Preserving fertility before treatment:-
I am writing here with something I know nothing about (due to my age), I have posted this on the group I am in "Breast Cancer", however, I have been asked to post in here, this makes sense, so in turn, I hope I make sense with the following information....
Yesterday, I heard a programme on the Radio, on BBC Radio 4 called 'Inside Health' ....
The item referred to 'Preserving Fertility' for ladies in a partnership (that is their words), to me it should be 'any lady' looking to have/continue to have children following chemotherapy treatment.
This treatment is available at two hospitals, the one referred to on the program is The Royal Free Hospital in London and is fully funded by the NHS.
This treatment involves 'key hole' surgery to remove either half or all of an ovary 'before' chemotherapy treatment is started (it can still be carried out after 1st chemo treatment, but not as reliable). This treatment is carried out normally within '5 days' from referred to them, this way it does not cause delays in starting other treatments.
Apparently this treatment has been available for some 15 years!!!! .... the problem is.... the word is not out there!!! (Just like my combined lumpectomy and internal radiotherapy treatment - Target IORT this still remains hidden from the very people that would benefit from this type of treatment).
Extract from the Royal Free Hospital.....
A new ovarian tissue freezing programme, designed to help women and girls about to be treated for cancer to preserve their fertility, has been launched at the Royal Free London.
The service, which is the first in the UK to be fully funded by the NHS, will enable specialists in cancer and blood disorders to refer patients to the Royal Free London ahead of their cancer treatments for ovarian tissue freezing and later implantation to restore their fertility and/or prevent early menopause.
I have hopefully attached a link to the BBC Radio 4 programe and also a link to the Royal Free Hospital page, the gentleman on the show and in the article is called Mr Paul Hardiman, links as follows:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0008wpc
https://www.royalfree.nhs.uk/news-media/news/london-gets-new-ovarian-tissue-freezing-programme
I really hope this information can help any ladies starting out on this journey or this information can be relayed on to any ladies embarking on this journey and not offered or told about this treatment and the chance to preserve their fertility.
Remember, we are all allowed to choose 'which hospital and where we have treatment' - under the "Choose and book" service. Therefore, I think this treatment would be available to anyone fitting the right criteria (age, etc) that is willing to travel to the hospitals offering an carrying out this treatment on the N.H.S.
I hope this all makes sense xxx
(I will sneak back off to the 'oldies' group hahaha... only joking 'we are a wonderful bunch of Fruit Loops thanks to LondonLass)
