A NURSE named as the best in her profession had lunch with Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt.
Life has been turned upside down for Justine Whitaker, from Clitheroe, since she was named the Nursing Standard's nurse of the year at the end of February.
The 35-year-old, a Macmillan nurse specialist covering Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley, devised a compression pouch that helps control swelling of the scrotum, reducing the need for nursing attention.
It is hoped the invention will help men throughout the world, particularly the 20 million men in Africa who suffer elephantiasis, which causes scrotal swelling.
Mrs Hewitt was interested in how Justine, who works for East Lancashire Primary Care Trust, came to develop her innovation.
Last week she addressed a specialist conference in the Netherlands, attended by the cream of Europe's cancer experts, on the pouch's benefits.
Justine said: "I have had invitations from American, India and all parts of Europe about the pouch."
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