Helping breast cancer patients

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and primarily affects women. Of the 55,000 women diagnosed with this disease every year, one out of 10 are aged 50 and over. Although breast cancer survival rates continue to improve and have doubled in the past 40 years, many women still die from the disease annually. For those who survive it, the long-lasting physical and mental effects of breast cancer can, understandably, be overwhelming.

Despite these risks, a large proportion of women in the UK fail to check their breasts regularly for signs and symptoms of cancer. This method of identifying the disease is vital considering around two thirds of breast cancer cases are found by women noticing unusual changes in their breasts and checking it with their doctor. Research led by Breast Cancer Now in 2018 found that just 48% of British women surveyed were frequently checking their breasts for cancer, while almost one in 10 had never checked at all.