soon so I wanted the £8,000 to be split between the two hospitals where Liam has been treated.”

The youngest of Michael’s six children, Liam was just 700 grams when he was born at the N&N. Along with his wife Laura, the couple never left the hospital site with Michael sleeping in his car while Laura stayed at Liam’s side.

Michael said: “Every day, we didn’t know if it was going to be his last so there was no way I was going to leave my boy, I just wanted to be with him.

“Thankfully, we have a big family and they all pulled together looking after the other children while we were at hospital with Liam.”

Looking at Liam, it’s hard to imagine he had such a difficult start to life and, Michael said, he is just like any other little boy and loves playing with his siblings and cousins.

Having made the amazing comeback, Michael is now training for his next fight in February and could be just two fights away from a British title fight.

Lynn Crombie, from the N&N Hospitals Charity, said: “Along with everyone at NICU, we want to say thank you to Michael for this amazing donation to the department.

“Donations like this make a huge difference to what the team can do to help our youngest patients and their families.

“It was lovely to see Michael and his team and to meet his little fighter, Liam.”

For more information about the N&N Hospitals Charity, go to https://nnhospitalschari-8tcepqp763.live-website.com/

Picture caption: Consultant Neonatologist Rahul Roy and NICU staff say thank you to Michael and Liam Walsh and Michael’s trainer Graham Everett.

CrombieBoxer’s knockout performance for charity
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New biopsy machine installed as part of Boudicca Appeal

A state-of-the-art machine has been installed at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) to help improve breast cancer care.

The new machine has been made possible thanks to the generosity of fundraisers and supporters of the hospital charity’s Boudicca Appeal.

More than £250,000 has already been raised for the appeal, which has enabled the start of work to create a one-stop-shop breast cancer unit at NNUH for all patients with suspected breast cancer.

The Boudicca Appeal aims to raise £800,000 in total to create a unit where patients can have the necessary images taken, undergo a biopsy and see their consultant in one appointment.

Thanks to donations, the Trust has invested in a stereotactic mammography machine to carry out biopsies, which is already helping to improve patient care.

Dr Arne Juette, Consultant Radiologist and Director of Breast Screening at NNUH, said: “Thanks to the Boudicca Appeal, we have already been able to invest in new stereotactic mammography equipment, which brings us completely into the state-of-the-art in terms of what we can deliver to our patients here at NNUH.

“It is the latest technological advance and enables us to see a lot more patients a lot more quickly, which is one of the aims of the Boudicca Appeal. The new machine also makes biopsies a lot more tolerable for women and we can diagnose more women more quickly.”

The introduction of same-day diagnostic tests combined with clinical and imaging assessment for all patients with suspected breast cancer will mean patients only need to attend clinic once, which will result in a better experience for patients and reduce the time waiting for results.

The next phase of the Boudicca Appeal will involve fundraising on work to create a third ultrasound room in the breast screening department at NNUH and improving reception and waiting areas to facilitate one-stop clinics. The appeal also aims to develop dedicated quiet and counselling rooms for patients facing a cancer diagnosis.

Anyone who would like to find out more can call the N&N Hospitals Charity on 01603 287107 or visit www.nnhospitalscharity.org.uk or donate directly at www.justgiving.com/campaign/boudicca

Picture caption: Left to right – Dr Arne Juette, Consultant Radiologist and Director of Breast Screening, Denise Marshall, Advanced Practitioner in Mammography, Tina Lucie-Smith, Consultant Breast Radiographer, Louise Cooper, Advanced Practitioner in Mammography 

CrombieNew biopsy machine installed as part of Boudicca Appeal
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Charity delighted to be Run Norwich 2020 partner

We are delighted to announce that N&N Hospitals Charity will be an official Run Norwich charity partner for this year’s event on Sunday 19th July.

Run Norwich is an award-winning 10-kilometre road race, organised by the Norwich City FC Community Sports Foundation (CSF) that takes place in the heart of Norwich’s beautiful and historic city centre.

The route passes some of the city’s most iconic landmarks including Norwich Castle, The Forum, Norwich Cathedral, and many more.

The inaugural event took place in 2015, and since then thousands of runners have taken to the city centre streets for the annual race.

The course has been designed to create a unique experience in Norwich for runners and spectators, with music and entertainment along the route.

Last year’s event sold out all 7,000 entries in just four days so we are delighted to be a partner for this fantastic event in the running calendar.

The Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity is a local charity benefiting everyone who uses our hospitals. The main aim of the charity is to improve patient, visitor and staff welfare at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Cromer and District Hospital and Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital.

What does this mean for us?

We will have 30 runners raising money for the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital, and specifically to refurbish and create more inclusive play spaces on Buxton Paediatric Inpatient Ward suitable for all children and young people. Currently over 300 children with learning difficulties are under the care of the Children and Young People’s Learning Disability Liaison Team.Run Norwich Logo Black

These children are known to have more hospital admissions and greater lengths of hospital stay than children without disabilities.

For many patients with learning disabilities and/or autism, the sensory aspect of a ward environment can be incredibly difficult to manage, ranging from the noise, smell and bright lighting.

Without a suitable area to go to, our patients can experience unnecessary emotional distress. Recovery can also be prolonged, and ultimately their discharge delayed, due to the child not having an appropriate area to recover that suits their sensory needs.

When these children are exposed to overstimulating sensory environments (such as a busy acute hospital), their way of communicating their distress and discomfort may be to present with behaviour perceived to be challenging.

We want to provide a suitable play space for children and young people with additional needs to interact and relax during what can be an extremely stressful and anxious time. With a dedicated low-stimulating sensory area, these children would be able to recuperate much more effectively.

We already have a waiting list of potential runners hoping to raise money for the charity, but should any places come available, these will be advertised via our website nnuh.org.uk Twitter @NNUHCharity and www.facebook.com/nnuhcharity1

We would also be delighted for runners who have secured their own place to join the team raising money for the Buxton Ward project or indeed, any other department within the hospital.

You can find out more about the run at www.runnorwich.co.uk

www.facebook.com/runnorwich
www.twitter.com/runnorwich
www.instagram.com/runnorwich

Event hashtag: #RN20

CrombieCharity delighted to be Run Norwich 2020 partner
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Happy New Year from N&N Hospitals Charity

With the end of 2019 almost upon us, we have reflected on some of the highlights of what has been a fantastic year it for the N&N Hospitals Charity.

Just last week, our Send A Smile with Santa Appeal ended with us handing over more than 1,400 gifts to our wards to be given to every patient in the N&N on Christmas Day. This has been made possible thanks to the generosity of individuals, groups and business across the county and beyond who have donated gifts for men, women and children. A special mention must go to Buxton Primary School where pupils, parents and staff raised £600 from donations during its four Christmas performances which enabled us to buy presents for so many patients.

John Lewis in Norwich kicked off the campaign with a donation of toys for our NICU babies.

Our Christmas Fete was as popular as ever and we once again welcomed Norwich Rock Choir, the Hospital Choir, Busybodies dancers, our Pets and Therapy dogs and Santa Claus. We also saw the switch of our 30 sparkling snowflakes on the front of the building and around the plaza thanks to the generosity of businesses.

SERCO, AA Waste, Brewers, Carters, Check Your Security, Hicks, Shred Station, Hutchings, and Munro have all contributed to make this spectacle possible this year and we hope businesses will continue to support this in the coming years.

Last year, we launched our Boudicca Breast Cancer Appeal to raise £800,000 to create a dedicated unit where patients can have the necessary images taken, undergo a biopsy and see their consultant in one appointment. Currently, not all patients are provided with this same-day diagnosis service because of limited capacity in the existing unit.

In October, thanks to the amazing support we have received, we smashed the £250,000 mark we were able to purchase some new equipment for the unit, including a Stereotactic mammography system which uses low-dose x-rays to help locate a breast abnormality and remove a tissue and is less invasive than surgical biopsy. We want to say an extra special thank you to the Rotary clubs of Norwich which have tirelessly supported the appeal since its launch, including organising a Boudicca Ball at the Assembly House which raised £25,000, and also the Desira Group in association with Suzuki and East Bilney Coachworks which donated a Suzuki Swift SZ3 which was raffled earlier this month, raising more than £15,000 for Boudicca.

In June, 50 fundraisers took the plunge and abseiled down the front of the Forum in Norwich. ITV Anglia presenter Becky Jago, MP Clive Lewis, NNUH staff and members of the public all came together for this fantastic event, raising £10,000 for the breast cancer appeal.0

The charity was delighted this year to have a field of 50 runners taking part in the ever-popular 10k race around the city, RunNorwich Thanks to Serco, we were able to thank our runners with a Pasta Party before the event.

We have some exciting news about the 2020 RunNorwich event which we will bring you early in the New Year, so keep across our news via our charity website, Twitter and Facebook

As part of a year of celebration for the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital His Excellency Mr Torbjörn Sohlström, Sweden’s Ambassador to the UK, visited the N&N in July. He toured the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Children’s Ward and the Paediatric Emergency Department, meeting staff and patients.

Mark Davies, NNUH Chief Executive who retired earlier this year, said the visit was “a great honour for us and pays tribute to Swedish Opera singer Jenny Lind whose charitable efforts helped to found the children’s hospital back in 1854”.

We were hugely thankful to the generosity of a Norfolk farmer after Cromer Hospital received one of its biggest ever donations.

The family of Douglas de Bootman presented a cheque of more than £1m to the N&N Hospitals Charity after the retired farmer left the proceeds of his estate to the hospital. His niece Karen Ballard, from King’s Lynn, said her uncle liked helping others and Mr de Bootman revealed to her a week before his death that he was leaving his legacy to benefit Cromer Hospital. The Trust is currently working with Macmillan Cancer Support to create a state-of-the-art cancer care and support centre, which will increase chemotherapy and treatment space at Cromer Hospital.

Cancer Operations Manager Matt Keeling, Mr de Bootman’s sister in law Pat de Bootman, niece Karen Ballard and Cromer Matron Anita Martins.

Among the major purchases elsewhere, was two Echo machines for the Cardiology Department at a cost of £180,000 from a legacy. With advances in echocardiography, the new systems will help provide a full echocardiographic assessment of patients’ hearts. With the recognised benefits of using strain imaging in the assessment of heart failure, particularly in cardio-oncology, it has been proven to show early evidence of heart failure allowing earlier intervention and therefore better outcomes.

The charity has also been involved in the creation of a Family Bereavement Room on the Delivery Suite thanks to donations of more than £36,000. The bereavement suite enables parents and family members who have lost a baby to have precious time together and to make memories.

None of this would be possible without you, our fundraisers so thank you to every one of you who helped us raise more than £745,000 so far this financial year (not including the Cromer legacy) from taking part in challenges, organising events and generally going above and beyond to raise money.

It just remains for us to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year from us all at N&N Hospitals Charity.

To find out how you can support your local hospital, email: fundraising@nnuh.nhs.uk

CrombieHappy New Year from N&N Hospitals Charity
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Special teddy delivery to Emergency Department

A special delivery of teddies has been made to the paediatric team of the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital at NNUH to help ease the stress for children requiring emergency treatment.

Members of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Norfolk have delivered a full box of teddies to the team at the Children’s Emergency Department.

Emma Chapman, Senior Matron for the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital, said: “We are so grateful to the Norfolk Freemasons for the delivery of the TLC Teddies. When a child is admitted to our Children’s Emergency Department it can be a very scary environment and quite naturally children are very nervous.  We are hoping that the provision of a TLC Teddy will help calm them down and allow the medical team to work with the TLC Teddy to treat the child.”

Michael Spalding, Chair of the Norfolk Freemasons Charitable Fund, said: “The TLC Teddies are funded by Norfolk Freemasons and we are delighted to provide them to the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital at the NNUH. It is for the medical staff, to give, at their discretion, to children admitted who are in severe distress and where the staff feel that a TLC Teddy will help alleviate the stress and assist them in their work.”

Louise Cook, Head of Fundraising said: “We are delighted to be the first acute trust in Norfolk to receive TLC Teddies from Norfolk Freemasons, we are hoping that this will be a lovely initiative which will make a difference to some of our young patients who have to enter the hospital.”

TLC Teddies were started over 17 years ago and the Freemasons have donated over 2,500,000 TLC eddies to Emergency Departments in England and Wales.

CrombieSpecial teddy delivery to Emergency Department
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Snowflakes Light Up the N&N Hospital

The N&N will be shining bright this December as twinkling displays of snowflakes illuminate the outside of the hospital.

This is the second year the hospital will have a display of 30 sparkling snowflakes on the front of the building and around the plaza and thanks to the generosity of businesses, the N&N Hospitals Charity will also benefit.

SERCO, AA Waste, Brewers, Carters, Check Your Security, Hicks, Shred Station, Hutchings, and Munro have all contributed to make this spectacle possible this year.

It is hoped the lights will provide Christmas cheer to patients, staff and members of the public alike and will be switched on during the hospital’s Christmas Fair on Thursday December 5 from 4pm-8pm, with the official switch on at 5pm.

Louise Cook, head of fundraising at the hospital, said: “This idea has been used by other hospitals in the country to support their hospital charities and we hope that Norfolk businesses will continue to embrace this in years to come.

“We hope that this year’s display will be enjoyed by everyone visiting the hospital, and will raise money for the charity which in turn is used to benefit patients, staff and visitors.”

To find out more about the N&N Hospital Charity please visit www.nnhospitalscharity.org.uk

CrombieSnowflakes Light Up the N&N Hospital
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Charity Christmas Tree Festival supports Boudicca

The N&N Hospital Charity will once again be shining bright as Christmas trees, sponsored by local organisations, will illuminate St Peter Mancroft Church in Norwich.

The N&N Hospitals Charity has its very own tree, sponsored by The Forum Trust, which will represent our Boudicca Breast Cancer Appeal which was launched last year and has so far raised £250,000.

The appeal aims to raise £800,000 to open a larger breast cancer unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital which will mean patients will receive same-day diagnostic tests and imaging assessment, eliminating the wait currently facing some patients.

The Charity Christmas Tree Festival will be officially opened the Lord Mayor in the Church on Tuesday evening 3 December and opened to the public from Wednesday morning 4 December until Sunday evening 8 December 2019.

The event is run by the Rotary Club of Norwich St Edmund, with the support of St Peter Mancroft Church, all net proceeds will go to the club for distribution to the church and local charities with this year’s theme being “health”.

Entry to the Festival is free but donations will be very much appreciated, with Boudicca Breast Cancer Appeal one of the beneficiaries.

Tim Bishop from the Forum Trust said: “We’re delighted to support this fantastic festival in such a beautiful venue.

“Breast cancer touches the lives of so many people And there can be very few of us who doesn’t know someone who has been affected.

“It’s great to be able to do something positive to reduce the anxious wait for diagnosis and treatment to help patients, families and their friends and colleagues.”

The Boudicca tree will be adorned with pink, red and silver decorations to reflect the colours of the breast cancer appeal logo.

Louise Cook, N&N Hospitals Charity Head of Fundraising, said: “We hope as many people as possible will come along to the festival and see the beautiful church lit up.

“Thank you to everyone who made our tree possible in particular the Rotary who has chosen Boudicca as one of the beneficiaries us to take part and the Forum Trust which sponsored our Boudicca tree for the Festival of Light.”

For more information about the Boudicca Appeal, please visit www.nnhospitalscharity.org.uk

CrombieCharity Christmas Tree Festival supports Boudicca
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Christmas is coming to the NNUH

The N&N Hospitals Charity will be hosting its annual hospital Christmas Fair as well as the festive snowflake lights switch on, which will take place on Thursday 5 December from 4pm to 8pm at the hospital’s Colney Lane site.

The ever-popular Pets As Therapy dogs will be greeting visitors while Father Christmas will be making an early appearance in his very own grotto. Star Wars fans will be in for a treat with Darth Vader making an appearance during the evening.

There will be a chance to pick up some unique gifts from a variety of stalls, including decorations, sweet goodies, clothes and jewellery. Visitors will also be entertained by the Lego trains on an eight foot track in the East Atrium Level 2.

Live entertainment will be provided by Busybodies Stage School, the NNUH choir, Norwich Rock Choir and Norwich Hospital Radio, plus there the chance to buy tasty, roasted turkey baps provided by Serco.

There will also be a last chance to purchase raffle tickets for the Swift Car before the raffle is drawn on 6 December.

Entrance and car parking is free in NNUH car parks only.

To find out more about the N&N Hospitals Charity please visit www.nnhospitalscharity.org.uk

 

CrombieChristmas is coming to the NNUH
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Breast cancer appeal at £250k on anniversary

A woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year has urged everyone to back the Boudicca Breast Cancer Appeal to create a new breast cancer unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Maria Carroll, from Sprowston in Norwich, was seen at the N&N just days after finding a breast lump in May this year and was fortunate to be able to have her diagnostic tests on the same day.  Now, as the N&N Hospitals Charity marks the appeal’s one-year anniversary, 33-year-old Maria has given her support to the Boudicca Appeal to create the unit which would mean all patients receiving the same-day diagnosis service.

The charity launched the appeal last October, and thanks to donations from individuals and organisations alike, it has now reached almost £250,000.  Work started earlier in the year to transform the space into the one-stop-shop for patients and next week will see the installation of some of the new equipment which has already been purchased.  This is expected to take two weeks, and will operational from mid-November.

Maria said: “Not everyone is fortunate to get seen as quickly as I did and get all the appointments through as quickly as I did and the wait must cause anxiety.

Medical Director Erika Denton at the launch of the Boudicca Cancer Appeal.

“This is why we are supporting the Boudicca Appeal and hope that everyone can be seen quickly.”

The new equipment includes a Stereotactic mammography system which uses low-dose x-rays to help locate a breast abnormality and remove a tissue and is less invasive than surgical biopsy.

The appeal aims to raise £800,000 to create the unit where patients can have the necessary images taken, undergo a biopsy and see their consultant in one appointment. Currently, not all patients are provided with this same-day diagnosis service because of limited capacity in the existing unit.

Professor Erika Denton, NNUH Medical Director, said:  “We have a very skilled team supporting our breast cancer patients every step of the way.  The Boudicca Appeal is enhancing the care they can provide by expanding our facilities and enabling new equipment to be purchased.  It is gratifying to see the level of support we have received from the local community and how it is benefiting our services.”

The N&N Hospitals Charity is urging even more people to get behind the appeal which has received fantastic support from many individuals, groups and businesses, including Norfolk Snowsports Club in Trowse, Old Hall Farm in Woodton, The Forum in Norwich, the Rotary Clubs of Norwich which organised a fundraising ball at the Assembly House, and Desira Norwich, which donated a car to be raffled.

Head of Fundraising, Louise Cook said: “We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the people of Norfolk. We have met some amazing fundraisers who have done so much to raise money for this appeal and every pound raised is being used to improve the facility for the benefit of our patients.

“We have had charity walks, fundraising balls, cake sales, raft races, fashion shows, abseils, fetes, car washes and everything in between – if it can be done, our amazing fundraisers have done it.

“As we enter our second year, we can’t wait to see what ideas our fundraisers come up with and please consider supporting us, or getting your workplace to choose us as their charity for the year.

Anyone who would like to find out more can call the N&N Hospitals Charity on 01603 287107 or visit www.nnhospitalscharity.org.uk or donate directly at www.justgiving.com/campaign/boudicca

Maria’s story

When Maria Carroll found a lump in her breast in May 2019, she was only too aware of the importance of getting it checked out quickly.

Her nan had breast cancer so Maria knew to regularly check for lumps and other breast changes.

The 33-year-old from Sprowston saw her GP and a few days later she was at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital where she saw Consultant Simon Pain and underwent a mammogram and biopsy following which the cancer was confirmed.

Maria said: “In my head and deep down I thought ‘it is cancer’ but you try and stay positive. I saw Mr Pain straight away, had the mammogram then biopsy, I was lucky to have it all. Had I needed to wait for the tests, I would have been more anxious.”

Maria Carroll, right, pictured with friend Janet Howard, has backed the Boudicca Appeal.

Maria was fortunate to have had the tests she needed on the same day. However, since the breast cancer unit has seen an 80 per cent increase in patient numbers over the past five years, the current unit is unable to provide a same-day diagnosis to all patients.

This is something the Boudicca Appeal will address and with £250,000 of the £800,000 already raised, building work is already taking place and new equipment will be in place next month.

Maria has been accompanied at some of her appointments by friend Janet Howard, whose mum was treated for breast cancer five years ago but sadly died in January 2017.  Maria’s nan has also been a great support to her by taking her to her appointments.

Maria said: “You’ve got the worry about the cancer and all the different departments which are involved, and the paperwork so Janet is really good because she comes to the hospital with me and is another pair of ears to take it all in.

“I have had four lots of chemotherapy following which the tumour had really shrunk then I had the mastectomy and reconstruction at the beginning of September. I will have more chemotherapy and hopefully that will be the end of the treatment. The cancer was Grade 3 but fortunately hadn’t spread to the lymph nodes.

“Not everyone is fortunate to get seen as quickly as I did and get all the appointments through as quickly as I did and the wait must be horrible.

“This is why we are supporting the Boudicca Appeal and hope that everyone can be seen quickly.”

Janet has been a fantastic support for Maria, but it’s not the first time she has taken on the role after her mum Jenny was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014.

Janet said: “She noticed her breast was looking different and she said to me later that she should have gone and got it checked out sooner but you think everything is going to be all right.”

Janet’s mum had Grade 3 triple-negative breast cancer which is an aggressive form of cancer in which the three most common types of receptors which fuel most breast cancer growth – oestrogen, progesterone and excess HER2 protein – are not present.

This means it does not respond to hormonal therapy medicines or medicines that target HER2 protein receptors although it does respond to chemotherapy.

Janet said: “It had spread to the lymph nodes so they were removed but she then suffered with complications, including lymphedema which made her arm swell up massively.

“Mum had chemotherapy and a mastectomy and was initially told she was in the clear.

“But it came back and spread quickly and into her chest and she went pretty quickly at the age of 72.

“That was three years ago and I can remember how hard it was when you are waiting around for tests and results, it is horrible.

“Everyone was lovely and doing their best but it was just so busy – we just really hope that the appeal reaches its target and nobody has to wait for tests and to find out if they have cancer.”

For more information and to support the Boudicca Breast Cancer Appeal, go to https://nnhospitalschari-8tcepqp763.live-website.com/about-us/latest-campaigns-and-appeals/the-boudicca-appeal/

CrombieBreast cancer appeal at £250k on anniversary
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