Diagnostic equipment set for hospital

A specialist breast cancer charity has successfully raised £30,000 to buy a key piece of equipment for screening women for breast cancer at Burnley General Hospital.
Kim Woods, breast imaging operations lead, Joleen Kirsty Eden, advanced practitioner, Janet Kenwright, mammographer, at a fund-raising ballKim Woods, breast imaging operations lead, Joleen Kirsty Eden, advanced practitioner, Janet Kenwright, mammographer, at a fund-raising ball
Kim Woods, breast imaging operations lead, Joleen Kirsty Eden, advanced practitioner, Janet Kenwright, mammographer, at a fund-raising ball

It is estimated that on average, 12% of women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. However, in women with a family history of the disease, the figures are greatly increased to between 30 and 80%.

Debbie Dowie, wife of football pundit Iain, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010.

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Fighting the disease inspired her to set up the “Boot Out Breast Cancer charity” which fund-raises for NHS Trusts across the North.

Her latest event, a masquerade ball, was held recently to raise funds to buy a new MRI breast coil for Burnley General Hospital.

Supported by the charity’s patrons Alan Shearer and Paralympic cyclist, Dame Sarah Storey, £30,000 has now been raised.

Liz Read, breast screening manager, said: “The MRI scan has proven to give earlier and more accurate diagnosis in younger patients where the density of the breast tissue is higher.”

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Patient Nafisa Munshi experienced the benefits of the MRI breast coil equipment first hand during her treatment:

She said: “I am just relieved that there is a piece of equipment that’s so fine-tuned that it can pick up the smallest of things.

“It really gave me the reassurance that I needed.

“My cancer was not detected by an ultrasound or a mammogram. The MRI, however, did detect it.

“Thanks to the Boot Out Breast Cancer charity, many more women in East Lancashire can continue to have the early diagnosis and positive outcome that I have had.”

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