A RELIEVED wife has praised the staff of Colchester Hospital after her husband’s health scare.
Mark Burnett, 38, was diagnosed with a form of breast cancer.
Having taken up running during lockdown, Mark, who works in the theatre industry, noticed spots of blood on his clothing.
Due to suffering from eczema and scratches on his skin, he ignored this at first.
However, when the blood spots persisted, Mark got a biopsy and found out he had DCIS.
If he had left this condition untreated, it would have developed into an even more severe form of breast cancer.
Ultimately, Mark had a mastectomy in August 2022 and went on holiday a few days later with his family.
Throughout the experience, Mark’s wife Amanda described Colchester Hospital as “fantastic".
She also praised the hospital’s breast cancer unit describing it as “amazing".
While Mark hasn’t met other men who suffered with breast cancer, he started a blog to discuss his experience.
Amanda said the blog inspired men who would have otherwise ignored certain signs to get themselves checked out.
Meanwhile, Mark and Amanda’s daughter Lily, seven, started fundraising to promote breast cancer awareness.
As a member of the Brownies, she previously fundraised for doctors and nurses after being inspired by a family friend in the profession.
Lily later made more than 100 bracelets and keyrings in her endeavour for Breast Cancer UK.
The youngster has also got support from people around her, including on her JustGiving page.
Julie Badham, the owner of Clacton business Just Flowers, donated £50 having previously suffered from breast cancer.
Amanda said that Lily’s teachers at Boxted St Peter’s Primary School had also been “very supportive” of the fundraising effort.
She had thought Lily's fundraising came to an end after Easter, only for her to return to school and secure several orders.
This news comes after Keely Barton, who was 53, died of breast cancer on February 1.
Keely, who lived in Great Horkesley, had been diagnosed eight years earlier.
Her widower Frank expressed his gratitude to Colchester Hospital by gifting them with £26,500 that he raised on JustGiving.
The money is now with Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals charity which supports the hospital’s work.
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