Breast care nurse, Alina Caruntu runs The Pink Petal Club in North London for breast cancer patients, and chats to Female First about the club and what it has to offer.
Alina Caruntu is a specialist breast care nurse at Spire Bushey Hospital and set up the patient support group, along with Agata Skrzypulec, Chemotherapy Nurse, who helps to run the club.
Alina Caruntu, Specialist breast care nurseYou have set up ‘Pink Petal Club’ for breast cancer sufferers. What does the club offer?
The Pink Petal Club was set up to address the identified need that breast cancer patients at Spire Bushey Hospital had lots of questions about everything including treatment, side effects, reconstructive surgery, endocrine treatment, how to avoid the cancer returning and post-treatment breast care. They also wanted to talk to other women going through the same thing.
Patients were happy with the general treatment and 24-hour support on offer at Spire Bushey Hospital, but wanted to be able to interact with each other more and speak to patients in a similar situation. I wanted to do more for my patients and make their experience more personal. The club gives the women a chance to socialise, listen to talks by different specialists including; consultant breast surgeons, lymphedema nurse, dentist and hygienist, nutritionist, specialist hairdresser. Other sessions include relaxation sessions, make up tutorials, yoga and specialised exercise classes.
How did you set up the club? Was it easy?
I organised an initial meeting with a selection of patients to ask what they wanted. They told me they wanted to be able to talk to each other about their experiences, listen to guest speakers and discuss complex issues they couldn't necessarily talk about with their friends and family. They also said with the fast-paced treatment plan, they often forgot to ask particular questions to their consultants. They said it would be beneficial to speak to breast surgeons in a more relaxed environment.
Did you set up Pink Petal Club alone?
I had the support of Spire Bushey Hospital management, Elstree Cancer Centre team, the palliative care nurse and the chemotherapy nursing team. The senior breast care nurse Bridie McGillycuddy supported me in setting up the group and was always able to advise me when needed. I also discussed the idea of a support group within Spire Bushey Hospital’s MDT (multi-disciplinary team) meeting. (Spire Bushey Hospital was one of the first private hospitals in the UK to use have their ownn MDT in house.)
Have you seen a difference in the women who visit your clubs?
There are usually between 18 to 24 patients in each group and patients now know that even when they have finished their treatment, they can come back to the support groups.
The benefits cancer patients gain from attending this support group are shown by the huge number of thank you emails I have received from patients who attend the group.
Can the women talk openly about their issues or do you try to steer away from that?
The Pink Petal Club is a place women can openly talk about any issues or worries. They feel they understand more about the side effects and have the opportunity to ask questions they may have been too embarrassed to ask directly to their consultant. If they have a personal question, they can tell me, and she asks the key speaker as a general question. This way, she finds another patient's question is often answered, who may have been too embarrassed to ask directly
Can women of all ages visit the club?
The Pink Petal Club is open to women of all ages. We see a variety of women from 30-70 years of age.
The club has ran many charity events. What kind of events do you have?
We most recently organised a charity fashion show in collaboration with John Lewis Brent Cross. All the models were breast cancer patients. It was a fantastic evening, and patients and their families had a wonderful time. John Lewis provided all the clothes and Spire Bushey Hospital and Cancer Partners UK helped organise the food and drink.
What activities are available?
After listening to what the ladies want, we have had various talks from experts including:
Consultant breast surgeon at Spire Bushey Hospital, Mr Murid Chaudary. He answered questions about being breast aware after diagnosis, what to look out for, hormone replacement therapy and ongoing treatment after chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Consultant breast surgeon at Spire Bushey Hospital, Miss Lee-Min Lai. She answered questions about immediate reconstruction and reconstruction at a later date, as many patients did not want reconstructive surgery immediately following a mastectomy. She also answered questions about BRCA1 & 2 and preventative mastectomies.
Lymphedema nurse, Sally-Ann Kaplan. She spoke to patients about lymphedema treatment. She provides massage treatment to prevent fluid retention in the arm following removal of lymph nodes. Treatment takes place at the centre, making it easy for patients to have treatment at a convenient time, without having to drive into central London.
Dentist and hygienist. Spoke to the group about mouth care during and after chemotherapy.
A nutritionist. Spoke about diet and the foods to avoid. The patients also found it confusing after reading stories in the media about certain types of foods to eat or avoid, and this session allows them to receive clear answers.
Daniel Field is a specialist hairdresser who works with patients going through cancer treatment. He talked about how to look after hair during and after chemotherapy.
Genetic councilor - Many patients have worries about their children inheriting the gene. The councillor answered questions the patients had.
We also organise activities such as:
Relaxation sessions to help patients to control their inner anxiety. Often patients find it hard to sleep and rest during treatment, and this is aimed at helping them learn to relax.
Make-up artist - Teaching ladies how they can change their make-up to deal with the changes in their skin during treatment.
Yoga session.
Specialised exercise sessions - Many women find they stop going to a regular gym with the physical changes they experience during treatment. These sessions allow patients to exercise with other women who are going through cancer treatment.
Can family members come along?
Female family and friends are welcome to support and join in in activities. We allow this to make the other members of the group more comfortable.
For more information visit: www.spirebushey.com