A BREAST cancer survivor who has already helped inspire people to raise thousands of pounds for a new breast unit in Worcester has urged people to throw even more energy behind the campaign.

Gill Round, aged 45, of Oakfield Drive, Kempsey, near Worcester, was diagnosed with breast cancer in December last year.

The mother-of-two had a mastectomy at Kidderminster Hospital followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Cheltenham.

Gill, a teacher at Callow End Primary School, speaking during Breast Cancer Awareness Month this month, said: “Steven Thrush [the consultant breast surgeon] said, ‘This is the biggest challenge you’re going to face in your life’.”

She did her best to prepare herself and had counselling at the Haven in Hereford to understand the impact of the diagnosis and treatment on her children, aged seven and nine.

However, once the treatment began Gill became sick due to the chemotherapy and struggled to make use of other services at the charity, including nutritional advice and acupuncture.

She said: “I felt so awful I couldn’t face the journey. It was vile. You wouldn’t want your worse enemy to go through it.”

Gill knows the advantages provided by care closer to home – not just the breast unit planned for 220 Newtown Road, but also the satellite radiotherapy unit which will be created at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

She had 21 daily sessions of radiotherapy at Cheltenham, a 50-mile round trip from her home.

After the chemotherapy, Gill was far too sick to drive and relied on a friend to get her there and back.

But she wanted to regain some of the independence she felt she had lost.

Gill has certainly not wallowed in self-pity since her diagnosis, organising the Think Pink Tri- Challenge, which has raised thousands of pounds for the Worcestershire Breast Unit Campaign.

Five male friends completed the Welsh 3,000s challenge to climb the mountains of Snowdonia on July 7 (considered tougher than the Three Peaks Challenge), which raised £1,500.

The second event was a triathlon for 40 children from schools in Kempsey, Callow End and Powick.

It involved them boating, walking and cycling a total distance of 15km from Pershore to Twyning on September 16, which raised more than £2,000.

The final challenge on September 30 involved 58 women and children walking the length of the Malvern Hills. The youngest participant was 10 years old, the oldest was 75 and six of those who took part had battled breast cancer.

So far this has raised £3,000, although money is still coming in.

Gill said: “The staff were fantastic and could not be faulted but the process is disjointed.

“The clinics are spread out and you have to go onto different floors of the hospital.

“It makes it more stressful, for older people in particular.

“I think the really positive thing for me will be the continuity of care at the breast unit that will give people a sense of security.

“It doesn’t feel like one of those horrible suites in the hospital where there’s no natural light. The unit will be a one-stop shop.

“It will take the stress out of a very stressful nine-month journey.

It will end fragmentation within the service. I think it’s going to be fantastic. The building is already there – it’s just waiting to be used.”

THE BREAST UNIT

The £1.8 million breast unit will be based at 220 Newtown Road on the site of Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester in an existing building adapted for use as the unit. The interior design of the unit has received input from patients to make the experience of treatment more comfortable and less clinical.

So far about £863,000 has been raised towards the cost of the unit since the launch of the Worcestershire Breast Unit Campaign on October 1, 2009.

Patient dignity, privacy and comfort are at the core of the design and the aim is to have all services under one roof rather than spread out in the main hospital.

The risk of developing breast cancer is increasing and around one in eight women will be affected.

Steven Thrush, consultant breast surgeon, said: “There is increasing evidence that diet and exercise are important in preventing breast cancer.”

The profile of the breast unit was raised in August when Gloria Hunniford wrote to the campaign on behalf of the Caron Keating Foundation, offering £9,720 to pay for six treatment couches and praising the vision behind the unit.

TV presenter Caron Keating, known for Top of the Pops and This Morning, died of breast cancer in April 2004 at the age of 41.