Breast cancer group donates £4,500 worth of equipment to QA Hospital

Portsmouth Breast Friends (PBF) has donated almost £5,000 worth of equipment to the breast surgery department at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham.

PBF presented the department with specialised arm boards, which are useful for the type of surgery it carries out, in recognition of Marjorie Walker – who chaired the group from 2004 until 2009 and died last year.

Lauren Farnhill, treasurer of PBF, said: ‘We acknowledge and celebrate all the dedicated, caring and steadfast work that Marjorie contributed to local women undergoing breast cancer treatment, and will continue to support women in the Portsmouth area undergoing the same journey.

‘Marjorie was a tireless, supportive and energetic friend of women facing this challenge, despite facing her own circumstances.’

Portsmouth Breast Friends was formed in 2001 after breast care nurses at QA Hospital recognised there was no support group for women in the Portsmouth area going through, or recovering from, treatment for breast cancer.

Since then the group has raised more than £40,000 and much of this money has been donated to breast care services, as well as supporting local women directly.

The arm boards were purchased with money raised in Marjorie’s memory.

Members of PBF, together with Marjorie’s husband Rodney and daughter Helen, were able to visit the operating theatres at QA, and learn about the assistance the new equipment has provided.

Constantinos Yiangou, a consultant surgeon for the breast surgery department at the hospital, said: ‘The new arm boards are very useful for the type of surgery we do as they help with the positioning of the arm during surgery.

‘They are easy to use, easily adjustable and much better both for the patient and the surgeon.

‘We are very grateful to the Portsmouth Breast Friends for their very generous donation. This is not the first time that they have donated important equipment to the breast unit and theatres.’

Portsmouth Breast Friends meets at the Macmillan Centre at QA on the first Tuesday of the month at 6.30pm.