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CoppaFeel! Our charity partner of 2024

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CoppaFeel!

We’re proud to be supporting breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel! as our 2024 charity of the year. CoppaFeel! exists to educate and remind every young person in the UK that checking their boobs, pecs or chest isn’t only fun, it could save their life.

We have chosen CoppaFeel! as our first ever charity of the year because they are committed to sending the message that breast cancer doesn't discriminate, no matter your age, gender or ethnicity, which is not something which is widely talked about. We also resonate with their fun and unique way of raising awareness for such an important topic!

CoppaFeel! supports and enables both healthcare professionals and non-clinical staff to promote the breast awareness message. They provide patient information, materials for waiting rooms and education resources for all staff to encourage the nation to start checking their chests.

We are delighted to support CoppaFeel! in their mission, and we’d love you to join us! Find out more about donating to CoppaFeel! today!

You can donate to CoppaFeel! here.
 

All about CoppaFeel!

CoppaFeel! was founded in 2009 by sisters Kris and Maren Hallenga, after Kris’ diagnosis with advanced breast cancer at the age of 23. Eight months prior to her diagnosis, Kris sought advice from her GP, who dismissed her lumpy painful boob as something ‘hormonal’. When Kris was finally diagnosed, the cancer was found to have already spread to her spine. Whilst undergoing all manner of treatments, Kris set about making it her life’s mission to educate people on the importance of checking their boobs and pecs regularly, with specific focus on younger people - an age group that is often overlooked when educating on this subject.

CoppaFeel! are passionate about patient education and health promotion; they’re on a mission to make all young people aware of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer from an early age, for them to know the importance of regular self-checking and to have the confidence to seek advice from a medical professional if they notice a change.

Breast cancer will affect 1 in 7 women in their lifetime and around 400 men a year will be diagnosed in the UK.. Breast cancer is also the most common cancer amongst females aged 15 - 43. What we also know is that when breast cancers are diagnosed at the earliest stage possible, treatments are more effective and survival rates are higher.

Ella's Story

Stories like Ella’s demonstrate why the work of CoppaFeel! is so important.

Ella was 22, when she was diagnosed with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS), a condition which prevents her body from being able to suppress tumour growth and significantly increases the chances of someone experiencing cancer. In fact, Ella's LFS meant she had a 90% chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer; she just didn't think it would happen so soon…

“Young people think they are invincible. Maybe I’m generalising but I certainly the mindset of ‘oh but I’m only in my 20s, nothing can happen to me’”

At aged 22, at Ella’s annual MRI scan, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“The mere fact I thought it was unlikely people my age were able to get cancer meant that my diagnosis came as such a shock to myself and my family. I hadn’t noticed any unusual changes and therefore didn’t expect to come out of the hospital with life-changing news.”

Ella’s treatment plan was drawn up and she was booked in for a double mastectomy. She had put herself forward for an elective, risk-reducing mastectomy only a year or so earlier due to LFS, but was unfortunately too far down the waiting list, and it didn’t come around soon enough. She also had chemotherapy and hormone therapy.

“Losing my hair due to the chemo was the hardest part for me – my long hair was my identity and I have always held a lot of importance in how I look. Since treatment, I will always see myself very differently and I don’t feel I’m the person I was before my diagnosis."

Having never heard of CoppaFeel! before, it became clear to Ella how crucial the charity are for raising awareness for young people.

“I’m keen to continue to advocate for early detection and use my voice to ensure all young people know that breast cancer can affect them. I’m proud of my journey so far, and look forward to seeing where life will take me!”

CoppaFeel!’s research shows that 86% of young people currently go to, or would like to go to, the NHS or healthcare professionals for information on breast cancer, demonstrating the important role you play in breast health promotion, education and ultimately early detection. So they need your help!

How we can support you and your patients

We have a range of resources to support you in your role to ensure you feel confident and knowledgeable in encouraging the young people you see to be clued up on breast cancer and the importance of checking. This includes our e-learning course hosted via our learning platform CoppaCollege! and the NHS Learning Hub, our CPD-accredited webinars and PIF (Patient Information Forum) accredited health information.

In addition we have a wealth of resources and information to support your patients, including our free health promotion materials, our web app The Self-Checkout and our monthly text reminders.

References

 

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