The Friends have supported the expansion of the Laurel Unit which was opened in December 2022, to provide a base for the Trust’s Breast Cancer Services team.
The Friends contributed £50,000 towards the creation of the unit with donations of medical and office equipment.
Two nurses from the Unit came to a recent Friends Board meeting to give an update on the activity in the Unit.
Kirsten Regan, Lead Surgical Breast Care Nurse Specialist, said “The unit was initially staffed by a team of 5 nurses which has now expanded to a team of 7 which is supplemented by physiotherapists and advanced clinical practitioners.
The Unit now sees approximately 500 patients per year and is utilised 5 days a week and receives positive feedback from patients and staff who attend the unit.
In addition to nurse led clinics the Unit offers reconstruction and plastic surgery clinics, breast surgery physiotherapy, nipple tattooing and bespoke Pilates classes for all Coventry and Rugby patients. Only diagnostic procedures and clinics for high-risk patients are carried out at our Coventry Hospital site.”
To support the increase in activity through the Laurel Unit, the Friends donated a medical lamp which will directly benefit patients by enhancing wound care procedures and further enhancements to skin treatments.
Hannah Colledge, Surgical Breast Care Nurse Specialist, said “in addition to the Laurel expansion, surgical procedures started to be undertaken in theatre at St Cross in September 2025 and there are plans to expand this activity. A double mastectomy and reconstruction procedure was successfully undertaken in the first week of May, with a second in June and teams are working together to expand this service, benefiting more of our patients.”
Garth Murphy, Chair of The Friends of St Cross, said “I enjoyed my visit to the team in the Laurel Unit and to hear them inform the Friends’ Board about the expansion of the service that we have supported. It was great to hear how this service is firmly established at St Cross and serves the community in Rugby and Coventry.
Photo: L- R Lucy Wakelin, Bonnie Hunt, Garth Murphy