Frankly, women in the UK are more than angry over fighting for access to a breast cancer drug that might improve their chances for cancer survival -- but to discover that Tanya Bainbridge will be receiving a £2,500 laser treatment for tattoo removal because it makes her feel unlady-like when wearing sleeveless dresses in summer -- has ignited an intense public uproar. Bainbridge, the father of nine children by three women, is a former sailor who became a woman after a sex-change operation. The sex-change operation cost £20,000. Middleton and Heywood Primary Care Trust have now approved additional funding for the upcoming tattoo removal. It is reported they will be paying Bainbridge's travel expenses as well.

The tattoos were done while Bainbridge was still a man. But now that Bainbridge is a woman, she says the tattoos from her life as a man cause depression and that the tattoo removal is an essential medical treatment for her psychological wellbeing. Women being turned down for funding of life-saving cancer drugs in favor of tattoo removal is over the top, and the women are understandably perplexed at the screwy set of priorities of the health bosses. No one is saying that Bainbridge doesn't deserve tattoo removal, the argument is one of what is essential and necessary medical treatment and what is elective medical treatment. If there is not enough money to pay for everyone's medical care, and it is rationed out according to priority, the women wonder how tattoo removal gets funding approval while cancer drugs are denied.