Hospital Live: 'Nothing can prepare you for being told you'll have your nose amputated'

The first episode of RTÉ's three-part show provided fascinating insight into the lives of both patients and staff in the Irish hospital system 

Elaine Chillingworth from County Clare described her significant maxillofacial surgery

It started with a small pea-sized lump on her face and it ended up with Elaine Chillingworth bravely showing how she looks without her nose. The elegant and glamorous woman described on RTÉ's Hospital Live programme how devastating it was to be diagnosed with a rare cancer, desmoplastic melanoma in October 2017. Her maxillofacial surgeon advised that it would be much better to have a prosthesis than a reconstruction so that's what she opted for. 

Elaine may well have surprised neighbours and acquaintances on the live show as it is likely many did not know she has a prosthetic nose. She bravely demonstrated how her new nose is attached. The extremely realistic nose was 3-D sculpted and fixes in places with magnets.