A breast cancer survivor was so grateful to the hospital staff who helped her that she held an art exhibition to raise funds for charity.

Artist Denise Franklin, who was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago and treated at Charing Cross Hospital, raised £962 last September for the Imperial College Healthcare Charity, Breast Care Unit Fund, through the exhibition at the PM Gallery in Ealing, with six other artists.

The 57-year-old, of Warwick Road, Ealing, said: “I had a difficult time with the chemotherapy and spent a lot of time at Charing Cross Hospital as a result.

“During one of my stays in the ward I began to think of a way to do something for the trust’s charity to support the fight against cancer.

“As I am an artist I thought an art exhibition would be a good idea to help raise funds. I was just so impressed by the care and support I received at Charing Cross Hospital.

“I witnessed hard work, compassion, support and dedication by all the staff around the hospital, in clinics, wards and radiology departments, they were all really wonderful.”

Denise, who also has lupus, an auto-immune condition, had to have radiotherapy and a mastectomy, and felt so low she hoped the exhibition, called Breathless, would give her a new goal.

She said: “The other artists were more than willing to help and the gallery gave me the space for nothing.

“The other artists generously donated 40 per cent of their sales to the charity, some gave 100 per cent. There were also donation boxes out.

“The exhibition also helped me to get back to work and to focus on something other than my cancer.

“I was lost when I was unable to work, though organising the event has helped with my recovery.

“It’s the first time I have done something like this and it’s been a great help for me. I was so pleased with the way it went.”

Denise was nominated by Bevis Man, the charity’s communications manager, who said: “This money will go to the Breast Care Unit at Charing Cross Hospital, and although it may not seem like a huge amount, it is hugely important to the unit.

“When patients think about raising money for breast cancer causes, they often think about some of the bigger, well known charities, yet few people think about giving something back directly to the actual place where they are cared for and treated, and the charity is hugely grateful that Denise, who also lives with the disease lupus, has chosen to do this.”

Denise’s fellow artists were: Kay Bathke, Sally Everett, Toby Messer, Ursula Claxton, Marco Crivello and Elizabeth Rollins Scott.