Designer breast care unit opens

A £6.6 million breast care unit will open in South Wales.

The centre, at a Carmarthenshire hospital, will be aimed at speeding up and improving treatment.

The breast care unit was funded by £850,000 public donations and the Welsh assembly government. It boasts six en-suite rooms, designed by Paul Carter, whose clients include Donatella Versace.

Hospital oncologist, Simon Holt, said: “The benefits of a hotel-type stay are not only convenience and offer the best medical care, but also offers the best psychological support for patients recovering from breast cancer surgery.”

"Breast cancer is now a curable disease for most women but it is important that we not only support women's physical recovery but give them the confidence to get back to a normal life as soon as they can,” the expert added.

It is hoped that the hotel style environment will reduce women’s anxiety when being treated for breast cancer.

Breast cancer deaths have fallen in the UK since the 1980s. Breast cancer deaths now account for around 28.2% of all deaths in the UK each year. However, mortality rates from the disease continue to be among the highest in Europe.

Many women experience breast problems. One such problem is inverted nipples. Inverted nipples can make women feel self conscious, and can also make it difficult for them to breastfeed. Some women have nipples that are sometimes inverted, and protrude when stimulated or cold. Professionals call these “shy nipples”. True inverted nipples are likely to be present from birth and refuse to make an appearance. If you have a nipple that suddenly becomes inverted, it’s important to get it checked out immediately – it could be a sign of an underlying cancer.