We have been delighted to be able to see our supporters face-to-face this year. We’ve held our annual Splash of Pink event in Abingdon and our Breast Walk Ever in Hampshire.
Seeing a sea of pink and smiles has really got us excited for fundraising going forward. This issue of Together shows you who has been supporting us, how you can get involved and of course current information in our vital research. October brings - Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a specific calendar month solely focussed on raising awareness of breast cancer in men and women. If you can, set yourself a challenge, sign up to an event, hold a Breast Tea Ever or get your workplace involved, please do get in touch.
Thank you for your continued support and we hope you enjoy reading this issue.
Best wishes
Kelly Gibson Head of Fundraising
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.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way to create a future free from breast cancer. Visit our dedicated webpage to find out more.
Walkers can choose from a 10K, half or full marathon with proceeds going to our vital research. Since 2014 the event has raised nearly £300,000 but its delivery year on year is heavily reliant on the generosity of our fabulous team of volunteers. If you would like to support the event and walking is not for you, we have plenty of roles available from serving teas and coffees to directing walkers out on the course. All volunteers are given a full briefing as well as refreshments to keep them energised throughout the day. Please email events@againstbreastcancer.org.uk to let us know if you are interested.
Against Breast Cancer are proud to announce Dr Lina Hacker as our newest Junior Research Fellow.
Launched in 2018 and designed to provide research support for some of the country’s leading scientists and clinicians performing breast cancer research at the University of Oxford, the Fellowships are each awarded on a 3-year basis.
Pictured with our first Senior Research Fellow Dr Simon Lord, Lina is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Oncology. The Against Breast Cancer Junior Research Fellowship will be supporting her work on developing new imaging tools and strategies to detect and stratify (categorise) hypoxia levels in breast cancer.
When a tumour is growing, it can develop low oxygen levels, which is called hypoxia. Understanding hypoxia is important because people with highly hypoxic tumours are more likely to respond poorly to treatment. Particularly in breast cancer, tumours that are more hypoxic have been shown to be more aggressive and resistant to treatments, leading to worse outcomes for the patients. Many things about hypoxia in tumours are still unknown. A fact that is overlooked by many is that tumour hypoxia is a dynamic phenomenon, meaning that hypoxia levels are not always constant but can vary with time. This is important because studies have shown that tumours with varying hypoxia are even more aggressive and resistant to treatment than those where hypoxia levels are constant. Understanding this in more detail would help us develop better treatment strategies and support us in saving people’s lives.
To achieve this, new imaging strategies are developed to help us “see” hypoxia in more detail in breast cancer and better describe its magnitude and variability. For this, Dr. Hacker is working closely with the Department of Chemistry in Oxford, which is developing new imaging compounds that will support us in “measuring” hypoxia in tumours. Using these compounds, information on the variation of hypoxia in different breast cancer types and stages is collected. Then, studies will be carried out to investigate the impact of these different hypoxia levels on a genetic level in cells. For these studies, specialized boxes are used that help us expose cells to different levels and times of low oxygen. The difference in gene expression will be investigated under different oxygen variations (genes can be compared to tiny instructions in our bodies). This will help us identify genes related to varying hypoxia, which may tell us how dangerous a tumour is and help us to treat it better. Thereby, we may be able to find dangerous cancer types earlier, choose better treatments, and even develop new medicines to fight breast cancer.
This research is focused on finding new signs (biomarkers) related to varying hypoxia in breast cancer that can help doctors better understand the aggressiveness and resistance of tumours and choose the best treatments for the patients.
Zdena’s history with breast cancer started when she discovered a lump in her breast in December 2015. We were very grateful to her surgeon, who dealt with it very quickly. He carried out a lumpectomy within a few weeks of finding it. He also had to do a full node clearance under one arm some weeks after.
Zdena then had several sessions of gruelling chemotherapy, two weeks of radiotherapy and put on a course of Tamoxifen tablets for the next five
After recovering from a primary breast cancer diagnosis, Zdena was stunned when she found out six years later it had spread. Her courage during her treatment for secondary spread was inspirational for her large, supportive family after she lost her battle with the disease. Here her husband Dominic tells her story in his own words, and what they are doing to raise funds in her memory.
years followed by inhibitors. She came back from the treatments amazingly. She really went through it, with every side effect known, including being rushed into hospital with neutropenic sepsis.
After Zdena had fought all these battles she found a new zest for life and set up her own cake making business called White Rabbit Cake Studio which she was very proud of, as was I. She produced some outstanding work, won awards at national cake
Zdena’s family hope to harness the resilience and strength she found during her treatment for secondary spread as they undertake a challenge in her memory
shows and built her brand and a large customer base. We particularly loved delivering and setting up her wedding and celebration cakes together at amazing venues like Leeds Castle.
Then in February 2022, she went for a routine checkup at one of the hospitals locally to us. It wasn’t the usual surgeon that she saw, it was someone that was working under him. She said everything seemed fine but Zdena happened to mention that she’s got these pains in her lower back. She bluntly said to Zdena “we’d better get you a scan then just to check the cancer hasn’t spread!”
She could have started her treatment plan sooner and likely have much more time. We realise there were some backlogs following Covid, but even the surgeon was livid it had taken so long for the scan and results, and said this would be investigated.
We’d had a long-awaited trip to Italy all booked up for June. Zdena had been wanting to return to Italy for most of our married life. We had such a fantastic trip to Tuscany in 2001 for our honeymoon, in particular our favourite place San Gimignano. After we heard the diagnosis from the surgeon, one of the first things Zdena asked was, “can we go on our trip to Italy in June?” No, he said quickly, you’ll have to cancel that.
They said they would put her on an urgent pathway to have a scan and results within two weeks. It was an excruciatingly long wait to get the scan. Two weeks came and went, three weeks came and went…
EIGHT long weeks later she finally had a scan. A few more weeks later we got a phone call basically to say, “can the surgeon see her?”
We knew that we would have got a letter If everything was OK, so we were expecting to hear something not too good. And then when the surgeon saw her, they explained to her and me that the cancer had spread to the ribs, the bones around the pelvic area, the lower back, liver and lung. We were all shellshocked by this.
Looking back, if they had scanned sooner and got her results within the two weeks urgent pathway as was necessary, and as we were told would happen, Zdena could have been diagnosed a lot sooner.
Instead we took a trip to North Devon in a luxury motorhome our good friends lent us. The weather and scenery was so beautiful. We took both our daughters Katie and Rebecca and we had a very memorable week altogether. One of Zdena’s sisters Jana and her family who live in Devon brought a little slice of Italy to Zdena and I for a night. ‘San Gimignano private dining’ they called it with a proper menu and all. An amazing three course meal laid out beautifully on Italian theme decorated plates, with an Italian sightseeing photo board of San Gimignano, Siena, and various other places we’d visited. There was also plenty of Chianti wine and a Dean Martin CD playing. It was an evening I will never forget.
Zdena’s mobility was deteriorating at this point, but she was just about managing to walk short distances. Literally about a week or two later,
That was probably the worst way she could have put it! It was a bombshell. She did have a few problems with her back, but she put it down to overdoing her exercises or her posture when making cakes.
she was wheelchair bound and not long after that, she was bed bound in our downstairs living room. There were a lot of adjustments to make at this point.
They hadn’t started any treatment yet. They were recommending targeted chemotherapy tablets, to the bones particularly, in conjunction with some injections. Zdena was also asked to have a head scan about three or four weeks before this. We finally got to a point where Zdena was just about to start the targeted chemotherapy injection.
She was actually sitting in the chemo chair when her metastatic nurse came bursting through the curtains saying stop the treatments!! The nurse had just got the results back from the head scan. She said Zdena unfortunately has got a brain tumour.
They referred her to the King’s Hospital London. We went up there for the pre-op. They recommended an operation to remove it. Two weeks later, on the day of her operation, they did her tests and the platelets in her blood had halved from the count they measured in her pre-op two weeks earlier and were still dropping. A decision was made to not operate at this point. Considering the size and position of the tumour, and the cancer elsewhere in her body causing the drop in levels, it would be too risky.
They referred her back to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital for whole brain radiotherapy. A few weeks later she was fitted up with a radiotherapy face mask. Then she was zapped every day for two weeks. Zdena returned a few weeks later to Kent and Canterbury for a follow up appointment. The oncologist was amazed how well Zdena looked
since she’d seen her last. She told us the tumour had started to shrink slightly and they said the radiotherapy was successful. Zdena was feeling really pleased and despite understanding the prognosis she felt a lot more optimistic.
Another reason for optimism is they said Zdena can go back to the original plan of having chemotherapy tablets and injections. They gave her a new schedule and she was eager to start that as soon as possible.
However, a few weeks later she started to get a little bit wheezy and an irritating cough came along. By this time, she was in a hospital bed in our lounge downstairs. She couldn’t get up the stairs because of the way everything was affecting her. She just about managed to get between her downstairs bed and the loo with assistance and tried very hard to use a walking frame down the hallway.
On one particular day late September, she made it to the loo, but couldn’t get back.
I had to carry her back and I managed to get her onto the bed where she collapsed. We called an ambulance. The paramedics said her oxygen levels had dropped to dangerous levels around 50%. They fitted her up with temporary oxygen and took her off to the hospital.
She was taken to a ward where they dealt with her oxygen requirements. She started on about 40-50% blood saturation oxygen. They had to gradually increase it. She was then moved to another ICU where they kept her monitored all the time. Her dependency on oxygen was just getting more and more. It kept climbing to 70-80% +. All through her illness Zdena tried to fight. Every time she heard about a new symptom, a new problem, she would think, ‘what can I do to combat this?’ Zdena’s
sisters bent over backwards to help her with this. After many examinations of Zdena in hospital they discovered she had extensive blood clots on her lungs. This was what had been causing the breathing difficulties. They sadly told us there was nothing they could do anymore. They took me off into a back room and talked about palliative treatment and things like that.
Zdena passed away peacefully on October 11th, aged 52. We were all with her.
I think about Zdena every day and every night and miss her so much as do all the family. Zdena had a very strong faith in God and believed in the bible’s promise of a resurrection into a new world, where sickness/disease and death would be no more. This knowledge provided her with great comfort and continues to do so for me and many of her family. (John 5;28,29 Isaiah 33;24 Rev 21;3,4). We also appreciate all the amazing care the various NHS nursing and surgical teams gave Zdena.
I want to try and raise as much funds as possible for ‘Against Breast Cancer’. I chose this charity as they do an amazing job researching secondary breast Cancer. They need a lot of funds to be raised to enable vital research of secondary breast cancer, to find more effective treatments and to help get an earlier diagnosis which could give families like us a much longer time together.
Team Zdena are doing the 25KM South coast challenge in September 2023 – Katie (daughter), Jak, Alex, Justin, Jevon (sons), Meg, Freya (daughters-in-law) Rachel (sister) and myself. We will be encouraging as many as possible to donate to our fundraising page.
In addition to this I would also like to raise funds in another way.
I have written a song. The Inspiration behind the music and lyrics came to me in the mid 1990’s. I didn’t know Zdena then but I was in an emotional wilderness so to speak, I knew I really wanted to meet someone like Zdena.
It was a kind of plea for someone who could shine and blossom even in adverse conditions and that could help me do the same. A few years later I met the girl of my dreams and of my song. I was not only stunned by Zdena’s beauty but soon learnt about the many beautiful qualities she had as a person.
As you can see from her story above, every time Zdena got a knock back she did her absolute best within her control to bravely fight back, blossom and thrive again, hence the apt theme and song title – ‘Desert Rose’.
I played it to Zdena for the first time through headphones whilst she was in hospital. She really got into it. Whilst listening, she was smiling, her head and hands gently nodding and swaying and she simply said: “I love it”!
Listen to ‘Desert Rose’ below and you can also download it – right click on the link and select ‘Save link as’. Please also considering donating to support the song – all funds donated will go to Against Breast Cancer.
Saturday 30th September
Town Centre, from 10am
Street Collection Tombola Pink Car Parade
Cake and Craft stall Street Entertainment and much more!
Text WITNEYINPINK to 70085 for a one-off £5 donation
Do you spend time on Twitch and want to use your skills to raise money for #breastcancerawarenessmonth Join the army of online fundraisers beating breast cancer with gaming and streaming. Visit againstbreastcancer.org.uk/ get-involved/streaming-for-charity to get started!
With our major events season now starting to wind down,we wanted to share with you some of the fabulous efforts of our Sport & Challenge participants in this edition of the newsletter. Perhaps something to get you inspired to get active and set your goals for 2024!
On Sunday 6th August, Hannah took part in her first ever triathlon at the Challenge London Tri. Hannah raised a staggering £900 and came 3rd in her age group to boot!
“I ran for my mum who is in remission and a closefriend’s mum who is still battling breast cancer. One step closer in tri-ing to beat breast cancer.”
Back in May, Keith and Gillian took part in the Gothenburg Half Marathon. Keith also completed the Edinburgh Meadows Marathon on March 6th and took on yet another 26.2 mile challenge at the Solway Coastal marathon on July 2nd.
“From the amazing start, with a fly past from the Swedish Air Force to the music of Top Gun. Along with 39,000 other runners, we had amazing support from start to finish. It was an amazing experience and to be able to support such a great charity has been a privilege”.
“Jan was such a kind, compassionate and caring person. She remained positive throughout her treatment, always cheerful and smiling. Unfortunately, the cancer spread to her bones, liver and brain and despite knowing her time was short she stipulated that her goods and chattel were to be given to various cancer charities, in particular Breast Cancer. Jan would have still said I was crazy doing another skydive, but would have been thrilled that it has helped ABC to continue their vital research.”
Over the late May bank holiday weekend, our sports Ambassador Karen took on the 100KM from London to Brighton with friends Simon and Sarah Jayne
“A Fabulous walk over two days with “Karen’s crew”. Definitely one to try if you’re a first timer at an ultra! The walk starts out of Richmond, following the Thames then up and over the South Downs.
The secret to success is definitely good company and a sock change at every stop! Regular eating/ drinking and taking advantage of brief rest stops made it not just doable but enjoyable too. Having a fantastic support crew and friends encouraging you along the way, made the 100km all worthwhile!”
“We absolutely loved running the Hackney Half, it was a really special day we ran in memory of our beautiful mum and wife. We are so pleased with the amount we raised for a charity close to our heart!”
Roz took on the 26.2 miles from Blackheath to the Mall as the London Marathon returned to its customary slot in British Spring time. The day of the race was Roz’s birthday, a date that carried even more significance this year;
“The London Marathon was epic – one of the best days of my life – and so emotional, not just because of what I’d been through but because it was almost a year to the day that I’d finished chemo.
The training and fundraising really helped me through my recovery and I’m so proud of doing it – not just for finishing the marathon but for raising so much money.”
And it wasn’t just in London that our supporters were flying the flag at an iconic marathon. Nick, a regular runner and fundraiser for ABC, took on the world’s oldest marathon in Boston and loved every minute:
“Boston was an amazing experience despite the awful weather. American crowds are always very enthusiastic and I got lots of encouragement from the crowds due to the ABC shirt.”
Bernie became aware of the Bra Bank initiative over 10 years ago when she was a school governor and introduced it at Bolton College where she was working. Sadly, after a change of job for Berni and her colleague it petered out and she had always hoped to find a way to be involved again.
Fast forward to 2021, after having moved to Southport, Berni realised there was a local Soroptimist Group. Soroptimist’s aims of women helping women appealed to her and she made contact. At her first meeting with President Carol, Berni mentioned the bra bank scheme and the journey began. Slowly at first, but gaining momentum around Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October 2022, when over twenty ‘hosts’; ranging from pubs, a beauty salon, yoga studio, shops, school,
Most ‘hosts’ have personal cancer journeys to tell and /or know of breast cancer survivors or sadly those who haven’t made it. Berni says It has been emotional and humbling and echoes my own personal experience.’
With ‘banks’ established, the next phase began, Fundraising aligned to awareness raising and promoting the bra banks.
The passing of Olivia Newton John enabled their first fund raising cake sale at our community cinema’s showing of ‘Grease’. Their latest cake sale was at a craft fair, which hopefully will become a regular event.
Part of Berni’s fundraising has included working with Stanley High School and a group of ladies called ‘Stanley High School’s Pink Ladies’.
These are: - Becky, Charlotte, Lilly and Penny. They have taken up the baton and run with an idea presented to them by Soroptimist International Southport to set up a bra bank and fundraise on
Having attended the launch in late September, the Pink Ladies decided to focus their project around World Cancer Day on 4th February. In the weeks running up to this date, strikes permitting, they presented a series of assemblies to the school, raising awareness of breast cancer, careers in science and also their own fund raising activities which culminated in the Wear something Pink Day for a donation.
This was very successful, with staff and students taking part. Julie, and her team in the canteen even purchased ABC t-shirts to wear on the day and baked pink cakes that were sold to raise funds.
Soroptimist International Southport will continue to support the project within Stanley High School and are proud to announce that the awareness raising and fundraising initiative has been taken up by the wider Southport Learning Trust. Well done to this first cohort of Ambassadors and we wish them well in finding their successors to drive this project forward with a whole month of fundraising activities in October.
As a club Soroptimist International Southport will continue to support Stanley High School in their fundraising efforts as this initiative is being taken wider across the whole of Southport Learning Trust.
Berni is already excited and plans are being drawn up for October 2023, which include returning ‘banks’ to last October’s hosts and to new hosts and also to host a fundraising musical concert.
Berni says ‘I’d like to thankAllie, Claire and Lina atABC recycling for all their support with the administration of this project and to all those who have contributed bras,cash,space
On receiving the news of her award, Jeanne who remains a Trustee of Against Breast Cancer expressed her gratitude to her dedicated team of volunteers, and thanked local businesses, and the community of Witney for their unwavering support for the past 24 years.
Supporters of Against Breast Cancer and visitors of the town of Witney in Oxfordshire will already be familiar with the sight of Jeanne, instantly recognisable with her dyed pink hair!
A dedicated volunteer and a tireless fundraiser, Jeanne been honoured with a British Empire Medal for her long history of association with the charity and for organising ‘Witney in the Pink’.
“The inclusion of Jeanne Chattoe in the King’s Birthday Honours List is a testament to her exceptional contribution and the significant difference she has made in the lives of people affected by breast cancer. Her unwavering commitment and passion serve as a shining example for others to follow, emphasizing the importance of community engagement.”
Richard Bahu, Chair of TrusteesIn 1991, Jeanne first assembled her team of volunteers and brought together the residents of Witney for a day dedicated to raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
Over time this vibrant and colourful celebration has become a highlight on the town’s calendar, drawing in participants and spectators from all walks of life.
Through her exceptional organisational skills, Jeanne has transformed ‘Witney in the Pink’ into a beloved tradition that unites the town while making a positive impact. Her ability to rally volunteers,
secure sponsorships, and coordinate various activities and entertainment has been instrumental in the event’s enduring success.
“Jeanne Chattoe is an inspiration to us all, demonstrating that through passion, perseverance, and community spirit, positive change can be achieved, transforming lives and creating a brighter future for everyone.”
Bernadette Jones, Chief Executive OfficerJeanne has also dedicated countless hours to organising charity auctions, fashion shows, and afternoon teas to name but a few! We are in no doubt that her unwavering commitment to supporting us has made a significant difference in the lives of many.
Jeanne’s inclusion in the King’s Birthday Honours List, which marks the extraordinary contributions and service of people across the UK, is a testament to her exceptional contribution to the community and her unwavering spirit of generosity. Her efforts have not only brought joy and unity to Witney but have also impacted the lives of countless individuals who have benefited from the funds raised.
We join with the people of Witney celebrating Jeanne’s well-deserved recognition, and along with the community, we eagerly look forward to the next instalment of ‘Witney in the Pink’.
What a lovely surprise!This is something I could never have managed on my own. Thank you to everyone who has ever taken part inWitney in the Pink, this is a reflection of all your help and support. There have been so many people who have helped over the years,it’s impossible to mention them all, but some have been with me since the very beginning – a special thank you must go to the members of theWitney Action Group,a tireless group of amazing women and fantastic fundraisers.
Jeanne Chattoe
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.
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.
• 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
Oxford Pink Week is a student run initiative supporting breast cancer charities. This year they raised an amazing £26,111 and very kindly donated £5,222.20 to Against Breast Cancer.
Many exciting events took place throughout the week including a park run, bake sale, raffles, jazz night, and an Evening Masquerade Ball which was an enormous success and enjoyed by all who attended including our Chair of Trustees Richard Bahu who said “It was a real pleasure to attend the Oxford Pink Week Ball and the opportunity to present our charity. The organisers should be proud of such a well organised charity event which raised such a wonderful amount to support local charities”
It was an absolute pleasure working together with Lydia, Lucy, Lola, and Mia, thank you for letting us be a part of your fundraising journey, supporting our research into secondary spread, and to everyone involved in making Oxford Pink Week 2023 such a huge success.
We were delighted to be able to support Against Breast Cancer, who we chose based on the importance of their vital research efforts towards detecting, treating, and hopefully one-day defeating breast cancer
Lydia Tillson –The President of the Oxford University Pink Week
Baggy Bra is a female-led body-positive witty show with a warm heart, since its sold-out debut in Manchester, it has wowed audiences in Hereford and Brighton. Now it’s time for Barb and Eloise to come to London with a brand-new expanded script! They are a Manchester based female led team.
April’s show at The Bridge House Theatre London was a sell out.
July 26th - show took place at The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham as part of The Hysteria Festival
Juliet from Bucks Buxom Belles is now in the final stages of getting the Calendar Girls wall calendar 2024 put into print, which will be on sale soon.
Many of the models who kindly took part in this calendar are breast cancer survivors themselves or have been touched by breast cancer.
Juliet commented whilst the photographs were being taken throughout June that it had been a rip-roaring success, and everyone had so much fun. It all went very smoothly with lots of laughter followed by cake!!!
We look forward to it going on sale, and a HUGE well done to everyone involved.
Starts 1st October – 31st October
Download Your Breast Tea Ever Fundraising Pack now for free from our online shop!!!
Your event can be held at your home or workplace, it’s the ultimate tea party! Indulge in delightful treats and share precious moments with your loved ones, family, friends, and colleagues over a steaming hot cuppa and make your Afternoon Tea Party the Breast Tea Ever.
July 27th, 28th and 29th – the show took place at The Squad House in Southport, as part of the Great Manchester Fringe.
They did crowdfunding and bra donations using bra banks at all their events, which were an enormous success.
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:
In the last newsletter we showcased our Great Wall Of China Trek and this time we are going to take you to the roof of Africa!
Ever thought about a trek to the summit of the highest mountain on the African continent? Kilimanjaro, affectionately known as “Kili”, stands at a staggering 5895 metres and is actually the tallest freestanding mountain in the world.
Its snow-capped summit rises high above the dusty African plains and huge permanent glaciers flow down from the summit. Spectacular views and beautiful ice formations are the reward for pushing your limits both physically and mentally on this, the mightiest of challenges.
The Kili trek is a challenge with awesome rewards but not one to be taken lightly. Lee Clark is taking on the challenge this September in memory of his friend Sue who passed away having had breast cancer.
The trek goes through dense tropical rainforest, moorland and scree until you reach Uhuru Peak, the highest point. An 11-day challenge with 7 days of trekking a tough yet spectacularly rewarding route. You can even take part in the New Year Trek – reaching the summit on New Year’s Day!
You can sign up to climb Kilimanjaro in 2024 here. Should you want to support Lee ahead of his trek this year you can donate here too: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lee-clark59
• 20-30 June 2024
• 12-22 September 2024
• 26 December 2024-4 January 2025 (New Year Trek)
• Option A – Registration Fee £299 + Min Sponsorship £5,400 (£5,800 New Year Trek)
• Option B – Registration Fee £299 + Self Funding £2,700 (£2,900 New Year Trek)
Please note: an additional £250 airport tax applies to each of the above cost options.
“I wanted to try and do a huge challenge and Kilimanjaro certainly fits that bill! I’ve been spending 3 days a week walking 12 miles up and down steps on top of lots more walking and cycling.I’ve lost nearly 2 stone and am really excited to take on something way out of my comfort zone”
• It is entirely within the borders of Tanzania, and was in the former German East Africa and the British colony of Tanganyika.
• Three ‘volcanic cones’ make up Kilimanjaro. Shira and Mawenzi are extinct volcanoes, whilst Kibo is a dormant volcano that has not been active for 200,000 years, but could erupt again one day.
• Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller were the first known explorers to reach in the summit in 1889.
• Around 25,000 people attempt to summit it every year, however a third are unsuccessful, primarily due to problems with altitude.
• Kilimanjaro is described as a “hiking peak”, meaning no specialist equipment is required to climb it.
• You are unlikely to see Kilamanjaro from the Serengeti, despite what Toto suggest in ‘Africa’!
The 8th edition of Breast Walk
Ever Oxfordshire is back on Sunday 10th of September.
With full and half marathon options as well as a 10K walk, Breast Walk Ever Oxfordshire has plenty of choice for anyone looking for walking challenge near Oxford. The routes, all start on the banks of the river in Wallingford and follow waymarked National trails including the Ridgeway and the Thames Path.
Since it’s launch in 2014, the Breast Walk Ever has raised nearly £300,000 towards our research. Over 55,000 women are diagnosed in the UK every year, that's more than 150 every day. Our current research, based at the University of Oxford and Southampton, recognises that patients with a high body mass fat index (BMI) have both an increased risk of developing breast cancer and poorer chances of survival than those with a healthy body weight. Breast Walk Ever is all about getting outside and being active.
Entry fees range from £12 to £28, depending on distance. Walkers will be treated to various refreshment stops, complete with the now famously cheerful marshals and a complimentary massage at the finish to go with their hard-earned medal. All walkers are asked to raise funds with an initial target of just £75.
Event Manager Richard Martin said “We are delighted to be back inWallingford and look forward to welcoming walkers from all ages for what promises to be another enjoyable day out,spending time together with friends and families and raising money for a cause that effects 1 in 7 women over their lifetime.”
Splash of Pink returned to paint Abingdon marketplace pink on July 8th this year, with live entertainment and stalls to raise money for Against Breast Cancer.
With the Mayor and Town Crier kindly opening the ceremony before the Rock Choir kicked off the entertainment at 10am, getting everyone into the groove of things for the day. Throughout the day we had brilliant performances from The Abingdon Music Centre, Ashnah American Tribal Style Belly dance, Strawberry Fayre Majorettes, Amanda Alder Dance Academy and Abingdon Gymnastic Club.
We had some wonderful stall holders attend including the famous Fiona Frosts fabulous cakes, which always go down a treat! Selling out before the day even finished and the brilliant La Bonne Fete Bars serving drinks to the crowds.
The UK Garrisons joined us for another year, with 4 incredible storm troopers who came along and entertained all of us with their fantastic costumes!
Of course, being the UK, we had to have a visit from a 12 o’clock rain shower, but it did not dampen our spirits and the show did indeed go on, with the sun making an appearance towards the latter part of the day just in time for the deputy mayor to present the winning trophies to our best dressed employee and shop window. Clockwork Dragon took first place this year for both the shop window and the best dressed employee with some very creative costumes that we loved.
All in all, it was a fantastic success, raising over £1500. Huge thanks to everyone who helped us from the volunteers to the stall holders, the UK Garrison, the entertainers, the Town Crier, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, all the attendees, Trinity Church, the shops in Abingdon who participated in the window competition and everyone who contributed to making the day such a success. We look forward to seeing you all next year.
Why not get ahead of your Christmas preparations and order your Christmas cards and gifts early? This year we are offering a range of new Christmas card designs, as well as some old favourites. All profits support our life-saving breast cancer research.
Visit our shop to get yours!
All our cards come in packs of 10 cards and includes envelopes. All our cards are made from fully FSC® certified materials and supplied in fully recyclable cello bags.
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
This October Dishmatic is proud to announce its support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month for the seventh year in a row. The creators of the original fillable handle will be going pink, to raise much needed funds for the fight ‘Against Breast Cancer’.
During the month of October, Dismatic’s fillable handles will be transformed to a striking pink. The hot pink handles will be available on all Dishmatic fillable handles including I-Stand, Classic, Style and the brand-new Wonder Wand, which not only has its hot pink handle but also a brand-new pink Flexi -Fibre refill. You’ll spot the pink Dishmatic handle in all major retailers and the extra pink and special Wonder Wand in Morrisons.
The pink handles are not the only thing Dishmatic are doing to show their support. They’re also running a social media campaign throughout the month of October where they’ll be sharing information and resources to help educate and spread awareness around breast cancer, along with a donation of £10,000 to the charity Against Breast Cancer.
This is the seventh year Dishmatic has supported the charity and the donation has previously helped support a vital bio bank (a type of specialist storage freezer) for samples from a diet and lifestyle study. The study, which involved more than 3,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer, helped identify certain activities to help reduce the risk of developing secondary case diseases.
“We are glad to be supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month for the seventh year. We hope that by changing all our fillable handles to pink, and including our charity partner ‘Against Breast Cancer’ on pack, we spark conversation and remind people the importance of attending regular screenings to help with early detection.”
Laura Allen, Head of Marketing and SalesDishmatic encourages its customers to use the hashtag #DishmaticGoesPink when using their new pink cleaning tools, joining a collective effort in raising awareness and making a difference.
To learn more about Dishmatic’s activities to help raise awareness for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and their strikingly pink products, visit www.dishmatic.com and www.againstbreastcancer.org.uk. or follow them on social media: @Dishmatic.
A month dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research.
We would love your support and there are so many ways you can get involved either individually or in the workplace.
• Request a fundraising pack and get ideas and materials to help you
• Request a Breast Tea Ever pack
• Organise an afternoon tea with friends, family or work colleagues, it can even be done virtually. The pack includes everything from recipes and bunting to games.
• Take on a personal challenge
• Sign up for a Trek
• Become a regular giver
• Give a one-off donation
• Recycle your unwanted bras, clothes or stamps
• Sell items on eBay or Depop for us or send us the items to sell for you
• Companies can give a donation from products sold during October with a cause related marketing campaign
The ideas are endless.....
For more information please email info@againstbreastcancer.org.uk