Help us to make real difference (From Worcester News)

Help us to make real difference

9:33am Wednesday 1st February 2012 in James Connell By James Connell

THE scandal about PIP breast implants has had one positive outcome – people are talking about the importance of good quality surgical procedures, whether they are performed on the NHS or privately.

The best breast care for women and men lies at the heart of the Worcestershire Breast Unit Campaign and readers can make all the difference by setting up a standing order.

The Worcestershire Breast Unit Campaign was officially launched in October 2009 and is supported by your Worcester News. The aim is to create a £1.8 million breast care unit at 220 Newtown Road on the site of the Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester. Patient dignity, privacy and comfort are at the core of the design and the aim is a one-stop shop where all clinics are held under one roof rather than spread out in the main hospital.

So far, about £750,000 has been raised but more support is needed to help turn the vision of a new breast unit into a reality.

WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT

THE risk of developing breast cancer is increasing. We now quote the lifetime risk as one in every eight woman. It is part of my role to give patients their results and diagnosis – thankfully the majority of woman that come to a breast clinic will be given good news. However, for those women diagnosed with breast cancer it is a massive shock.

It doesn’t take much to imagine what goes through that woman’s (or man’s) mind at that time. I am fortunate in that I can emphasise the good prognosis of breast cancer and improving treatment options.

However, this is also a disease that can shorten one’s life and may require treatment that can be disfiguring and traumatic.

How an individual reacts to such news varies. Emotions include anger, depression and denial before reaching acceptance of the diagnosis and treatment. Part of this process is trying to understand why it has developed. Inevitably, I will be asked, “Why has it happened to me?”

The difficulty is that we will probably never know why she or he developed this awful condition.

There are individuals who carry genes that predispose them to developing breast cancer, but these only make up a small percentage.

We know there are lifestyle factors that can affect the chance of developing breast cancer and understanding these can allow changes that can reduce the risk of developing it.

There is increasing evidence that diet and exercise are important in preventing breast cancer developing or recurring. For example, one study showed that if a woman increased her weight by 20kg between the ages of 20 and 50, she doubled her risk of developing breast cancer.

I feel proud of the service we provide for our patients but we are always trying to improve. The campaign is about building a dedicated unit but also about looking after the whole person.

This is why we are linking with the university to set up programmes to help patients change their approach to diet and exercise. Hopefully, this will mean a healthy, cancer-free recovery.