IT WAS her dream to help cancer sufferers win back their confidence after losing her own nan to the devastating disease.

But that has been shattered after thieves stole a top of the range medical tattoo machine which Karen Peake was going to use to offer free treatments to patients who had either lost their eyebrows through chemotherapy or need nipples reconstructed after surgery.

The devastated mum-of-one, who was due to launch her new clinic next week, is now desperate to get the machine back because she cannot afford to replace it and without it, she is unable to provide treatments.

Karen, 31, went to her Renault Megane Scenic, which was parked on her driveway in Hulton Close, Woolston, on Thursday morning to find the machine, which was in its silver case, has been stolen from the backseat.

She said: “It's frustrating because I always take it into my house, but on Wednesday night I had my son in the car and had my arms full with him, so I left it there this once.”

Karen had bought the machine six months ago with inheritance money left to her by her nan.

She was using the machine to carry out cosmetic work, which was going to pay for her medical training so she could offer cancer patients and burn victims treatments, such a eyebrow and nipple reconstruction and skin pigmentation, free of charge.

But now she will have no choice but to use the money she had saved to replace the machine, leaving her unable to pay for the training.

Karen, who has a 19-month-old son and is set to launch The Clinic, in Portsmouth Road, next week, said: “It was always my plan to use this money to build up my business so I could offer treatments to patients free of charge.

“I got this money from my nan who died of cancer and because of that I wanted to put the money to good use and use it to give something back and help others suffering from the disease.

“It feels like I am living a nightmare.

“This theft has shattered those plans and it makes me feel sick.

“This machine is worthless to the thieves but is priceless to me. I just hope and pray that they will realise this and drop it back on my doorstep.”

The machine is registered in Karen’s name and therefore cannot be used by anyone else, so it can be easily identified and makes it worthless to those who have stolen it. Karen hopes anyone who sees it for sale will recognise it and contact police.

Police confirmed they are investigating the theft, which happened between 5pm on Wednesday and 9.30am on Thursday. Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.