It has been about 14 years since Debbie Dowie, wife of former footballer Iain Dowie, found out she had breast cancer. “I know that I was very lucky that I got an early diagnosis," she said, “When I received it, I did have a very good network. I had three friends that had breast cancer at the same time.
“Sadly one did die.” Now she is giving back to the place that treated her, Royal Bolton Hospital, in memory of that friend, Bernie Mercer, who was the wife of Dougie Mercer, behind the firm Toughsheet. Debbie found the charity Boot Out Breast Cancer , which has funded an ultrasound room to the hospital’s NHS Breast Unit.
It will be kitted out with £110k-worth of cutting-edge ultrasound technology. The charity holds a number of functions, including a popular Ladies Lunch. Boot Out Breast Cancer founder Debbie Dowie sits near ultrasound equipment her charity donated Royal Bolton Hospital (Image: Lisa Kirkland) Breast Screening Programme Manager Hayley Roche says: "With this equipment donated to us from Boot Out Breast Cancer we’ve purchased two workstations which help us read high resolution mammograms.
"We also have this Siemens Sequioa ultrasound machine which is within excess of £75,000. "We’ll be able to see more patients and help with the diagnostic process in breast clinics." Ultrasounds are meant to help diagnose breast cancer as early as possible.
They use non-invasive imaging to identify suspicious masses and facilitate ultrasound-guided biopsies for furt.