Surgeon brings hope to thousands of women

Maria Bramley: “I really didn’t realise what an impact I’ve had.”

A WOMAN who has brought hope and comfort to people whose world is rocked by the words: “I’m sorry, you have cancer,” has been nominated for a Pride in Oldham award.

Breast surgeon Maria Bramley was appointed at the Royal Oldham Hospital in June, 2007, since when she has seen more than 4,000 outpatients, 427 inpatients, and treated 216 people for breast cancer.

She opened the Victoria Breast Care unit three months after she started the job, amid a barrage of pink balloons which were released to mark the event.

And her “Pink Promenade” around Hollingworth Lake the following July, to raise money for the unit, began a drive which founded the Link4Pink charity.

Maria’s infectious energy and enthusiasm to improve the service brought a band of supporters forward to form the Link4Pink committee.

The women have so far raised more than £150,000 and paid for a bright and airy conservatory extension to ease pressure on the cramped Victoria Breast Care Unit — and fundraising continues.

The first reaction to earning a Pride nomination from the 44-year-old mother-of-two, whose husband Richard is an anaesthetist, was: “You’re joking.”

Delighted and surprised, she said: “I really didn’t realise what an impact I have had on the local community.”

Maria has a long association with Oldham, having spent four years training as a registrar at the Royal Oldham Hospital before leaving in 2004 to undertake specialist training in breast reconstruction.

She said: “I am often the first person someone sees when they are told they have cancer, and it’s really important to stay positive.

“People hear the word cancer and they think that’s it, they are going to go out of that room with no chance.

“But there is always something we can do, and I always tell people ‘we are going to look after you, we are going to treat you, and it will be all right.’

“There is so much more we can do now than we used to be able to do, and optimism, hope, safety and excellence are what I am about.”

Keen to use the opportunity for any publicity to champion the cause of the Link4Pink charity and the good work of her fellow surgeons throughout the Pennine area, Maria urged people to keep contributing to the charity.

She said: “The committee is now raising money for a garden area where patients can sit, and I have only just met with members to decide what is needed next.”


NOMINATE SOMEONE! See the top item in our Pride in Oldham section for details