Across Barts Health NHS Trust, Barts Charity funding has helped teams introduce new technology, equipment and specialist support – with projects already changing care for patients.
With the new Barts Health Breast Cancer Centre opening, and with the launch of our new Here for it campaign, we’re hoping to be able to transform breast cancer outcomes for the people of East London.
Making breast cancer diagnosis quicker and easier
We funded Dr Tamara Suaris and the breast imaging team at St Bartholomew’s Hospital to introduce Contrast Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM), a newer form of breast imaging.
Traditional diagnostic pathways can involve several tests, including MRI scans, which can be uncomfortable and difficult for some patients. CESM provides another option and can produce clearer images, showing the difference between healthy and unhealthy tissue. Our funding helped St Bartholomew’s become an early NHS adopter of the technology.
The results have been encouraging. CESM was found to have comparable diagnostic accuracy to MRI, while providing a shorter, more straightforward procedure. All patients offered CESM in the project accepted it as an alternative to MRI, with 80% saying they preferred it.
In a national study, CESM detected an additional 17 cancers per 1,000 examinations, compared with four cancers per 1,000 with ultrasound.
Helping surgeons make decisions in real time
Barts Charity funding also purchased a BioVision specimen radiography machine. This allows tissue removed during breast cancer surgery to be X-rayed while the patient is still in theatre. Previously, samples had to be carried across the hospital for assessment.
BioVision allows images to be sent directly to radiologists, helping surgeons assess whether the cancer has been completely removed without delays.
Originally purchased for Whipps Cross Hospital, the machine is now based at St Bartholomew’s following the centralisation of breast cancer surgery and supports patients from across Barts Health. It is used every day, reducing delays and the risk that patients will need further surgeries.
Supporting patients through recovery
Technology is only part of improving care. Our funding also supported a Clinical Nurse Specialist for people having breast reconstruction surgeries. This role has been filled by Rowena Jackson.
Rowena helps patients prepare for surgery and provides expert support throughout their recovery, including wound care. She is a point of contact for patients once they return home.
“I think for breast reconstruction to have a dedicated point of contact is super important. It can be quite daunting going into a clinic… Having that familiarity can really reassure the patient and give them a bit more confidence in their recovery.”Rowena Jackson, Clinical Nurse Specialist
The impact of her role has been significant. Unplanned hospital readmissions fell by more than 70%, while visits to A&E following surgery reduced by more than half – despite the number of operations doubling. Every patient surveyed said they would not have felt confident having their surgery without the nurse’s support. The role has since secured funding beyond the original Barts Charity grant.
Creating stronger links between Barts Health and the Somali community
Improving breast cancer care isn’t only about what happens in hospital. It also means making sure people feel able to access screening and other healthcare services in the first place.
East London is home to a large Somali community, but language and cultural barriers, discrimination and a lack of understanding of available services can affect people’s experiences of healthcare and make it harder to access services such as breast screening.
In 2021, Barts Charity provided £50,000 to fund a Somali-speaking Community Engagement Officer working across Barts Health hospitals. Delivered in partnership with the Somali-led Women’s Inclusive Team, the project created stronger links between local women and healthcare services through one-to-one conversations and community health awareness events. It also helped Barts Health staff build their confidence in communicating with Somali communities.
The project engaged more than 100 Somali women, including 60 who took part in breast cancer awareness sessions. Following the sessions, two women went for their first-ever breast screening appointment.
Women involved also reported feeling more welcomed by the healthcare system and having a better understanding of the services available to them. Barts Health staff reported greater confidence and understanding when working with people from different cultural backgrounds.
The impact continued beyond the original grant, with Barts Health extending parts of the project and exploring how the approach could be embedded into maternity and screening services.
Reducing hair loss for chemotherapy patients
Hair loss can be one of the most visible and distressing effects of chemotherapy, affecting peoples’ emotional wellbeing at an already difficult time.
We funded new scalp cooling devices at St Bartholomew’s, Newham and Whipps Cross hospitals. Improved availability has enabled more people to access these devices. Chemotherapy units across Barts Health hospitals are now supporting around 10% more patients to begin treatment sooner, helping to restore their dignity and confidence.
“I didn’t want to go around telling everyone I had breast cancer, so being able to keep my hair was really important to me. I’m a real advocate for cold cap treatment.”Katisha, a patient who used cold cap treatment
New ideas, better technology and additional support
These projects show what charitable funding can make possible: giving NHS teams the opportunity to test new ideas, introduce better technology and provide additional support that can make a tangible difference to patients.
And their impact can last well beyond the original grant – helping successful ideas become part of the way breast cancer care is delivered.
The new Barts Health Breast Cancer Centre will create even more opportunities to bring together pioneering research, innovative care and specialist expertise in one place, helping to transform breast cancer outcomes for people across East London.
We're here for it. Are you?
Your generosity today could help us be here for every step of someone's breast cancer journey - from diagnosis through to recovery. And it can also drive research that could change lives globally.