7 August 2026
Charity funding brings final stage of breast reconstruction to Southampton for the first time
Breast cancer patients at University Hospital Southampton can now access nipple tattooing for the first time.
Thanks to a donation from Dorset based charity Going For Bust, via Southampton Hospitals Charity, a new service has been launched at the Princess Anne Hospital.
Nipple tattooing is often the finishing touch following reconstructive breast cancer surgery, helping to restore symmetry and create a more natural result. For many patients, it plays a significant role in rebuilding body image, confidence and emotional wellbeing after treatment.
Until now, the service has been unavailable to women in Southampton, who typically faced a lengthy wait to have the procedure carried out in Salisbury.
As well as funding the tattooing equipment, Southampton Hospitals Charity paid for Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon Masooma Zaidi and breast care nurses Lauren Foley and Caroline Evans to be trained in its use.
The funding was made possible through a generous donation from Going For Bust, a charity dedicated to supporting breast cancer causes in the East Dorset and West Hampshire areas.
The team said they were grateful to both charities for helping to turn their plans into reality.
Ms Zaidi said: “We are excited to be able to start offering this important service for women at University Hospital Southampton.
“Nipple tattooing can make a huge difference to a patient’s emotional wellbeing and body image. Many women find the procedure enhances their reconstruction and say they feel whole again once it has been done.”
Lauren Foley, Breast Care Nurse, added: “The introduction of this service in Southampton is a major step forward in post-mastectomy care, focusing on emotional recovery as well as physical health. We had been wanting to offer this procedure for a long time.”
Kate Saltrick, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Southampton Hospitals Charity, said: “Donations like this make such a huge difference to patients across our hospitals. Services like nipple tattooing often sit outside of standard NHS funding, yet they can be transformative for someone’s recovery and confidence after breast cancer.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Going For Bust for helping to make this service a reality. Every donation, whatever the size, helps us fund the equipment, training and extra care that can make such a profound difference to patients at what is often the most significant moments in their treatment journey.”