A 28-YEAR-old Altrincham woman who had a double mastectomy to protect her from cancer has been honoured for her innovative product which helps women who have had a mastectomy.

A new award scheme celebrating remarkable people doing incredible things in the cancer community has selected cancer activist and entrepreneur Charley Wood as one of its winners.

Charley is one of five winners of the Remarkable Person prize at the inaugural Spotlight Awards by Live Better With.

She has been awarded the prize for her invention of Drain Dollies - bags to conceal surgical drains in a discreet and simple manner.

Her mother, Lorraine, died from ovarian cancer at the age of 51 when Charley was 17. It also killed her gran and great aunt.

Upon finding out that she carried the BRCA1 mutation gene – the gene which can lead to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer – when she was 26, she opted for a preventative double mastectomy.

 “It was a big decision to make, but when you’ve watched your mum die, it doesn’t seem like such a big deal,” the former Altrincham Grammar pupil said.

 A mastectomy often requires patients to carry unsightly surgical drains to remove blood and fluids from the wound which could cause swelling or infection.

Charley knew about the drains because her sister, Vanessa, had the surgery before her, so in preparation for her operation, she looked for a product that she hoped would help her during her recovery.

 “I looked online to see if there was anything that I could use to hide them but there wasn’t anything.”

“So me and my friend’s mum thought that we could make something to put them in. That same week I made my bags, I realised how great they were, I thought it would be cool if I could make them for other people too.”

With the help from her friend’s mum, Wood learned how to sew and started making Drain Dollies for other women who had had single or double mastectomies.

Her customers include BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire.

She said the bags aren’t just practical, they also help self-esteem at a time where it is understandably low.

“I think there’s a huge dignity aspect to it. Even when I was walking from the ward to the car when I was discharged, people were staring at me. If you see someone with strange looking pipes and bags full of blood, you’re going to look. You feel a bit self-conscious.”

The campaigner also donates 10 per cent of all proceeds to Prevent Breast Cancer, which is based in the Nightingale Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital, where she had her operation.

The first of its kind, the Spotlight Awards shine a light on the achievements of truly remarkable people, products, and services in the cancer community. Nominated by the public, and voted by a panel of expert judges, the winners are from all walks of life, of all ages, and from across the world.

The judges included inspirational speaker Sophie Sabbage, consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon and breast cancer survivor Dr Liz O'Riordan, director of cancer services Dr Jimmy Kwok (also known as Dr Yoga) and 2016 Masterchef winner Jane Devonshire.

The Spotlight Awards have been organised by Live Better With, an award-winning online platform where cancer patients and their loved ones can find products and information to help with the symptoms and side effects of living with cancer.

To find out more about the Spotlight Awards visit: livebetterwith.com/spotlight-awards