“Thank you!”  “Thank you!” have been the words flying around recently at the Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals Breast Unit. Grateful patients have been thanking their surgeon, and the grateful surgeon has been thanking the patients for a £2,145 donation!

Hairdressing proprietor Stephanie Creighton               and one of her staff, and friend, Dee Diaper, have both been patients of Consultant Surgeon Ms Sunita Shrotria.    They decided to show their appreciation by holding a fundraising barbecue and this week (03-09-07) they presented a cheque for £2,145 to Ms Shrotria, who received it on behalf of the Breast Unit, which has seen 18,000 patients in two years. 

Said Ms Shrotria: “This money is very much appreciated gift and they have worked very hard to raise it. It’s very good to support their local unit and their donation will make a tangible difference. The money will be used to buy hi-tech, add-on equipment for the digital mammogram unit purchased by the Trust.”

Stephanie and her husband Keith own “Interhair” in Stanwell Village, and Dee, of West Close, Ashford, works with them. Stephanie said that their BBQ – which was Keith’s idea - was given tremendous support by family, friends, clients, local shops and businesses and there was an excellent selection of raffle prizes.

She said: “We would like to thank everyone who helped us. We couldn’t have done it without their support. During the six months of chemotherapy, following surgery, it gave me something to focus on and the planning certainly took my mind off it.”

Dee had surgery three years ago. She and her husband, Colin, have been keen fundraisers since then and among the raffle prizes Colin arranged were race days and meals at Kempton, Sandown Park and Epsom Racecourses.

Said Dee: “There’s not a day goes by that we don’t hear of someone who has been touched by cancer in some way, whether themselves or their friends or relatives.  It’s been nice to be able to do something like this which will benefit our local breast unit.”