A PATIENT undergoing chemotherapy at Worcestershire Royal Hospital has designed and created discreet covers for patients to wear to cover the insertion lines used for their treatment.
Terri Preece who attends Rowan Suite at Worcestershire Royal Hospital has been sewing special lace clothing covers which cover the PICC lines patients have placed in their arm where their treatment is administered from.
A PICC (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) line, usually planted in the upper arm, is an intravenous access line used to administer chemotherapy or other IV treatments to patients at home or in hospital.
The PICC lines remain in place when they leave hospital so treatment can be administered again without having to re-insert them.
The covers provide an attractive accessory which hides the PICC line from view and helps chemotherapy patients maintain normality. Terri has made the covers in a number of different colours and designs which can be used to match an outfit or a particular mood.
“The covers are really simple to make but are really effective at disguising a PICC line. You can decorate them however you like to suit the patient, I’ve made children’s ones with rainbows and colours on or you could make one to look like a tattoo sleeve or whatever you like.
“They only take one minute to make – all you need is some elastic lace and a sewing machine!”
Rowan Suite matron Jane Rutter, said: “I’ve never seen these before, it’s a really simple idea but so effective.”
Terri added: “Most people will know of someone who has had chemo or needed a PICC line at some point, so there are lots of people who could benefit from this and it’s just something nice that people might like to do for themselves.”
Instructions on how to make the covers are also being shared with staff at other cancer units, including the Garden Suite at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.
