As Breast Cancer Awareness Month draws to a close, we sat down with our partner charities, Trekstock and CoppaFeel! to chat about what campaigns like this mean to them, and how it allows them to raise more awareness and continue on their own monumental journeys.
Girls, we want you to know that even though Breast Cancer Awareness Month is over, that doesn’t mean that checking your boobs is no longer important. Check up on your breasties every month. It will help you to get to know your normal and spot any irregular changes fast and trust us, knowing your normal is what everyone needs to be aware of.
This month has been incredibly special for us. We’ve shaped a movement that we hope will never end. We’ve got our Female Family worldwide checking their boobs and most of all, we’ve raised a life changing amount of money for our partner charities.
Last year we handed over an incredible £23,676.15…but we’re incredibly proud to say that we’ve gone above and beyond this year! We’re so excited to share the final amount with you all. Tune in tomorrow!
See what our amazing partners had to say below:
CoppaFeel!
How did it feel to experience the shoot day with the girls this year?
It was brilliant to be at the Lounge Underwear shoot this year with so many amazing women. It felt like a true Female Family with everyone bringing so much energy, joy and big smiles to the shoot! To say that these women inspire me and our community would be an understatement - it was wonderful to see them all celebrating their bodies in the name of boob checking.
How did the donations raised last year impact you?
With the incredible support from Lounge Underwear and the donations you made last year, we have been able to reach more young people with our life saving message through services like our free text reminders, shower stickers and material packs, helping us with our mission to ensure that all breast cancers are diagnosed early.
Coronavirus has impacted so many charities and vital organisations. How will our #FeelYourBreast campaign help CoppaFeel! in what has been such an unpredictable time?
The pandemic has had a big impact on us as a charity and has affected 90% of our programmes. Critically, we’ve seen a huge decrease in fundraising with many events being cancelled and 50% of our income lost.
With breast cancer referrals down around 70% compared to last year, the work we do now is more important than ever. The #FeelYourBreast campaign will not only help to raise awareness of the importance of getting to know your boobs and checking regularly, it will help raise crucial funds so that CoppaFeel! can continue to educate the nation on boob checking and help everyone stand the best possible chance of surviving breast cancer.
What happens if during your monthly boob check, you notice something that isn’t quite normal for you?
If you are worried about an unusual change in your boobs or pecs during this period, the most important thing is that you call your doctor. The NHS still wants to hear from you and GP surgeries are open and ready to take your call.
If it’s the first time contacting your doctor about a change in your boobs then we want to reassure you that they have seen and heard it all before. If you’re nervous, head to our website for information on what to expect at your appointment (or phone consultation). Remember that there are lots of reasons why changes may occur in your boobs (many of them are perfectly natural) but it’s always important to get a second opinion about anything unusual, so book a phone appointment.
Trekstock
How did it feel to experience the shoot day with the girls this year?
It was really incredible to be there at this year's shoot. The energy in the room was electric and infectious. It was inspiring to see the girls feeling empowered and full of excitement about being part of such an important campaign that will achieve so much for the charities involved and the young adults we support. Huge thank you to everyone at Lounge for having us involved.
How did the donations raised last year impact you?
Last years #FeelYourBreast Campaign surpassed all our wildest dreams! Thanks to the help of Lounge's incredible community, Trekstock were able to continue our vital work and support even more young adults in their 20s and 30s living through and beyond cancer.
The donations made went directly into advancing our exercise support and practical advice programmes, as well as maintaining our active online community. The social reach of the #FeelYourBreast Campaign and the donations raised made a huge difference to the number of young adults we can support and truly means the world to us.
Coronavirus has impacted so many charities and vital organisations. How will the #FeelYourBreast campaign help Trekstock in what has been such an unpredictable time?
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant effect on every aspect of our lives. It's also having a profound financial impact on small charities like Trekstock. We know young adults living with and beyond cancer are among the hardest hit, with many young adults still significantly affected by COVID.
Throughout this challenging time, supporting young adults with cancer has remained our top priority. Donations and social awareness from this years #FeelYourBreast Campaign will be instrumental in removing the threat of isolation, ensuring more young adults with cancer feel connected through our services and receive the social, physical and psychological support they require.
What advice would you give to a young adult who has recently received a cancer diagnosis?
34 young adults are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK. The advice we would give to a young adult who has recently received a cancer diagnosis is to find others who 'just get it'. Every single young adult will experience cancer differently, but there are many ways you can support each other. Trekstock's online support community is somewhere young adults can ask difficult questions, seek support and share advice privately with others who get it.
To find out more about Trekstock and CoppaFeel!, you can visit their websites.
October has been a phenomenal month for us, and with charities like Trekstock and CoppaFeel!, it’s made a world of difference to see the impact we’ve made. Visit our Hub here to find out more about our #FeelYourBreast campaign and to get clued up on your boobs.
And don’t forget to check in tomorrow to find out how much we’ve raised this year!
It’s all thanks to you.
We love you, Loungers.