Together - Against Breast Cancer Newsletter Spring 2023

Welcome to the Spring newsletter.

Wow, what a fantastic start to the year. We have already seen so many amazing supporters jump into their fundraising journey with us.

We wish we could include every event, challenge or partnership in our newsletter but it would be 100s of pages long! To keep up with everything that’s going on please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the current news.

Best wishes

Kelly Gibson Head of Fundraising

We need your regular help now £2 a month can save lives Help us fight breast cancer

We receive no government funding. We rely on the generosity of people just like you to fund our life saving research.

Find out more about how to give regularly and support our research into secondary spread breast cancer.

CHANGE THE WORLD while you work

Payroll Giving is the simplest, most efficient way for employees to donate to charity. Straight from your salary, tax-free and hassle-free.

Good PAYE is the new free, easy-to-use platform allowing employees to donate to charity before their income tax is calculated, charities get more from every donation and employees pay less income tax.

You work hard for your money. Now make your money work hard for change.

Donate to Against Breast Cancer through payroll giving. It will cost you less and we receive more – that’s the Payroll Giving Bonus. It's simple, it's easy and it's impactful.

Through GoodPAYE every penny of your donation goes to your chosen charity, and because they are 100% charity owned, profits stay within the charity sector as together we strive for change to make our world a better place.

Are you ready to make an impact?

Find out more about how Payroll Giving works for you.

Your Stories

I have a very significant family history of breast cancer, both premenopausal and postmenopausal. My great grandmother, my grandmother and my mother all died of breast cancer as well as my mother’s two sisters. I’m the last woman standing from that maternal line, as well my three daughters.

I was very aware that there may be something genetically or environmentally going on. I’d been in conversation with my GP about this for a while, but cumulatively over the last few years I’d had about 6 or 7 urgent referrals for suspected breast cancer. That is much less dramatic than it probably sounds, but if you find a lump, cyst or some kind of tissue that you’re not happy with, please have it checked out by a doctor.

After losing multiple female family members to cancer, doctors concluded that Felicity had a much higher risk of developing breast cancer despite not carrying any known hereditary gene mutations. Here she explains why she chose to undergo a prophylactic mastectomy to reduce her risk of suffering the same fate.

My mum left a lot of genetic material frozen in laboratories, which were tested and came back as negative for numerous gene mutations connected to breast cancer, including BRCA 1, BRCA 2 and PALB2, so they said they wouldn’t test me for those mutations.

The clinical geneticists, who are brilliant, said ‘you don’t have any of those recognised gene mutations, but they are probably the tip of the iceberg in terms of cancer-causing genetic codes. There will be probably hundreds, if not thousands, that we haven’t yet determined. And looking at your family history, there can be little doubt that something genetic is happening here.

Why Felicity had a prophylactic mastectomy to reduce her risk of developing breast cancer after losing her mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

Felicity with her three young daughters.

‘So, the most sensible thing for us to do is recommend that you have prophylactic mastectomy surgery just because it looks likely that something is going on, either genetically or environmentally, in your family. ‘And just for your mental health, you know, you’ve had a ringside seat to more loss from breast cancer than really anyone should have to bear. So, I think on both fronts, it’s probably a sensible decision.’

It meant hopefully I won’t have any more of these cysts and it may save my life, and we’ve had so much loss from breast cancer. My children will never know their grandmother. I never knew my maternal grandmother. It just seemed like a very sensible, positive, empowering thing to do.

I feel like the reduction will dramatically decrease any sort of anxiety that I’ve had about breast cancer. I mean for any woman who feels a lump in their breast? It’s very frightening. But when you have the additional dread of history repeating itself, it feels incredibly powerful and liberating.

I think my outlook for the future is much brighter and more, it’s relief almost drawing a line over it, saying I’ve done as much as I can do here and in this awful line of people getting breast cancer, I’m the first person in my family to have a prophylactic mastectomy and proactively ahead of time.

I was thrilled to have it, and I think that’s another thing that people have found quite difficult to get their heads around. People have said a lot to me, ‘this is a really brave decision. This is a really difficult decision for you.’ But it has been the easiest decision of my life and it’s a decision that I’m so thrilled and grateful for.

There aren’t that many countries in the world where you’d be offered this free of charge. ‘This isn’t active treatment, but let’s do this for you anyway. Let’s give you an entire day of a plastic surgeon, and a breast reconstruction team.’ They did it all on the same day. So, it made for a big surgery, six to seven hours.

It was not even in my mind that they would offer me a reconstruction. I thought I will come out of this surgery flat chested with two horizontal scars across my chest. I was delighted to be offered the surgery. They said that ‘any woman would be offered a reconstruction, but we’re particularly mindful to offer you one because you’re in your 30s,’ and it was never a difficult decision for me.

The reconstruction is so excellent the professionals are absolutely the best. They are world leading professionals in my area, the quality of care is excellent. The cosmetic result is excellent and the feeling of having that risk so dramatically reduced is absolutely life changing. It is, without question, one of the most positive and powerful steps that I have taken.

Felicity in hospital for her prophylactic mastectomy.

My advice to anybody else who’s being offered it is to absolutely grab it with both hands. The brilliant professionals that look after you are second to none. I cannot say enough positive things about this procedure and just would encourage anybody with a family history to look into this and discuss it and really understand what treatments are available.

When I had been approved to have my double prophylactic mastectomy, what I really wanted to do was to help raise some money for a breast cancer charity and, if possible, ally myself with a smaller charity that was local. I chose to run the Oxford Half Marathon and it was just very fortunate that when I was looking through local charities

that were affiliated with it, I found Against Breast Cancer. I thought this is perfect.

I couldn’t believe how much I raised, over two thousand pounds. I thought if I could just raise £500 that would be nice. The thing is, I didn’t really go to town. I didn’t put it on my social media. I just put it on a few WhatsApp groups. So, I just did kind of work friends and friends from the village and family, obviously. So yeah, I was really pleased, and it really made me think.

I’ll be doing some more of this fundraising. I loved having something positive to focus on before the surgery. It really kind of took my mind off it and I loved raising some money for such a great charity.

Andi raises £1000 with cake sale

Andi and the Cranfield community in Bedfordshire have raised an amazing £1,000 by hosting a two-day cake sale event at their workplace. Andi asked her team for help, and they were delighted to join in and help raise this wonderful amount.

Andi raises money for breast cancer charities annually and this time kindly chose Against Breast Cancer. Andi said, “After sadly losing a close friend this year to breast cancer, I vowed I will continue raising money in memory of her and for everyone else who is suffering from this terrible disease”.

Claire, Community Fundraiser for Against Breast Cancer said, “We were delighted that Andi kindly chose our charity to donate such an amazing amount to this time, but equally sad to hear that she had lost a good friend so young to breast cancer.”

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to Andi, the Cranfield Community and to all of the kind people who donated and brought cakes for the cake sale to raise such an incredible amount for our charity.

Keep up the good work Andi!

Milly and friends raise £1,327!

Milly and her friends and colleagues at Go-to Outsourcing based in Bromsgrove have raised the amazing amount of £1,327, by setting up a JustGiving page, hosting a cake sale, selling pin badges and guessing how many sweets are in the jar.

Milly said that they wanted to raise money for our charity after herself and many of her colleagues have experienced family members and friends being diagnosed with breast cancer. Milly, who works in recruitment, decided to join forces with their main office to raise awareness and to get as many donations as possible, and they hope they have done all the women proud who have gone through breast cancer or who have recently been diagnosed.

We would like to say a HUGE thank you from all of us here at Against Breast Cancer to Milly, Go-to Outsourcing and to all the very kind people who donated and supported our charity by raising such an incredible amount.

MAKING INTERNATIONAL GIVING SAFE AND TAX EFFICIENT WITH CAF AMERICA

We are very proud to announce that following a comprehensive application and due diligence process with one of Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) International’s Global Offices, Against Breast Cancer has been awarded a CAF International Validated Organization Badge.

The badge provides donors located outside of the UK with the confidence that their donations will arrive safely.

CAF America have partnered with Accredible to create a secure, online, digital badge to help donors easily retrieve and share details on our status as a CAF International Validated Organization.

The digital badge and certificate serve as a seal of assurance for donors. The credential not only provides validation that Against Breast Cancer is structured and operates as a nonprofit entity, badge holders are eligible to receive tax-efficient donations in the United States.

Click here to find out more

Thanks to CAF America’s rigorous due diligence process, Against Breast Cancer are now establishing a higher degree of trust with our partners and donors in the United States.

Donors can be confident that all funds sent to the us will be used for the charitable purposes intended.

How Victoria defied crippling pain after her secondary breast cancer diagnosis

Victoria previously shared her story about being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, her treatment and her recovery, culminating in running the London Marathon for Against Breast Cancer with her husband, David, in 2019. Sadly though, soon after she started experience pain all over the body and was eventually diagnosed with secondary spread breast cancer.

After the London Marathon (in 2019), we kept training and we did the Great North Run later that year then after that we were planning to run the London Marathon again in 2020.

I was getting lower back pain and I just thought it was from training but three months later it wasn’t getting any better and I started getting some pain in my collarbone as well, which was worrying me because I hadn’t pulled it or done anything else to it. I kept saying to David, I’ve just got this really strange feeling about this.

The GP initially referred me for three month of physiotherapy but the pain intensified really quickly

during that period. I was getting pain all over my body. It was going down my legs and I reached a point where I was in absolute agony. I could barely walk. Within months, I’d gone from running a marathon and half marathon to being in complete pain and agony 24 hours a day.

Because of COVID, the physiotherapy was online and unfortunately it wasn’t very helpful. After the three months I was referred for an MRI scan and within about 3 days the GP called me and said, can you come in to the clinic? It was a face-to-face meeting and it was in the middle of COVID. I knew there was something wrong because they weren’t calling people in face-to-face.

She said, we’ve got the results from the scan. Unfortunately, we can see that it’s secondary breast cancer and it spread all around your body. She said, I don’t know how you’ve walked into this room today. And I was like, ‘well, I didn’t have a choice.’

I was frustrated, but to be honest at that point, although I kind of knew it, I just went into complete shock. I’m very solution driven so enquired immediately about what the solution might be. And she said, well, I don’t think that there’s a cure. And from here on it will be palliative care.

For me, palliative care meant that’s the end of my life. I had a complete meltdown and said I’m too young because I was only 45. And I said my kids are still young. It really was a huge shock. I didn’t know that it’s very common for breast cancer to spread into the bones. I’d never researched it and I didn’t realise.

I was directly referred to the oncology section at the hospital and I was on a whole load of painkillers from more regular morphine to amitriptyline, which was a helping me with the nerve pain. I was combining that with paracetamol and ibuprofen – I was on a massive cocktail of painkillers and still in pain.

I had the meeting with oncology, and my oncologist was the same oncologist who I met in 2012. He sent me for very intense radiotherapy to the pelvis, which was I think over five days. It took a few weeks, but that then did start to help.

Then they started me on my current treatment, an immunotherapy targeted therapy which is palbociclib, then that in combination with the hormone which is letrozole, and later calcium and vitamin D tablets. Within a month I started improving and the pain started to reduce.

I’d set myself a target to start exercising and I wanted to get off the painkillers. I reduced the painkillers oneby-one I started with the ibuprofen, I just cut it out. I was OK. Then I went I think to the morphine, which

you’re not really supposed to do. They were two tablets a day slow release, so I stopped one of them and I waited a few days then stopped the other one. I didn’t tell anyone. I stopped the amitriptyline and then I stopped the paracetamol over a period of time. Then I said I’m not taking any painkillers. And they’re like what you doing? And I was like, ‘I’m alright. I’m feeling OK.’

I had physiotherapy with the hospital and they gave me a few exercises and they said try going on an exercise bike because that will help the pelvis.

So David bought me a stand for my bicycle, which lifts the back of the bicycle up. I got on the bike and I could only do about two minutes at the beginning, but every day I did a little bit more and I got up to one hour and kept increasing the tension on it.

I would walk around the block and then I would walk to the school to pick my son up, which I hadn’t been able to do. I just set myself a personal target. My walking improved. I got rid of the sticks, but then my next thing was to get rid of the limp.

I was matched with a specialist personal trainer called Sophie and she’s been one of my pillars through this journey. She gave me an exercise plan after having a consultation with the breast care nurse and seeing all of my medical documents.

She set up an exercise plan which would be safe for me to do. It’s helped gain my confidence. I set myself a target, got rid of the painkillers and the treatment. So far it has been going really well. I’ve just got myself back running and being very focused with it. I’m doing the couch to 5K. It’s very slow and it’s not going to be London Marathon again.

I’d like to acknowledge all of the medical staff who do such a wonderful job. They do work under a lot of pressure in the NHS at the moment. When I go to the oncology unit, the breast care and chemotherapy nurses are absolutely amazing. Although they’re really busy, they always have time for you. They’re so caring.

When you’re living with cancer, it’s not just the physical thing that you’re going through, it’s the psychological help that you get. They do such a wonderful job.

The other thing for me is my faith. People always say to me how come you’re so positive and how come you keep going. But for me it’s my faith that drives me through the difficult times.

Victoria has kindly agreed to carry on sharing her story in a series of blogs. Her page on our website will be update every time she or her husband David sends an update.

Research update: Women in STEM

(science, technology, engineering and mathematics)

Women have been responsible for some of the greatest scientific breakthroughs, yet women comprise just 35% of students studying STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

Investing in education underpins our research. Part of our research strategy involves developing young scientists who perform innovative research into increasing survival rates after a breast cancer diagnosis.

We spoke to two rising stars in our research team to find out what attracted them to careers in research.

Grace Hayes works at the University of Southampton as part of our team Therapeutic Antibody Programme, developing new therapies

“I am incredibly grateful to Against Breast Cancer for funding my PhD and giving me the opportunity to research such a common disease that affects so many people,” she tells us. “I hope during the next four years I can help contribute to better treatment and diagnostics for secondary breast cancer.”

We have no doubt that supporting two such talented young scientists, each

Priyanka Hirani is studying tumour microenvironments at Barts Cancer Institute in

On the 13th May 2023, Against Breast Cancer celebrate our 30th Anniversary!

We are proud to have been funding innovative research into secondary spread breast cancer for 30 years and we would like your help in celebrating. Some of you have been with us from the start and some more recently, we would love to hear from you all.

We have created a dedication page allowing you to leave a message, post a photo and even leave a donation if you choose. We would love to see photos of loved ones, hear your stories, see photos of your fab fundraising events or you taking on a trek or challenge. Please help us populate the page, to show all of our supporters what you've been up to and celebrate these last 30 years with a bang.

Visit

If you’re looking for a replacement for Amazon Smile, or if you're shopping with over 7,000 other top brands, including Argos, eBay, John Lewis and Tesco, they will make a small donation to the charity every time you purchase from them through Easyfundraising. It is a perfect way to support the charity without having to spend an additional penny. Each of these brands will donation up to 10% of the value, and it’s not just retailers – you can also book you next holiday with Booking.com or update your insurance via Compare the Market.

To get started, just follow these simple steps:

1. Head to the Against Breast Cancer page on Easyfundraising and sign up for free.

2. Download Easyfundraising's Donation Reminder browser extension for notifications if the site you are on offers donations - available for Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge. You can also download the Easyfundraising app onto your phone for when you're shopping on your mobile.

3. Start shopping and collect donations as you go - you can check your account page to see how much you have raised for the charity.

Join the dozens of supporters who are already supporting the charity on Easyfundraising today! Click here

Against Breast Cancer has teamed up with Easyfundraising, the UK's biggest website for raising donations for charity whilst shopping online, to give you a new way to support our research into secondary spread breast cancer.

Andy Rolnick – Recycler

Andy started to support Against Breast Cancer around 11 years ago when he was working in Jerusalem, prior to that he worked in Japan and was acquiring stamps from around the world, he is currently working and living in Israel. Sadly his sister passed away from a brain tumour, Glioblastoma around 2 years ago, so supporting a cancer charity is something close to his heart.

Over the years Andy realised that many people have international coins that they do not use or need. He says that a lot of the clerks in the stores in the countries he has travelled to such as grocery stores don’t know what to do with them. He decided to ask them to give them to him so he can donate them to charity. He has also met many people with coin collections and again he asked if he can have them to send on to Against Breast Cancer.

At many of the jobs he worked at, he got coins as tips but the local banks could not use them. So he decided to send them to us to help our cause. Andy could not find a charity around that would accept non Israeli coins in Israel.

Andy says that one of the reasons he keeps sending us coins is that we always respond to him and he says that other charities have not been so forthcoming.

When Andy was working in the USA in Queensbury New York, he went to purchase some ice cream and noticed that the clerk at the stand had some Canadian coins and asked her if he could purchase them from her and she agreed. Another time he was in a pizzeria in Israel and saw that the front desk person had some coins from China and Thailand and he again asked to buy them, but was just given them. Sometimes the coins are worth so little that the clerks or store managers don’t have an interest in keeping the international coins. A lot of the time the clerks would go through the tip boxes for the international coins for Andy.

When the war in the Ukraine broke out. Andy took a trip with his wife and son last March to go to Mt. Hermon. They go there almost every year. They stopped at a rest area in the North of Israel. The tip box at the cashier’s desk only had Ukrainian coins so I gave the clerk 10 shekels and I purchased 10 Ukrainian coins and sent them to Against Breast Cancer. Also, he has found coins on the asphalt of Massachusetts and Maine. He was at a rest area/petrol station in Ludlow Massachusetts and found a penny as he walked into the building He also found a nickel on the street in Old Orchard Maine near a launderette. Whenever he sees coins on the street or asphalt - he picks them up and send them to us.

I am sure that you will agree, that Andy is really a true supporter of Against Breast Cancer over the years and we are very grateful for all the donations that he sends in on a regular basis to the charity. Every single dime, shekel or euro received really does make a difference. Thank you Andy for all your support over the years and we look forward to the next 11 years.

Alongside the coins, Andy also posts small ink cartridges and used stamps for our recycling schemes.

Volunteering

Volunteering is a fantastic way to get involved with your local community, develop or learn new skills and broaden your experiences.

Our events rely heavily on the generosity of willing volunteers. We have plenty of roles available throughout the year that typically involve set-up/set-down of equipment, marshalling or the provision of refreshments for our participants. We also have to help in preparing materials ahead of our events.

If you are interested in volunteering and would like to know more, please get in contact with Richard our Events Managerevents@againstbreastcancer.org.uk

Emily and Phil from Waggy Walkers Pet Care raise an amazing £315!

Emily and Phil from Waggy Walkers Pet Care are a dog walking and overnight care business in Rushden and have raised an amazing £315.00 by hosting a raffle and setting up a JustGiving page.

They kindly chose our charity to donate to after hearing that one of their very first customers was sadly diagnosed with breast cancer, Emily said That she and her partner Phil wanted to start raising money and awareness and also put a smile on her lovely customers face who had been diagnosed with this terrible disease.

We would like to say a HUGE thank you from us all here at Against Breast Cancer for your wonderful donation, and for continuing to support our charity in the future. We would also like to wish your customer all the very best.

Bra recycling Fun Facts!!

There are approx. 9000 bras in a tonne!

During 2021 we recycled…

180,000 bras

The average length of a bra is 36 inches

180,000 x 36 inches = 1023 miles

1023 miles is the equivalent of going up and down Mount Everest 93 times!

Bucks Radio continue to support our bra recycling

Nathan Cooper, Content Controller at Bucks Radio says he is delighted to continue to support Against Breast Cancer with Bucks Radio, having worked for a previous radio station that supported us with our bra recycling.

10 years ago, Nathan sadly lost his wife to breast cancer when she was just 31 years old. Nathan said ‘Who knows if the research being funded now by Against Breast Cancer would have a made a difference then, but I do know that it will help so many people in the here and now. Bucks Radio is delighted to have been able to help that research with our Bra Banks, and that so many individuals, families and companies donated. We will certainly be running the Appeal again later this year. At a time when so many local radio stations have been swallowed up by national companies, we believe it’s imperative to continue to highlight charities in our area and for local radio to continue to support and promote organisations like Against Breast Cancer’.

Allie Wilson Customer Service and Recycling Manager for Against Breast Cancer said that ‘We are very pleased to have Nathan and his team at Bucks Radio taking part in our bra recycling scheme again for the 2nd year in a row. In 2022 Bucks Radio and their listeners donated a whopping 176KG of bras to the charity and our recycling partner donated £123.20 to the charity which is used for our vital research into secondary spread breast cancer’.

Nathan and his team are determined to collect more bras this year to top their total from

Overseas Challenge: Great Wall of China

Our overseas charity challenges are awe-inspiring, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you will never forget. We offer a wide-range of challenges with something for everyone. Whether its trekking, cycling or even a husky sled ride, we have it covered.

Our challenges take you to some of the most incredible sights on Earth. They will push you out of your comfort zone and give you the most unbelievable sense of achievement. We have plenty to choose from in 2024. Here is a little taster of what you can expect from just one of our unforgettable overseas challenges:

Great Wall of China Sign up now for 2024 -12 -20 October

A fantastic 5 day hike along this awesome man-made structure. This challenge takes you over watch towers and mountains, through historic battlement stations that are well off the tourist trail.

Beginning in the hustle and bustle of Beijing, you’ll transfer to our trek start point at Huanyaguan – a fantastic fortress, built into the Great Wall, that was once a stronghold of the Chinese warriors that marshalled this magnificent structure.

You’ll get an insight of what it was like building, living and working on this incredible feat of engineering. You’ll be allowed a very privileged glimpse, shared by very few Westerners, into the traditional lives of the local people who still inhabit the remote villages of the Chinese countryside.

One of the highlights of this challenge is the opportunity to place your own brick in a part of the wall that is currently being restored. An exclusive feature of this challenge.

Chelsea Dennis – Against Breast Cancer fundraiser who completed the Great Wall of China Trek in 2016. Read Chelsea’s full story

The challenge is suitable for all abilities and all ages – with a duration of nine days.

It was an absolute privilege to place our very own brick in the GreatWall. An imprint that will be there forever. My message to my nan and everyone affected by breast cancer is now cemented in the wall for decades to come.

Great Wall of China facts

• It is believed that the first parts of the wall were built approximately 771 to 476 BC.

• The final sections were completed during the Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644 AD.

• The highest point of the wall is 14 meters but typically it is only 6-7 metres high.

• Badaling is the most popular section of the wall for tourists due to its proximity to Beijing (just 60 km).

• Despite popular belief, you cannot see the Wall from outer space with the human eye.

Cost options

• Raise minimum sponsorship; Registration Fee £299 and raise at least £3,290

• Self-Funded; Registration Fee £299 + balance of £1,645. Raise as much as able

An additional £250 airport tax applies to each of option

For more information on our Great Wall of China Trek and all our other challenges please check out the overseas challenge page on our website.

Think about your legacy....

We have teamed up with Guardian Angel to simplify the process of writing a will and leaving a gift to Against Breast Cancer for FREE, normally worth £90.

Guardian Angels provide online wills at a fraction of the price of traditional will writers. You can complete your will in just 15 minutes and it will be checked by an in-house will expert. If you need to update your will, you can do so at any time, free for the first year and £10 a year thereafter.

They will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your will, either online or on the phone.

Leaving a gift in your will, a legacy (or bequest), is a gift from one generation to the next, by remembering Against Breast Cancer in your will, your legacy could help to create a future free from breast cancer.

Introducing The Against Breast Cancer Debit Card

Saving you money whilst helping us. New card, same account

• No new bank account, link with existing current account

• Remove bank fees while travelling abroad, save at least 85% on every transaction

• Donate to Against Breast Cancer by rounding-up your UK spend and donating your travel savings

Supporter Story: Craig Knox

Craig is taking on not one but a whole year of challenges throughout 2023 in support of his nearest and dearest. Craig and his son Bradley will be trekking, walking and kayaking their way across deserts, mountains and lakes both at home and overseas. Craig recently shared his story with us.

We want to set a target of £12,000 (£1k per month). All monies will be totalled at the end of the year and then split evenly between all charities.

Like many other families the dreaded C word can turn worlds upside down. Everything can be going nice and steady one minute and then everything comes crashing down at the drop of a hat. Unfortunately our family has been affected by cancer on numerous occasions and have been through the traumatic experience of loss and are currently experiencing the fight against.

We lost my mum Dawn in 2004 after a long battle with breast cancer. Myself and my sister (Nicola) were only young at this time with me being 16 and my sister just 14 years old. We will always owe our gratitude to the Wigan & Leigh Hospice. The support they gave to us and the family was nothing short of remarkable. My mum passed away peacefully with all her family around her but sadly my son Bradley and his cousins Kian, Leon & Maya never got the chance to meet their Nanna Dawn.

In April 2022 Bradley’s Mum (Zoe) was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She is currently fighting strong and after a few difficulties in the early stages things are looking positive as she nears the end of her Chemotherapy and is ready to start her Radiotherapy. She is an amazing person and great inspiration to other people with her positive attitude towards life. She always has a smile on her face no matter what she’s dealing with on the inside. Bradley and his sister Hollie couldn’t ask for a better mum who always puts them first.

In October 2022 I got a phone call off my Sister whilst dropping Bradley off at College that shocked me to the core. My Dad (Paddy Knox) had been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in his neck, chest and stomach. This shocked me and a lot of people as my dad is such a big, strong character and it just wouldn’t sink in that he was going to go through this. My dad served 10 years in the Army but this was another fight he was going to have to lace up his boots for. That he had done so courageously and initially responded very well to his chemotherapy treatment. Sadly on the 11th of February 2023 my Dad passed away. He was diagnosed with double pneumonia and Covid just a week after suffering a stroke. Even for the strongest man I know, it was too much. We held his hand to the very end when he went to sleep. The best man I have ever known and I was so proud to call myself his son.

Bradley and I want to make a difference and we want to do it properly. We will be fundraising for three charities with one main challenge every month. We want to allocate a charity to each person we are doing this on behalf of:

• Mum (Dawn Knox) – Wigan & Leigh Hospice

• Brad’s Mum (Zoe Evans) – Against Breast Cancer

• Dad (Paddy Knox) – Macmillan Cancer Support

Would you like a helping hand in hosting a fundraiser at your local sports club? Our Play it Pink campaign could be just the thing to bring people together to raise funds not just breast cancer research but for your sports club too.

Play it Pink began in 2017 with Dan, a cricketer who set about fundraising for Against Breast Cancer in memory of his nan Iris. On a dedicated Saturday fixture, players from both sides donned pink clothing and used pink bat grips and stumps. Following the cricket, players, partners and their families went on to the village pub for rock and roll bingo and a sponsored back wax for Dan! Bats were raffled and bra races competed, all in the name of fun and fundraising. No matter the size of your club or team, whether you play for a league side, a pub team or are just a group of friends keeping active, Play in Pink is for everyone. You can use it to attract new members or to build stronger links with your community. All we ask is you wear something pink and share your fundraising!

If Play it Pink sounds like it could be useful for your club, getting started could not be easier. Simply fill out the on our webpage so that we can see how best to support you with your event and order a fundraising through the website.

It was an ideal chance to embrace women’s sport in the town, whilst also highlighting a tremendous cause. It was a great occasion, which everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

Paul White, Abingdon Vale CC chairman

Sam Ward and The Old Georgians Hockey Club

Sam first came to us in the early part of 2022, his mother having been diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. Sam’s Mum had to undergo surgery to remove a lump and quickly went through chemotherapy treatment. She is now doing well but Sam wanted to do something for his Mum and all those people not so fortunate. Sam wanted to make a difference and try to raise lots of money….. Suffice to say he’s certainly done so!

In October last year Sam’s Hockey team, The Old Georgians Hockey Club donned full pink kit complete with Against Breast Cancer logos for their Mens first team fixture. They raised over £1000 in just one day! The fixture was such a great success that the ladies team instantly demanded that they must have a pink kit too.

So on 26th of February 2023, The Old Georgians Hockey Club hosted their first official Pink Day. Each and every team within the club played in pink socks to show their support, whilst the Men and Women’s 1st teams once again were decked out all in pink.

And the bright flashes of colour were not just limited to the field of play. Coffee trucks as well as food & gin stalls were all pink themed and taking donations from the incredibly generous spectators.

You can follow Sam’s and The Old Georgians Hockey Club on social Media.

Would you like to support

Our new beautiful pin badges make the perfect Favours to wear with pride or in memory of absent family or friends. 100% of the profit from the sale of these Favours goes to fund our ground-breaking research into secondary spread breast cancer.

Visit our shop today to order yours!

Prices:

Single: £2.50 each

10-25 qty: £2.25 each

25-100 qty: £2.00 each

All orders received between 17th April and 30th September 2023 will receive a 5% discount!

Are you a streamer or gamer?

Do you spend time on Twitch and want to use your skills to raise money for Against Breast Cancer. Join the army of online fundraisers beating breast cancer with gaming and streaming. Visit againstbreastcancer.org.uk/ streaming to get started!