Person    | Female  Born 19/2/1919  Died 18/12/2000

Betty Westgate

Categories: Medicine

Health campaigner. When diagnosed with breast cancer, she was dismayed at the lack of information and support for sufferers of the disease. This led her to found the charity which was to become Breast Cancer Care. In the 1970s, before breast reconstruction became widespread, post-operative women were advised to stuff handkerchiefs, cotton wool, or even tights into their bras. This spurred her to design the 'Cumfie', which was soft, washable and spin-dryable.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Betty Westgate

Commemorated ati

Betty Westgate

Betty Westgate MBE, 1919 - 2000, a pioneer and campaigner for breast cancer s...

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Other Subjects

Sir Patrick Manson

Sir Patrick Manson

Born in Old Meldrum, Aberdeenshire. Physician who discovered that elephantiasis is spread by mosquitoes and suggested that mosquitoes also spread malaria. Founder of the original London School of ...

Person, Medicine, China/Hong Kong, Scotland

2 memorials
St Olave's Hospital

St Olave's Hospital

Built originally as the Rotherhithe Infirmary in the early 1870s. It became the infirmary of St Olave's Union in 1875, and was renamed St Olave's Hospital in 1930. In 1966 it became part of the Guy...

Place, Medicine

1 memorial
Hampstead General Hospital

Hampstead General Hospital

Founded in South Hill Park Road by Dr William Heath Strange.  Expanded into neighbouring houses and then in 1905 moved into a new building on the site of what is now (2014) the Heath Strange Garden...

Group, Medicine

3 memorials
Infants Hospital

Infants Hospital

From the always useful Lost Hospitals of London: "The St Francis Hospital for Infants was founded in a small house in Hampstead {6 Denning Road} in 1903 by Helen Levis, {first} wife of the industri...

Group, Children, Medicine

1 memorial
William Crawford Gorgas

William Crawford Gorgas

Born Mobile, Alabama. Worked in the medical department of the US army and specialised in yellow fever. Died in London from a stroke while on his way to West Africa.

Person, Armed Forces, Medicine, USA

1 memorial