Mr Paul Thiruchelvam

Written by a NHS patient at Charing Cross Hospital

I was seen by Mr Thiruchelvam to discuss the results of the biopsy taken after my mammogram identified a small suspicious area in my right breast. The radiologist had already been pretty certain that this was cancerous. Therefore I was not at all surprised to have this confirmed. Mr Thiruchelvam explained in detail the options available to treat me, I think in fact I had 6 options. One of the options was to remove the tumour and perform a mastopexy at the same time. He consulted his diary as had to cross reference his diary with that of Mr Leff who would operate on my left breast. A date was fixed. I had been offered the chance just to have the right breast operated and lifted at a month earlier, however preferred to wait a further 4 weeks to have both breasts lifted at the same time. My breasts had in fact caused me distress ever since my teens. I was limited in what I could wear as needed full support bras and swimwear and always had anxiety around having to put a bra on the moment I woke in the morning. To have had this opportunity for mastopexy and to treat my cancer at the same has been hugely beneficial to me. In fact it boosted me enormously. To have something positive to focus on whilst dealing with the worry of a cancer diagnosis was absolute marvellous. I honestly felt I had been given a huge gift and am extremely grateful such an opportunity was given to me. Happily my surgery went well and my cancer was removed, Grade 1 and no spread into the sentinel node. I have been so incredibly lucky that routine mammogram picked it up. Mr Thiruchelvam has given me a breast that I cannot believe belongs to me, it’s so good! My left breast was lifted too, not by Mr Leff in the end….Unfortunately I cannot remember name of the surgeon. Mr Thiruchelvam has a thoroughly professional approach together with showing care for his patients mental as well as physical well being. I felt very fortunate to have been referred to him. I also received compassionate care from Celia, Orla and Bernie….forgive me if I missed somebody out. I appreciated Orla coming to visit me for a chat before my surgery, it was thoughtful. I have rung the breast team a few times to answer questions and they always rang me back if they could not speak immediately. Thank you to the whole team involved in my care.

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Written by a private patient at King Edward VII Hospital

Paul and his team are quite simply incredible. Since my first meeting with Paul, he has given me outstanding care and professional advice. Always on the other end of a phone, Paul has guided me through my cancer diagnosis and my surgery. Continually offering support and honest counsel for any question or worry I had. I really don’t know how I would have gotten through the last six months without him and his team. Paul is cancer removal first and aesthetics second, and he has been outstanding in both areas. I feel so thankful I will be under his care during my cancer journey. Amelia Cook, my breast care nurse has been by side since my diagnosis, continually offering me positive support and encouragement. My rock and my light even in my darkest times. She is absolutely wonderful and I feel so lucky to know her. Through Paul and his team I have received first class care and my surgery experience has been a positive one, no doubt to Paul’s meticulous skill and experience. He is fastidious on all details of his patient’s care and I always felt he had my back no matter what. With Daniel Leffe whom Paul operates with, I also felt I was in the best hands. They are a brilliant duo in the operating theatre. Dr Matt Brown, has been a real support in pain management especially immediately after my surgery. His tips and advice were easy to implement and made a real difference in my physical recovery. Dr Cleator, my oncologist is wonderful. She always has time to answer my many (!) questions on breast cancer, menopausal symptoms due to treatments and the worry over cancer recurrence. I feel we have a really positive honest relationship and can talk through new thoughts on treatment(s) at any time. Michelle, Paul's medical secretary has been phenomenal. Getting me seen as quickly as possible for scans and tests. So sensitive at such a difficult time. Neil, the radiologist that works with Paul, has been fantastic. He is so thorough and you really feels he leaves no stone unturned. He always puts you at ease when scanning. Lastly, Dr Kulkarni, my genealogist explained the most technical aspects of the gene tests in layman's terms to me. Making science much easier to understand at a time when your mind is all over the place with the diagnosis. From the geneologists, radiologists, surgeons, nurses or oncologists that work with Paul, I feel so incredibly lucky to have them as my team. Their expertise, their empathy, kindness and their availability to be there for me has been fantastic. In what has been the toughest moment of my life, I feel hugely grateful to have a world class consultant and surgeon in Paul. I trust him and his team implicitly and will always be eternally grateful for the care and support I have received. They are without a doubt, the team you want on your side when you are facing cancer.

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Written by a private patient at King Edward VII Hospital

Dr. Thiruchelvam was an irreproachable support for my husband and I, and a very precious listener during this very difficult stage which is the treatment of breast cancer. Dr. Thiruchelvam is very professional, puts you in confidence and demonstrates indisputable expertise. He was able to reassure me when English was not my first language and when I had just arrived in London. I was taken care of extremely quickly and he referred me to an oncologist and other extremely competent professionals. His entire team was there to support and guide me every step of the way, without such a medical team this whole journey would have been much more difficult and I cannot thank them enough for their involvement and tremendous work. Just thank you, thank you, thank you. Of course I highly recommend Dr Paul Thiruchelvam.

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Written by a private patient at King Edward VII Hospital

Mr Thiruchelvam is an exceptional surgeon and I feel so fortunate to be put under his care initially as an NHS patient at Charring Cross before transferring to his private health clinic at King Edward VII. His empathy, care, patience, and friendly manner gave me great comfort. He explained my diagnosis and treatment plan clearly, drawing diagrams to help me understand. He was very thorough at every step of my Breast Cancer journey, not leaving anything to chance. I felt safe and reassured in his care. Though my diagnosis seemed dire, his approach to treating me was always with optimism and hope, which I really appreciated. His invaluable advice to not search on the internet for answers, which always left me feeling distraught, but to ask him and his team, allowed me to approach my journey with hope rather than pessimism. I am forever grateful to Mr Thiruchelvam for his determination to remove a diseased lymph node that was very difficult to reach during my surgery. He successfully removed the lymph node, spending more hours than was anticipated to perform the surgery. I feel he went beyond what I expected of a surgeon, and I am so grateful that he did. Mr Thiruchelvam and his team at King Edward VII were exceptional. I would particularly like to thank his radiologist Neil for his attention to detail in identifying how far the cancer had spread. I felt reassured in his care. Michelle, Mr Thiruchelvam’s PA, was also exceptional, providing prompt responses to all my queries and flawlessly managing all correspondence and appointment details. I felt supported by the nurses too and knew I could contact them at any time if needed. I appreciate the excellent care I’ve received from Mr Thiruchelvam and his team and feel comforted knowing he will be the one following me up for the next few years.

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Written by a NHS patient at Charing Cross Hospital

Mr Paul Thiruchelvam communicated in a professional and compassionate manner. He provided me with thorough explanations, addressed my concerns, and was overall very respectful. On the day of the surgery, I felt safe under Mr Thiruchelvam's care. Additionally, I am very thankful for the aesthetic outcome of the surgery.

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