An installation of 1,000 unqiuely designed flowers has been unveilled to help Ipswich Hospital towards building a £5.3m breast cancer centre.
More than 13,000 women go to the hospital each year for routine screening, with an additional 300 women referred by their GP each month.
The blooms have been created by Suffolk Ironworks for Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity's Blossom Appeal which is £850,000 from its goal for the new centre.
Currently patients must visit different breast clinics and locations across the hospital, often having to change and get dressed before moving to a different space.
Kim Collingridge, lead breast cancer clinical nurse specialist at ESNEFT, said: “Bringing all the departments of the breast service together under one roof will have a positive impact on patient experience.
“It will enable us, as professionals, to work more efficiently and effectively to make the patients visit to the department more personalised, prevent long waits to be seen and enable us to give individuals the time they need and deserve.”
The display has been planted at the front of Ipswich Hospital to mark breast cancer awareness month and will remain on display until the end of November with the blooms available to buy.
It is the latest project in a four year campaign to reach the £5.3m total towards a one stop centre.
The final design includes quiet spaces for patients receiving their diagnosis, areas for young people and male patients, as well as a garden area – which will feature some of the metal flowers.
Allison Chaplin, general manager for breast services at ESNEFT, said: “The demand for services is increasing all the time, as we are better informed about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.
As well as developing the new breast care centre, we’re developing services for patients, such as our new breast pain clinic we’re launching soon. We want patients to be able to get the right help at the appropriate place when they need it.”
A minimum donation of £30 is requested to own the bloom, which has been hand made to be different from the next.
Mandy Jordan, associate director for Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity, said: “These flowers are so special and make the perfect present, tribute or just as a beautiful addition to your garden, but they’ll also be helping to fund such an important appeal.”
To donate and take home your own bloom, visit https://colchesteripswichcharity.org.uk/our-events/blooms/
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