• £100,000 donation from Boot Out Breast Cancer for breast screening room at Bolton
• Mayor Andy Morgan officially opened the treatment room, alongside Debbie Dowie, charity founder
• Message is to ‘know your normal’ and get checked out at the earliest possibility

Royal Bolton Hospital has opened a brand new breast screening room thanks to a generous donation of more than £100,000 from Boot Out Breast Cancer.

The room was officially unveiled by the Mayor of Bolton, Councillor Andy Morgan, and the founder of the charity, Debbie Dowie.

The Bernie Mercer room is fully equipped with state of the art equipment which will help to increase capacity, reduce waiting times and provide opportunities for further staff training.

The new equipment includes a dedicated breast ultrasound machine, workstations and biopsy chairs and will hugely benefit patients with symptoms, who are referred to a breast clinic by their GP, as well as patients who have had a screening mammogram and are recalled for further investigations, including an ultrasound.

Kirsty Eden, Consultant Radiographer at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust said:

Whilst the new equipment will undoubtedly benefit our patients with increased capacity and reduced waiting times, the lesser appreciated benefit is the opportunities this will provide for further training.

“At Bolton, we are passionate about developing the workforce from a range of professional groups, including Radiographers, Assistant and Associate Mammographers, Imaging Assistants, Radiologists and International Breast Fellows.

“Radiologists are currently in short supply, with a 40% expected shortfall within the next five years recently announced by the Royal College of Radiologists. Even more striking is the lowest growth has been within the breast specialty. It is therefore paramount that develop essential training facilities within every breast department.

The new ultrasound room will have a profound impact on the workforce of the future. Creating an environment where training is possible it’s not just an investment for our current population but also aims to provide services for the next generation.

Dr Ann Mills, Consultant Radiologist at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust added:

Many thanks to all the organising committee and extremely generous supporters of Boot out Breast Cancer.

“It was an absolute pleasure to meet Debbie Dowie and the family of Bernie Mercer to show off our new state of the art equipment thanks to their fantastic donations in the Sunflower Suite Breast unit.

“All the new equipment will make a huge difference to the people of Bolton and also those that attend for breast screening from Bolton, Bury and Rochdale.

Mayor Andy Morgan was delighted to cut the ribbon to officially open the treatment room and spoke about the incredible impact that Boot Out Breast Cancer has had so far, on the community of Bolton.

Thanks to Boot Out Breast Cancer’s generous donations, the Royal Bolton Hospital has benefitted from state of the art equipment that is making a real difference to the lives of patients. Early detection is crucial in the fight against breast cancer and this new equipment will help to catch this disease at its earliest stages.

“It’s not just about treating the disease, it’s about treating the whole person and this equipment helps medical teams do just that. The impact of these donations goes beyond just the physical equipment, but also provides hope, comfort and a fighting chance to so many people in our community.

“I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the healthcare professionals that benefit from using this equipment, you guys work tirelessly every day with the support of organisations like Boot Out Breast Cancer, you can continue to provide the best care and support to those who unfortunately need it using the latest equipment and technology.

“Together we can continue to make strides in the fight against breast cancer and ensure that Bolton and other North West communities have the resources and state of art equipment needed to face this challenge head on.

Debbie Dowie, CEO for Boot Out Breast Cancer said:

This wouldn’t have been possible without all the amazing friends and supporters over the last 14 years. It’s so lovely to come in to a room and see all this amazing equipment and just know the difference it is making. The fact they have been able to get more staff and open another room.

“I know that I was very lucky that I got an early diagnosis and I know that’s it is really important for other men and women to get an early diagnosis, as that’s the key to survival.

“The biggest message I’d have is to ‘know your normal’, everyone has lots of lumps and bumps but it’s important to know your normal and anything that is different or changed, go to your doctor straight away and get it checked out.