An innovation to help women who have undergone mastectomies

Dorset Orthopaedic, based at Headlands Business Park, are specialists in bespoke, hand-crafted, life-like silicone products, such as limbs, hands and feet.

But when the company's founder, Bob Watts, was approached by a long-time friend who was about to undergo a mastectomy, to ask him to make a life-like breast prosthesis, he wasn't sure about taking the project on.

It was very different work to what the company has previously done but Bob was persuaded and three years later the new product has just been launched.

Lesley Sanderson said: "I knew before I'd had the mastectomy that I didn't want reconstruction.

"I am a physiotherapist and I fully understand the reconstruction process and it wasn't for me. I just wanted to get on with my life."

Lesley wasn't happy with the prosthetic options available.

"The prosthetic I was given didn't look anything like the rest of my body," she says.

"I wanted to wear a copy of my other breast, so that I can put on a swimsuit and feel like myself.

"Lots of women don't like the standard issue prosthesis. It's all about your feelings, your self esteem. It's not about wanting to wear revealing clothing - it's about knowing what's underneath.

"I do feel that it is my breast."

Bob worked closely with Lesley in developing the new product, which despite the team's expertise in the field, was so different from anything else.

Bob said that it wasn't just the look of the prosthesis that was important but also the feel.

"It had to pass the 'hug test'," he said.

"It had to feel the same when someone was hugging her - that meant it had to be very soft."

Bob is now expecting the new product to be in demand.

"I'd be very surprised if we're not inundated with orders," he said.

"If you've lost a breast I can't believe anyone would not want a replacement that looks like a breast."

For more information about Dorset Orthopaedic, visit dorset-orth.com or call 01425 481798.