Triple celebration for The Primrose Foundation

There was tea and cake aplenty on Wednesday 19th April as patients, nurses and colleagues gathered together to celebrate a special anniversary for The Primrose Foundation, as well as the appointment of a new charity-funded breast care nurse.

Held on National Primrose Day, the event marked 16 years since the opening of the Primrose Breast Care Centre at Derriford Hospital, as well as the 20th anniversary of the Primrose Appeal. Not only that, but it also provided an opportunity to officially welcome Rachel Wood, the new Breast Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, who is being funded by the charity.

Kate Lansdell, Lead Breast Care Nurse Consultant, explained: “This post has been 2 years in the making. It resulted from feedback we had from patients and clinical oncologists alike, who all had a general feeling that things could be improved.

“A patient once told me that the gap between surgery and oncology felt like falling off a cliff. A bit extreme I know, but it goes to show how important having that continued support throughout our patients’ journey is”, Kate added. “This is where having Rachel will make a real difference.”

Rachel’s new role will support patients following breast cancer surgery, who need further follow-on treatment such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

“It’s really exciting to be able to offer these women the holistic care and support that they deserve, throughout their care”, said Rachel. “It’s really empowering women to have all of the information and support that they need.”

As with all of their fundraising activities, all proceeds from the morning’s cake sale have been donated to the Primrose Unit, as part of a continuing effort to enhance its services and facilities.

To find out more about the Primrose Foundation, visit their website: http://primrosefoundation.org/