No matter how you identify, what your ethnicity is or how old you are, breast cancer can affect everybody.  

Breast cancer awareness for everyone 

CoppaFeel! wants to give everyone the best possible chance of surviving breast cancer. We are the very first (and only) charity in the UK whose purpose is to speak to young people about breast cancer. We exist to give all people the best chance of surviving breast cancer by ensuring early and correct diagnosis.  

Our mission is to encourage, educate and empower by raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and equipping people with the tools and knowledge to seek advice should they notice a change in their body’s normal look and feel. 

Everyone’s breast tissue is under their armpit and up to their collarbone, so it’s important to check the whole area.

What we mean by breast/chest awareness 

We want people to be looking and feeling. Everyone’s breast tissue is under their armpit and up to their collarbone, so it’s important to check the whole area. Check roughly once a month. Have an awareness of breast cancer signs and symptoms while getting to know what is normal for your body.  

You can literally check your chest anywhere:  

• In the shower  
• Through a T-shirt, while watching TV  
• Laying down, just before bed  
• Putting on moisturiser or before your tanning routine  
• In front of the mirror to help when looking for changes  

What if you find something unusual in your chest? 

If you notice any changes, get in contact with your GP, and book an appointment to discuss your concerns. There are resources available to help equip you with the knowledge and confidence to be prepared when going to the doctor, should you need to.  

Remember, getting to know your body could save your life! The earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the chances of survival — which is exactly what we want to achieve.  

Statistics from Cancer Research UK and Breast Cancer Now

The post Why young people should check their chest regularly appeared first on Health Awareness.

More than 50% of the world’s population will go through menopause. Yet there is a lack of understanding around identifying symptoms and talking about their impact. The stigma remains.

From couched conversations around ‘The Change’ to embarrassment discussing symptoms and the struggles to manage, people experiencing menopause or perimenopause have often hidden away. But change is coming.

Health for women

The Government’s recent Women’s Health Strategy for England saw over a third of respondents request menopause to be includedi. Responses highlighted that menopause is a taboo subject that cannot be talked about openly, and this impacts symptom management — often meaning that people do not get the support they want and need.

Media coverage of menopause has also picked up momentum, with Davina McCall’s exploration of the effect of menopausal symptoms and the BBC Breakfast ‘Wake up to the Menopause week,’ where our own campaign — Rock My Menopause — launched.

This mainstream menopause focus is going some way to break the taboo and normalise conversations, but action also starts at home.

Play your part, however big or small, in breaking the taboo. 

Menopause champions

At Rock My Menopause, we proudly encourage our community to be a #Menovist. We stand up for those experiencing menopause, openly encourage and engage in menopause conversations and play a part in stamping out the taboo.

This is intended to normalise conversations and spread the message that menopause is something that happens and can be talked about openly.

Start today

It’s easy to become a Menovist. It starts with a single conversation. Take the step today, ask a question, share your experience and open up a discussion. Play your part, however big or small, in breaking the taboo.

If you’re not scared to say the ‘M’ word and want to bring menopause and perimenopause into the wider society, then you’re a #Menovist. Wear your badge with pride.

Building a community of informed and empowered people — whether that’s friends, family or employers — to champion menopause and support those experiencing it is the best way to break the taboo. It allows people to feel more comfortable speaking up and can also help others understand their symptoms and get the support they need.

The post Empowering women to break the menopause taboo appeared first on Health Awareness.

Cervical cancer ranks as the second most common cause of cancer deaths in women aged 15 to 44 and the ninth most frequent cancer among women in Europe.

Despite the vigorous NHS cervical cancer screening programme in the UK and high-profile campaigns to encourage younger women to attend for testing (such as one prompted by the death of TV personality Jade Goody), there is still a high percentage of women not showing up.

Cervical screening is available for people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 in England. In the past few years, statistics have shown that there is a small year-on-year decline in the number of women attending.

In 2020–21, 4.59 million individuals were invited for screening (a 1% decrease from the previous year). Of those, 70.2% of eligible individuals were adequately screened.

Reasons for skipping

Monika Destruelle, European Product Manager HPV for global medical technology company BD, says there is a myriad of reasons for the 30% or so women who do not go for screening.

“It might be that they feel too embarrassed, hold certain religious beliefs, find it uncomfortable, or they will skip their appointment that day because they simply didn’t have time,” she says.

“Over half of all cervical cancers are diagnosed in women who have never been screened or have not been screened in the previous five years — a situation that has been compounded by the global pandemic. There were large disruptions in services and programmes.”

Every woman that is screened is a gain because for every type of cancer we can avoid, there is a life behind it.

Elimination goal

Now, things are set to improve with the arrival of an at-home, self-collection method of testing. Additionally, in 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched its global strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer.

“WHO has the goal to reduce the cervical cancer incidence below 4 per 100,000 women per year – that is their target,” says Destruelle. “At-home, self-collection has the most potential to help address the urgent public health challenge of reaching women who do not regularly attend or have access to cervical cancer screening.”

The BD Onclarity HPV assay, with extended genotyping, received one of the industry’s first at-home, self-collection claim for HPV screening (CE-marked).  It is approved for use with samples collected using appropriate devices outside of healthcare facilities.

What makes this technological breakthrough special is that it has been able to combine laboratory testing techniques with simultaneous genotyping. The assay detects and identifies 14 high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types in a single analysis and provides genotyping information from specimens collected for cervical cancer screening processes.

Home collection kits

Destruelle explains: “If a woman is exposed to any of those 14 genotypes for a longer time, the cells may change and transform into cancer cells with very different risks between them.”

“We believe that self-collection can really help to increase participation. Every woman that is screened is a gain because for every type of cancer we can avoid, there is a life behind it.

“In the future, it will eventually become the routine method for screening because of other factors like the rapidly decreasing workforce and the increasing need to make cost savings.”

The home collection kit will comprise of a swab and instructions on how to do the quick test. It is then returned to the relevant testing labs via posting. BD is currently going through validation processes with the NHS and screening laboratories to make the kits available here within the next three to five years.

Destruelle says: “However, screening alone is not enough. Only with a combination of good screening programmes and HPV vaccinations, will we eventually reach our goal of eradicating this type of cancer.”

The post A breakthrough in HPV screening: a hope to defeat cervical cancer appeared first on Health Awareness.

It’s important for women to realise that while bladder leakage isn’t uncommon, they shouldn’t have to put up with it.

The NHS estimates between three and six million women suffer from bladder leakage in the UK. But the actual number is likely to be much higher, as Dr Dawn Harper points out, “Those are just the cases we know about.”  

Bladder leakage as a taboo 

Research conducted at Contrelle Activgard found that 66% of women affected are too embarrassed to kickstart a conversation, and only 28% would mention their suffering to their partner. Contributing to the issue is the media’s reluctance to speak about leakage, perhaps viewing it as an old person’s issue. This couldn’t be more wrong.  

Affecting women from their 30s  

Sufferers are active women who are experiencing a condition which is detrimental to them living their lives to the fullest. The research highlights that leakage is most likely triggered by everyday activities such as sneezing, coughing, laughing and exercise. This results in many women constantly being concerned about leaking. 

As Natalie Silverman, 44, a former sufferer explains, “It just made me feel quite sad. I wanted to play with my son, chase him, jump on the trampoline, and I always had to say I couldn’t.”  

66% of women affected are too embarrassed to kickstart a conversation.

This is something I identify with as a former sufferer. I remember just breaking down and crying. It was soul-destroying because I knew I was doing everything I should be doing, yet it wasn’t having any impact.  

Although he would always advocate for sufferers to follow the NHS recommendations, Ash Monga, Consultant Gynaecologist at University Hospital Southampton, explains “Unfortunately, losing weight, reducing caffeine and pelvic floor exercises aren’t the answer for everyone, and many women don’t want to consider surgery.”  

A new solution 

One new option in the UK market, which I have found success with, is Contrelle Activgard.  

It is a U-shaped piece of soft, body-compatible foam, which is easily inserted into the vagina using a reusable applicator. Once in place, it works by gently supporting the neck of your bladder and urethra so that the bladder is in the correct position to stop leaks immediately. Women can use the device independently, and it can be bought directly. Trials demonstrate that in two out of three cases, women are completely dry when the device is in place.

For me, personally, Contrelle has been a revelation. I’m not only keen to pass on news about the solution I’ve found but also to get everyone to speak openly about the issue. 

The post The impact of bladder leakage on physical and mental health is widely ignored appeared first on Health Awareness.

Within the space of 40 hours, Lisa Fleming received the devastating double diagnosis that changed her life.

After Lisa was told she had breast cancer, a further scan revealed it had spread throughout her bones.

“I did not have any typical symptoms. To be told I have metastatic secondary breast cancer and that it was incurable—my world fell apart,” recalls Lisa, 39, from Edinburgh.

Treating secondary breast cancer

At that point in 2017, Lisa was told her care would be palliative; but after two high-risk operations in her neck and spine, she began aggressive chemotherapy.

Fourteen further surgeries and other continued treatment followed, but as Lisa remarks: “The girl that was given the initial prognosis that I would probably not see Christmas is now here — five years on.”

During this journey, Lisa met many other women in the same position. She hopes to inspire other secondary breast cancer patients to realise that it is possible to live a full life after such a diagnosis.

Crucial conversations

Lisa also points to the importance of ‘crucial conversations’ about care and prognosis with healthcare professionals.

While her oncologist has been open in ‘two-way conversations’ with her, she says with some patients, there is a massive gap in care information. This may be about maintaining better quality of life or topics like menopause and fertility. She thinks people should be provided with more literature to take home.

She advises other secondary breast cancer patients to “advocate for themselves” and speak to medical support teams.

To be told I have metastatic secondary breast cancer and that it was incurable—my world fell apart.

Education void

Acknowledging that it can be difficult when overwhelmed by such a diagnosis, she was motivated to set up ‘Make 2nds Count’ for secondary breast cancer patients.

Now a nationwide charity, it has three pillars of research, support and education. As part of this work, Lisa supports the Novartis ‘Moments That Count’ campaign, a platform of resources and advice to “fill that education void about metastatic breast cancer.”

Lisa, now founder of Make 2nds Count and an ambassador for Moments That Count, ran a themed events business for children before she was diagnosed.

She underlines the importance of making patients aware of the signs and symptoms of secondary breast cancer — noting she had little knowledge of the disease before diagnosis.

Achieving quality of life

For Lisa, one of the biggest turning points has been in learning how to live again and live well with metastatic breast cancer and finding joy in things she sees as the ‘old Lisa.’ This includes singing and performing on stage—things Lisa didn’t think she would do again.

UK | September 2022 | 240737

The post One woman inspires many secondary breast cancer patients appeared first on Health Awareness.

Crucial conversations on a range of subjects between patients and healthcare professionals are critical in breast cancer care.

During a patient’s breast cancer journey, crucial discussions with their healthcare team do not always take place.

“These might include an honest conversation with a secondary breast cancer patient about issues with intimacy or menopause, a discussion about biomarker testing or between healthcare professionals about a particular patient’s care” says Marie-Andrée Gamache, who is Country President for pharmaceutical company, Novartis, in the UK and Ireland.

Better outcomes

Gamache acknowledges that these ‘crucial conversations’ also extend to the life sciences industry and the healthcare system on ways to work together for better patient outcomes in the breast cancer space, particularly for secondary breast cancer that has spread elsewhere in a patient’s body.

As the industry tackles the ‘second healthcare crisis’ of treatment backlogs from the Covid-19 pandemic, she outlines Novartis’ has a long-standing commitment to breast cancer care, underpinned by collaboration and science.

“I believe the life science industry can play an important role in helping the NHS build back better after the pandemic, including in oncology.”

The life science industry can play an important role in helping the NHS build back better after the pandemic.

Industry partnerships can improve patient’s quality of life

Cross-industry partnerships with “bold solutions, close collaboration and ground-breaking innovations,” are vital to improving the quality of life for breast cancer patients, says Gamache.

They have partnered with The Christie NHS Foundation to understand and address inequalities of access to secondary breast cancer services across Greater Manchester, with the project analysing findings from 3,032 patients to inform service developments.

“We’ve taken a bold approach with our research and patient trials, working with healthcare systems to identify new pathways or mutations that may play a role in disease progression and developing therapies that increase overall survival outcomes for patients, while not only maintaining but also improving the quality of life for patients” Gamache adds.

Supporting patients

Since 2021, Novartis has supported Breast Cancer Now to deliver the Living with Secondary Breast Cancer Face-to-Face groups service.

“This service offers monthly therapist facilitated, peer-to-peer support groups” says Gamache. “The groups enable women to meet those going through a similar experience. They share their crucial conversations by talking, listening and learning with people who understand the challenges that secondary breast cancer brings.”

Furthermore, Novartis is supporting conversations between patients and their healthcare professional through its ‘Moments That Count’ campaign, which provides resources and support about secondary breast cancer for all patients and their families to live the fullest life possible.

UK | September 2022 | 240742

The post Why we need crucial conversations in breast cancer appeared first on Health Awareness.

Outdated and inadequate workplace policies are failing women needing fertility treatment.

Glaring gap in reproductive health workplace policies

The UK pioneered fertility treatment but workplace policies are yet to catch up. Infertility is defined as a disease by the World Health Organization with its treatment requiring women to undergo complex, time-sensitive and sometimes lengthy medical intervention. Yet, within the workplace, the majority of UK employers don’t grant time off for fertility treatment, as they do for medical or surgical appointments.

Instead, women have to use annual leave, take unpaid leave, cut back working hours and sometimes leave employment, in order to travel to and attend the necessary multiple fertility clinic appointments. A 2016 survey by Fertility Network found that half of women needed more than a week off work for a treatment cycle, while the average number of days taken off was 8.7.

Recognise infertility as a legitimate health condition

This glaring gap in workplace support fails many women and their partners. In 2019, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, 53,000 women, most in employment, underwent fertility treatments such as IVF.

That’s why Fertility Network UK, the national fertility charity, is calling for employers to recognise infertility as a legitimate health condition. Doing so would allow fertility patients to be granted appropriate medical leave under the same conditions set out in general employer/employee medical policies.

The majority of UK employers don’t grant time off for fertility treatment.

No legal right for time off work

Shockingly, there is also no legal right in the UK for time off work for fertility treatment. Fertility Network, together with MP Nickie Aiken, is campaigning for this appalling situation to end. In June 2022, Ms Aiken put forward a Private Members’ Bill which, if passed by Parliament, will give fertility patients the right to paid leave for medical appointments. 

Fertility support is good for business as well as employees

Fertility Network believes supporting anyone facing fertility challenges is good for business as well as employees. Forward-thinking businesses are recognising this, with more firms joining our Fertility in the Workplace initiative, which helps companies implement a fertility policy and ensures staff and managers understand the impact of fertility and treatment so they can support those around them.

The post UK employers failing to support women’s reproductive healthcare needs appeared first on Health Awareness.

Gynaecology waiting lists continue to grow, and waiting times are having a severe impact on women who are left to suffer from worsening symptoms.

The pandemic has put extra strain on the NHS, and women are now waiting longer than ever for care. Across the UK, waiting lists for gynaecology reached nearly 610,000 women as of March 2022. This is just over a 69% increase since pre-pandemic levels. Gynaecology waiting lists in England had a disproportionately high growth compared to all other elective specialities.

Gynaecological conditions and the impact on quality of life

Awareness of gynaecological conditions and health is growing, and many will now be familiar with common conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and incontinence.

What is less recognised is the impact that common gynaecological conditions can have on women’s quality of life. Common symptoms of gynaecological and urogynaecological conditions include heavy menstrual bleeding, chronic pelvic pain and incontinence. The prolonged waits that women are facing often mean that women are left with debilitating and worsening symptoms for far longer than they should.

In England, the number of women and people waiting over a year for care is at its highest point ever in gynaecology, increasing from 66 in February 2020 to just over 34,000 at the end of June 2022.

In a survey of over 800 women waiting for gynaecological care, more than 75% of respondents reported that their symptoms had worsened while they waited for treatment. On top of this, 80% of respondents reported that their mental health had worsened. The overall impact is that these prolonged waits severely affect women’s quality of life, their mental health and their ability to work and socialise.

80% of respondents reported that their mental health had worsened.

Moving away from ‘benign’

The RCOG is calling for the impact of gynaecological conditions to be fully recognised and for a shift in the way that gynaecology is prioritised across the health service.

The impact on physical and mental health, quality of life, ability to work and socialise and the possible impact on fertility must be considered for women waiting for care. With the recent publication of the Women’s Health Strategy, gynaecology waiting lists can no longer be ignored. There must be a move away from using the term ‘benign’ to describe gynaecological conditions. Gynaecology has been seen for too long as a second-class speciality.

We are working with policymakers and the NHS to ensure the effective recovery of gynaecology services and that meaningful action is taken to meet the needs of women on waiting lists.

The post Action must be taken to remove barriers for women accessing gynaecological care appeared first on Health Awareness.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, around 5,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Whatever your age, it’s important to be breast aware.

October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month — 31 days dedicated to spotlighting breast cancer. With one woman diagnosed with breast cancer every 10 minutes, it’s a vital opportunity to spread breast awareness messages to all sectors of society.

Get to know your normal

It’s so important to be breast aware and get to know ‘your normal’ and understand what’s new or different for you. While most breast changes — including breast lumps — are not cancer, it’s important to get any new or unusual change checked by your GP. On the occasions it is breast cancer, the sooner it is diagnosed, the better the chances of treatment being successful.

Checking your breasts only takes a few minutes. It could be while getting dressed, showering or putting on moisturiser. Check your whole breast area, armpits and up to your collarbone (upper chest) for changes. There’s no special technique — it’s as simple as TLC: Touch, Look, Check.

In 2020/21, almost a million fewer women in England were screened for breast cancer.

No time to waste

At Breast Cancer Now, we’re acutely aware of the pandemic continuing to present unparalleled challenges for people affected by breast cancer. In 2020/21, almost a million fewer women in England were screened for breast cancer as a result of the disruption. Despite the valiant efforts of NHS staff, we estimate that as of July 2022, almost 8,000 people are living with undiagnosed breast cancer in England.

Breast screening is vital in detecting breast cancer early — when treatment is more likely to be successful. This is why we encourage women to attend breast screening appointments when invited and why we’ve relentlessly shone a spotlight on this backlog. As part of our #notimetowaste campaign, we’re calling for the Government to urgently set out how it will address the screening shortfall and find these missing women and for a more ambitious target for patients receiving a breast cancer diagnosis or having it ruled out within 28 days of urgent referral.

The post Promoting breast health awareness and getting to know your normal appeared first on Health Awareness.

In our years of talking to young people about their breasts and chests, we noticed that pregnancy and breastfeeding were seen by many as a barrier to breast awareness.

We know how important it is for everyone to get to know their bodies and talk to their doctor if they notice any unusual changes.

Identifying changes

Pregnancy — like puberty, menstruation and menopause — is a natural condition but often comes with breast changes. The difficulty of knowing the difference between these natural changes compared to signs and symptoms of breast cancer is perhaps the reason why pregnant women with breast cancer are doubly likely to be diagnosed at stage four.¹

At CoppaFeel!, we are committed to addressing this health inequity by improving the confidence of breast awareness during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Breast awareness is not about looking for cancer, it’s about getting to know what is normal for you.

‘Pregnancy boobs’

Hormonal breast changes such as sensitivity, leaking nipples and increased size are all natural in pregnancy. Despite the initial adjustment to these fluctuations, checking is the best way to get used to them and identify any potential problems. Breast conditions such as mastitis or blocked ducts should be properly diagnosed by a doctor and, if in doubt, it is important that breast cancer is ruled out.

An ultrasound scan is a safe and effective way to do this. We want to move away from dismissing breast conditions related to pregnancy as ‘just pregnancy boobs,’ and improve education about breast health for pregnant and breastfeeding people.

Awareness guidance

Our breast awareness message during pregnancy and breastfeeding remains the same, and our breast awareness tips are as follows:

Look and feel: Some symptoms of breast cancer are visible, not just palpable.

All breast tissue: Breast tissue goes up to the collarbone and under the armpits.

Roughly once a month

Get to know your normal: Breast awareness is not about looking for cancer, it’s about getting to know what is normal for you.

[1] Public Health England National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service, 2018.

The post The health importance of breast awareness during pregnancy appeared first on Health Awareness.