ABS President

Miss Leena Chagla is the President of the Association of Breast Surgery and past-President of the Liverpool and Northwest Society of Surgeons. She heads the breast unit at St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals which is actively involved in clinical innovation and trials. She continues to publish regularly in peer reviewed journals.

Leena qualified from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, with a gold medal in Surgery. Whilst in India, she trained at the Sir JJ Hospital and at the Tata Memorial Cancer Centre. Her passion for surgical oncology developed in those formative years.

She is a popular speaker both nationally and internationally and is involved in the development of guidelines for the management of breast cancer. She is passionate about MDT working and she launched the Anti-bullying Campaign (#CoreItOut) for ABS in alliance with RCSEd. She represented ABS on the pathology Big 18 and the organising committee of Symposia Mammographicum.

Leena was instrumental in setting up the International Forum at ABS with a view to sharing good practice globally.  She is committed to improving and standardising Breast cancer care through education and training. She is an Educational Supervisor for the National Oncoplastic Fellow and she is a Professional Clinical Advisor for screening to Public Health England.

Outside of work Leena is a keen sportswoman having played water-polo for Maharashtra, Liverpool and the Northern Counties at the highest level.

Sarah qualified as a nurse in 2007, and has completed a masters in advanced nursing studies.  She has over 12 years’ experience as a senior research delivery nurse, setting up research units which resulted in winning the CLRN ‘Research Nurse of the Year’ award, with the last 8 years being in breast cancer at the Nightingale Centre in Manchester. Sarah is on the ABS Academic and Research Committee as well as the Nursing Committee, giving insight into trial delivery.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Professor Michelle Harvie is a research dietitian from the Prevent Breast Cancer Research Unit, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust/University of Manchester. For the past 23 years she has researched optimum diet and exercise strategies for the prevention and management of breast cancer. This research includes once of the first reports that weight loss can reduce breast cancer risk, , pioneering work with intermittent fasting and delivering breast cancer prevention interventions to women attending high risk clinics and breast screening.

Suzy has worked as a Consultant Nurse in Breast Services at Surrey and Sussex NHS Trust since 2022. She is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, leading service development in relation to; nurse led breast symptom assessment, breast pain pathway provision, family history assessment, raised risk breast surveillance, and breast referral triage. 

Suzy is also Nurse Co-Lead for the ABS Aspire (Breast Pain Pathway Rapid Evaluation) Steering Group, and a NICE Fellow (2020-2022). She is an experienced Clinical Specialist Lead and historical NICE committee member (IPAC 2018-2021). 

In addition to 25 years experience as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in breast care, Suzy has also worked on secondment as a Clinical Procurement and Quality Assurance Lead for NHS Supply Chain (DHL), and a freelance Advanced Nurse Practitioner working with various NHS Trusts in Surrey and Sussex. 

Suzy has a Degree in Nursing, a Diploma in Breast Cancer Care, a Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling a Psychotherapy, and an Advanced Practice (Cancer) MSc. She has published in relation to earlier cancer diagnosis, breast screening surveillance and breast referral triage, symptomatic breast referral resource, and breast pain, and was awarded Health Service Journal Patient Safety Awards Finalist in 2021. 

Suzy has a strong interest in co-production, compassionate healthcare practice, human factors, reducing unwarranted variation, and translating policy into practice to enhance patient outcomes.

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

Suzanne Frank MPharm, Clin Dip, iNMP, Advanced Specialist Breast Cancer Pharmacist, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.

Suzanne qualified as pharmacist in 2002 and worked as a rotational basic grade pharmacist at The Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust gaining experience in a number of specialities. In 2006 she specialised as an oncology pharmacist.  

In 2008 Suzanne joined The Christie NHS Foundation Trust as an Advanced Specialist Breast Cancer Pharmacist where she qualified as an independent Non-Medical Prescriber. She works in an outpatient clinic setting alongside medical oncology consultants prescribing chemotherapy and supportive care for patients with early and secondary breast cancer. She is in the process of credentialling as a Consultant Pharmacist.

Suzanne is a member of the Greater Manchester Cancer breast pathway board and is passionate about improving patient pathways and access to breast cancer treatment across the region.

Suzanne’s research interests include assimilating real world evidence on the efficacy and tolerability of systemic anticancer treatments and analysis of treatment pathways and patient experience to inform future service developments.

Fruit Fly Collective

Caroline has a background in neuroscience research and medicine regulation policy. In 2012, she founded the multi-award-winning Fruit Fly Collective, a not-for-profit organisation that focuses on empowering parents diagnosed with cancer to navigate family life and support their children. 

Fruit Fly Collective’s work has included research into building a service to support cancer patients and their children within the NHS; delivering cancer educational workshops for families within hospitals; touring primary school cancer education programmes; developing resources for families affected by parental cancer, and when a parent is in end of life care. Current project funded by Macmillan and National Lottery is called Parenting with Cancer which provides an online one stop shop of comprehensive support for parents, parenting coaching programmes and training for professionals.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Jay Naik is a Yorkshire trained Medical Oncologist, working as a Consultant since 2011. He was the Clinical Director of the West Yorkshire & Harrogate Cancer Alliance Breast Optimal Pathways Group, from 2021-2024, and is embarking on an Innovation lead role for the West Yorkshire & Harrogate Cancer Alliance, with respect to Oncology services, and is the Clinical Research Lead for HDFT.

Jay solely looks after patients with Breast Cancer and is very interested in finding ways to meet the serious challenges we meet in today’s environment of high volume and complex treatments. He highly values the impact of good communication on the patient experience of care, and co-facilitate TRUSTING courses around the country, organised by the SHORE-C group, led by Val Jenkins and Lesley Fallowfield.

Wythenshawe Hospital

Katy is a Nurse Consultant in Breast at the Nightingale Breast Unit, Manchester Foundation Trust. Katy qualified as a registered nurse in 1996 and began her professional career in theatres before becoming a Surgical Care Practitioner. In 2006 Katy undertook a masters module in advanced skills in breast care before undertaking the Advanced Clinical Practice Msc at the University of Central Lancashire. Katy was a Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist in Breast care for 10 years in Stockport, a unit which supported newly diagnosed breast cancer patients through to palliative care. Since 2019 Katy has worked at MFT, initially in the role of Advanced Nurse Practitioner and more recently as a Nurse Consultant. In 2021 Katy was awarded, along with a colleague, the National Nursing Times Award in Cancer Care for the implementation of a telephone assessment clinic for breast pain. Katy’s current role is 50% clinical and 50% research and she is currently working towards her PhD.

Katy is passionate about her role as a nurse and the value that nursing brings to a patients experience.

James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust

Ms Downey qualified from Nottingham University in the last century and she undertook SHO training in Bristol, Research in Breast Cancer Oncology in Manchester and Registrar training in Yorkshire. Her first consultant post in Bradford for 4 years and moved to East Anglia in 2005. Sarah's first involvement in RCS was examiner for MRCS at time OSCE introduced. Acted on committee and then Chair of Court of Examiners for RCS England. Part of training committee since came to East Anglia in 2005. Undertook Divisional Director role in own hospital for 5 years – opened new daycase unit. Acted as regional Breast Screening QA Surgeon for 6 years. Joined SAC in 2015 and became regional TPD in 2018. Currently Chair of General Surgery SAC.  Undergraduate PBL tutor and online tutor for oncoplastic MS. Director of Screening for own Trust and also Clinical Appraisal Lead. Former TIG Chair and faculty on Advanced Breast Cancer Course. Currently Honorary Secretary of ABS.

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Tr

Belfast City Hospital

Mr. Chris Hoo is a highly skilled Consultant Plastic & Breast Surgeon based at Belfast City Hospital within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. With a strong background in both plastic and breast surgery, Mr. Hoo's practice primarily focuses on oncoplastic breast and reconstructive surgery.

THE NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

Faculty