A woman who had her faith in the NHS restored by a life-saving operation has helped a Lions club donate a vital machine.

The Lions Club of Fairlop presented a �5,000 nipple tattooing machine, for patients who have undergone breast reconstruction surgery, at a ceremony at King George Hospital, Barley Lane, Seven Kings on Thursday evening.

Pali Chakravarti’s trust in the NHS and the King George Hospital was at absolute “zero” after staff failed to pick up a life-threatening condition. But after undergoing emergency surgery to remove her thyroid, the effective treatment that she received from consultant Anthony Pittathankal and his team inspired her to ask for the Lions’s help.

Mrs Chakravarti said: “I was more than grateful for my new lease of life.

“To show my gratitude, I wanted to do something which would make a difference and after discussing the same with Mr Pittathankal, I agreed to help with Breast Cancer Awareness within the Asian communities and fund raise for the nipple tattoo machine.

“I approached the members of Lions Club of Fairlop, whose current President is my husband, Paul Chakravarti, to ask for their help in making this happen, and with their help we managed to raise the money.”

At a ceremony at the hospital on Thursday, the drama group EKTA gave a short performance in Hindi on the danger of breast cancer, and Mr and Mrs Chakravarti presented the machine to Mr Pittathankal.

Lions President Mr Chakravati said: “At the moment patients have to travel all the way to Chelmsford to benefit from this treatment, but with this new machine they can do everything in-house here.

He added: “Particularly in Asian society woman are reluctant to come forward and get checked.

“What we want to do is increase the awareness of cancer and get people to get screened earlier.”