Winter 2010 - The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust

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Innovative BraDesign Aids BreastCancer PatientsThe Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust has introduced aninnovative new bra design which is helping patients with breastcancer to lead a better lifestyle. The post-operative bra, aninvention brought over from Australia, provides much more comfortthan a normal bra and also includes a small pocket to transportone of more drains.The Breast Care TeamThe underwear is being offered to patients who have had surgeryand has been found to be far less intrusive, allowing women to goabout their daily lives as normal. Having had a masectomy at NewCross, Faye Kerr found the bra far more comfortable and says itfitted really well:“I’m so thankful to the breast care unit for supplying me withthis bra. It’s helped me maintain my independence. I did buya bra especially, but it was so uncomfortable and it couldn’taccommodate the drains whereas this one can. It’s definitely takenaway some of the stress of having my breast removed – it’s one lessthing to worry about.”The hospital’s Breast Care Nurse, Charlotte Bradbury came acrossthe bra via the charity, Women Zone, after searching for a solutionto help women returning home after surgery.“Some women leave here needing anything from one to fourdrains. The drain pouch that comes with the bra makes it verydiscreet so that no-one knows they have the drain beneath theirclothes.Before this, we were having problems with drains falling out.They can now go about their daily activities as normal and withcomplete independence.”Patricia Lucas also had surgery and couldn’t believe the hospitalwas able to supply her with such a comfortable aid: “I searchedeverywhere for a bra I could wear post surgery, but couldn’t findanything I was able to tolerate. I was so happy with this and wrote athank you letter to the hospital telling them what a difference it hadmade.”The Trust is the only one in the West Midlands to supply this bra totheir patients and is the first in England to use the drain pouches.BackReturn to ContentsNext
Breast FeedingCampaignLaunched at TrustThe Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHSTrust has introduced a new campaignaimed at encouraging more women to trybreast feeding their children.New Cross Maternity Unit used fundingfrom Wolverhampton PCT to work with theWolverhampton Art Gallery to commissiona local photographer photograph localfamilies and their babies.Angela Tombs Head of Learning andOutreach at the Arts and Heritage Serviceworked closely with Amanda CostelloSpecialist Midwife Infant Feeding todevelop a brief and find a photographer.The brief was to provide images thatpresented breastfeeding as the normalway to feed a baby and as part of everyday activity that does not intrude ordisrupt the usual routine. Local mothersvolunteered to model for the pictureswhich were taken at various placesacross the City including the Art Gallery,maternity unit and delivery suite.The photos were also the focus at thegallery during National Breast FeedingAwareness Week back in June.Many of the mothers are also involvedas breastfeedin peer support volunteers,supporting pregnant women andmothers either in the maternity unit or atbreastfeeding support groups across theCity. Amanda Costello explained whybreast feeding is so important in a child’searly stages of development:“Babies that are breastfed have areduced risk of certain infections such asdiarrhoea and vomiting, ear infections andchest infections. If breastfed, then babiesare also less likely to have risk factors forMel Nelson, Jane Purchase and son Thomas,Amanda Costello and Angela Tombsheart disease such as obesity, high bloodpressure and high cholesterol levels.”Mother’s who breastfeed are also less likelyto develop breast and ovarian cancer orsuffer hip fractures later on in life.Jane Purchase is mum to four childrenincluding her youngest son, Thomas. “Atfirst I really struggled with breast feeding,but after my second child I really got onwith it. I would say to anyone expecting achild to try it. Having tried both bottle andbreast feeding it’s much easier to breastfeed and easy to do – wherever you are itcan be done discreetly and slot in as partof your daily routine.”The photographs that were taken are nowon display around the maternity unit.BackReturn to ContentsNext
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Page 5 and 6: MRSA Record ContinuesA National aud
Page 9: Keyhole Surgery SuccessRewarded wit

Winter 2010 - The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust

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