More than £33,000 has been raised towards a vital new Breast Care Centre after the sell-out success of a charity appeal.
All 1,000 metal flowers created for the Blooms for Blossom Appeal were snapped up during October and November to raise money for a new centre at Ipswich Hospital.
The appeal, by Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity, is part of an ongoing drive to raise £5.3m for the new centre to support and treat people with breast cancer.
Some of the team caring for patients with breast cancer at Ipswich Hospital – Ceri Meek, Laura Southgate, Harriet Dynver, Amy Hilling, Suzanne Holland, Julie Steele and Kim Collingridge
Caroline Bates, Head of Grants & Development at Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity, said: “Thank you so much to everyone who supported us with this appeal. We are so pleased the flowers were ‘picked’ and are helping raise money towards the centre. It was lovely having them all on display at the hospital, but it’s been really special handing them over so everyone can enjoy them in their own gardens.”
Each flower was handcrafted by Suffolk Ironworks especially for the appeal and stamped with their own number and given out with a certificate explaining their meaning. They were all displayed at the front of Ipswich Hospital in the shape of a bra – the appeal’s logo – during the last two months.
Illustration of the breast care centre
All the money raised will now help towards the build of the Breast Care Centre which has planning permission and is hoped to open during 2022.
A new Breast Care Centre is vital as currently patients have to visit different breast clinics across Ipswich Hospital, often having to change and get dressed before moving to the different space. Having one main breast care centre will mean patients can stay in the same place for all their appointments. There will also be dedicated areas for diagnosis, men, younger people and a garden for patients and their families.
More than 13,000 women are invited to Ipswich Hospital each year for their routine screening, with an additional 300 women referred by their GP each month.
If you’ve reserved a bloom but haven’t collected it yet, please email charity@esneft.nhs.uk to arrange.
To donate to The Blossom Appeal visit the Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity website.
Signs and symptoms of breast cancer can be found on the NHS website and include: a new lump or area of thickened tissue, a change in the size or shape, a discharge from the nipple, a lump or swelling in your armpit, a rash or crusting, a change in the look or feel of your skin or a change in the appearance or your nipple. Know the signs and check your breasts and up to your armpit area regularly. If you have any concerns, contact your GP.
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