Chorley businesswoman allows cameras into radiotherapy treatment to encourage women to get checked

  • ITV Granada Reports correspondent Elaine Willcox has been following Suzy Orr's journey from her diagnosis

A businesswoman who has shared her cancer story has marked the final milestone in her treatment.

After finishing three months of chemotherapy, Suzy Orr, from Chorley, has just completed 10 daily sessions of radiotherapy at a specialist centre at the Royal Preston Hospital.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2023 after a routine mammogram.

Woman holds charity fundraising walk the day before her breast cancer surgery

Since then she has invited ITV Granada Reports cameras to film every step of her treatment, in the hope of encouraging more women to get checked.

  • 30% of women in the North West do not attend their routine mammogram appointments.

  • The take up rate is particularly low in the Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities.

Suzy Orr is having targeted radiotherapy in her breast to destroy any cancerous cells Credit: ITV Granada

Suzy has to lie completely still, naked from the waist up for the targeted radiotherapy treatment.

She wanted to show what happened during the treatment to take away some of the fear for those who may need radiotherapy and to highlight the success of mammogram screening.

She said: "I know that women are going to their mammogram appointments because they have seen this, so it looks like the message is getting through".

"My cancer wasn't visible to the naked eye. I had no lumps or bumps, the cancer would have been growing, without me even knowing if I had not gone for the mammogram."

"Please if you get invited for a mammogram people go to the appointment."

Suzy ringing the bell at The Rosemere Cancer Centre in Preston to mark the end of her cancer treatment Credit: Royal Preston Hospital

After surgery to remove the lump at Chorley Hospital's Breast Care Unit, and chemotherapy, Suzy's treatment is taking place at Preston's The Rosemere Cancer Centre.

Specialist equipment, which was paid for by the hospital's fundraising appeal uses surface guided radiotherapy.

Plea not ignore routine scans as businesswoman diagnosed with breast cancer

Lisa Laws, Principal Therapeutic Radiographer said: "The Rosemere Cancer Centre raised £1.6 million for this surface guided equipment."

"It allows us to line Suzy up without using tattoos, which is quite a psychological reminder of the treatment. It's an amazing piece of equipment which has vastly improved the treatment for our patients."

Suzy Orr starts months of chemotherapy as she shares breast cancer journey

Just days before Christmas, Suzy rang the bell to make the end of her chemotherapy and rang it again after her 10th radiotherapy treatment.

"It's not just the end of my radiotherapy, it's the end of all my treatment so I will ring that bell blooming hard. I'm planning a skydive to raise more funds for Boot Out Breast Cancer."

Suzy Orr's operation to remove cancerous tumour in her breast

Suzy is an ambassador for the charity which has raised almost £1.4 million to provide state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment for the NHS.

She's planning to do a skydive to celebrate 'booting out cancer' and to raise more funds after the equipment helped save her life.

A breast cancer charity 'inundated' by requests for equipment from the NHS

Suzy's fundraising page for Boot Out Breast Cancer.