Clover and Lesley
FOR THOSE TOUCHED BY BREAST CANCER
JOIN OUR
sisterhood
FIND THE SUPPORT, HOPE AND LOVE YOU NEED
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CONTENTS - 2020/2021
FUTURE DREAMS 10 FOUNDERS The origins of Future Dreams. 12 EDITOR’S LETTER Editor Sam welcomes you to the magazine. 18 AMBASSADORS Our charity is privileged to be backed by a wide variety of brand and celebrity ambassadors. UPLIFTING: Clover, Helen, Claira and Lesley
ON THE COVER 36 SUPPORTING YOUR SISTERS Future Dreams’ Sisterhood project aims to give every woman access to a post-op bra. It’s a brilliant way to – quite literally – offer your support. Are you ready to join the Sisterhood?
sisterhood
Because Pronovias cares about the health and wellbeing of women everywhere, during Pink October all proceeds from the sale of our Lansbury dress will be donated to Future Dreams.
JOIN OUR
Follow your dream. Help fight breast cancer.
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FIND THE SUPPORT, HOPE AND LOVE YOU NEED
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Helen and Claira
Dressing your dreams. Caring for your future
Because Pronovias cares about the health and wellbeing of women everywhere, during Pink October all proceeds from the sale of our Lansbury dress will be donated to Future Dreams.
JOIN OUR
breast cancer.
FOR THOSE TOUCHED BY BREAST CANCER
Clover and Lesley
S T Y L E : L A N S B U RY
Dressing your dreams. Caring for your future
h and wellbeing of women eeds from the sale of our o Future Dreams.
FOR THOSE TOUCHED BY BREAST CANCER
FUTURE DREAMS FOR THOSE TOUCHED BY BREAST CANCER
FUTURE DREAMS FOR THOSE TOUCHED BY BREAST CANCER
FUTURE DREAMS FOR THOSE TOUCHED BY BREAST CANCER
ng for your future
Sarah and Kate
S T Y L E : L A N S B U RY
FOR THOSE TOUCHED BY BREAST CANCER
26 CORPORATE PARTNERS Future Dreams raises vital funds for breast cancer support, awareness and research – but we couldn’t do any of it without our amazing commercial partners.
sisterhood
JOIN OUR
Follow your dream. Help fight breast cancer.
PRONOVIAS.COM
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FIND THE SUPPORT, HOPE AND LOVE YOU NEED
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OUR COVERS This year’s three beautiful covers feature inspiring women, all of whom have had breast surgery as a result of a breast cancer diagnosis or risk, and who took part in our Sisterhood Bra shoot. FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK | 1
28 FROM OUR TRUSTEES Despite the lockdown, it was business as usual for Future Dreams – and we found a way to reach more people in need than ever. 31 FUTURE DREAMS HOUSE Our new London base for Breast Cancer Haven is well under way. Due to open in 2021, the centre will make a huge difference to patients and their families. 34 WE’RE SO GRATEFUL ...to every single person who has supported Future Dreams this year. 58 FUTURE DREAMS DURING COVID-19 In 2020, the world stopped and everything changed. But for Future Dreams the work continued. Here’s how we did it. 118 THANK YOU MUM AND GRANDMA Our founders Danielle and Sylvie have left behind a huge legacy. Ben, Joe and Amy, the next generation, could not be more proud.
HEALTH AND WELL BEING 48 THE SEARCH FOR THE RIGHT BRA Lingerie expert fitter Monica Harrington’s mission to help women feel confident again. 154 TALK TO YOUR GP TV doctor and GP Dr Amir Khan believes we should all be talking more about breast cancer – and the reason behind his campaign lies very close to his heart. 160
176 NEW NIPPLES PLEASE! Prepare to be amazed by the most realistic prosthetic nipples you have ever seen. Rachel Walker reveals how she makes them – and where you can buy them. 202 SURVIVE AND THRIVE Carla Faria drew up five rules to help her thrive during her treatment. Here she shares them with you. 210 HOSPITAL CHECKLIST Amanda Hanison runs through the essential contents of a hospital bag – whether you are an inpatient or going through a course of chemotherapy treatment. 223 C AN FAITH HELP YOU? When Zaheen Qaiser was diagnosed with breast cancer her religion anchored her in uncertain times. She explains how.
BREAST CANCER STORIES 58 DIAGNOSED DURING COVID-19 TV producer Lucie Kon received news she had breast cancer just days into lockdown. She used her diagnosis to shine a light on the crisis facing this country. 72 EVEN STRONG MAMAS NEED A HUG Future Dreams ambassador and broadcaster Jacquie Beltrao is facing cancer for a second time. Happily, the prognosis is good, says her daughter Amelia in this moving tribute.
BREAST CANCER, SEX AND YOU Intimacy and relationships can be challenging 76 I WISH I’D KNOWN... – but so vital – during diagnosis and Seven women reveal the insights they have treatment for breast cancer. Clinical gained through their breast cancer journey. psychologist Dr Claire Scanlan gives advice 86 MY NEW LIFE IS SO MUCH BETTER 168 LOVE YOUR BODY Businesswoman and author Julia Leckey on Body confidence can be in short supply how a breast cancer diagnosis forced her to after surgery, a new survey by Future reassess her priorities – and discover what Dreams reveals. We ask three amazing really is important. women how they learned to feel great again.
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90 BLACK WOMEN RISING Welcome to the Future Dreams family Leanne Pero, inspirational founder of a new movement to give a voice to BAME women diagnosed with breast cancer. 98 I FEEL EMPOWERED Shevelle Copeland-Kelly was only 29 when she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. Support from Black Women Rising has helped her to navigate her journey. 102 I AM NOT JUST A CANCER SURVIVOR Fierce and feisty Lauren Mahon was only in her early thirties when she was diagnosed. with breast cancer. Since then she has launched a hugely successful support movement and found her voice as the host of You, Me and the Big C. 106 BRCA: I’M SO GLAD I WAS TESTED Testing for a faulty gene could have saved Mum’s life, says Jess Fine. Now she’s had her own BRCA investigation, she’s encouraging others to do the same. 130 SO, HOW DO YOU FEEL? Our new project, Partner’s Perspective, supports other halves during the breast cancer journey. Photographer and ambassador Paul Toeman captured beautiful and moving images from a very special shoot.
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SUPPORT: Jenn Cronje joins our Sisterhood
136 I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE Mary Huckle is living with secondary cancer but she plans to stick around for a lot longer yet. She shares her inspiring story with Future Dreams.
144 THE FIGHT TO STOP THE SPREAD How an innovative research project, funded by Future Dreams, could be the key to preventing metastatic cancer.
140 WE LIVE LIFE TO THE MAX! Laura Middleton-Hughes and Nicky Newman are young women both with terminal cancer diagnoses. Their wonderful Secondary Sisters group has been a lifeline.
150 I WANT TO GIVE WOMEN DIGNITY After a positive test for BRCA1, Charley Wood opted for surgery but dreaded the drain bags she knew she would have to wear. Then she had a brilliant idea...
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LIFESTYLE 57 SCENT TO MAKE IT BETTER Treat yourself to a beautiful Self Care Co. candle and raise money for Future Dreams.
226 ART AUCTION Here’s your chance to buy a stunning piece of artwork and raise funds for Future Dreams – announcing our first-ever online art exhibition and auction.
188 TIME FOR A PUZZLE? Our brain-teasers will keep you busy.
BEAUTY
193 MELISSA HEMSLEY EATS GREEN Future Dreams ambassador and food writer Melissa shares three healthy and delicious recipes from her newest book.
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200 WE SHOULD ALL EAT FRUIT AND VEG Toral Shah, a nutritional scientist, was already studying the effects of food on health when she found a lump in her breast. She shares her golden rules for eating well.
186 RAISE A BROW FOR FUTURE DREAMS Blink Brow Bar boss Taj Giles reached for her own product when she lost her brows due to chemo. Now she’s donating money from sales of the Dream Brows Palette to help us.
230 PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
FUNDRAISING 110 READY FOR YOUR MANI-CURE? Our latest Let’s Nail Breast Cancer campaign sees the boys getting involved. Sign your man up now and put him in the pink. 122 FUTURE DREAMS LADIES’ LUNCH The glittering 2019 occasion at London’s Savoy Hotel was the height of our events calendar and raised £360,000, thanks to our guests and sponsor Estée Lauder Companies. 126
MORE THAN JUST A PINK RIBBON Actress and campaigner Elizabeth Hurley tells the story of Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign, plus the beauty products you can buy to help the cause.
146 O2 STADIUM – OR GIANT BOOB? How Helen Addis, FD ambassador and founder of ITV’s Change and Check, is leading intrepid women up the O2 (and not only because it is boob shaped).
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FEEL BEAUTIFUL DURING TREATMENT The C List will direct you to those beauty products that will help you feel your best when you are going through treatment.
ADVICE AND SUPPORT
216 HOW TO MANAGE YOUR MONEY Dealing with a diagnosis and worries about your finances is a stress no-one should have to face alone. But there is help out there... 262 LUNCH AND LEARN Future Dream’s workplace awareness project is celebrating its first birthday. Find out how to extend an invite to our team and help change the lives of your colleagues. 268 BREAST CANCER NOW Support for today, hope for the future. Here’s how to access the life-changing care from Breast Cancer Now. 270 FLAT FRIENDS Meet the group that supports women who choose not to have a reconstruction after 274
GIRL VS CANCER How one young woman’s breast cancer ordeal led to an inspiring online community that is helping others.
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FUTURE DREAMS MAGAZINE DESIGN AND PRODUCTION TWO BOYS Jamie Brown Daria Martyn Beth Taylor Michelle Hather Tony Van Colle FUTURE DREAMS TRUSTEES Philippa Brown Joanna Franks Pam Healey OBE Dale Henry Sam Jacobs Spencer Leslie Dean Poster FUTURE DREAMS TEAM Amanda Hanison Samantha Landesberg Kari Colmans Louise Court Jo Moulder Sasha Speed Jamie Brown Jodi Meyerstone Laura Musikant FUTURE DREAMS LOYAL SUPPORTERS Amanda Grossman Stuart Sweeting Lara Harris Samantha Cohen FUTURE DREAMS, FLYING PIG HOUSE, HOGG LANE, ELSTREE WD6 3AW T 020 3417 7550 E info@futuredreams.org.uk futuredreams.org.uk Registered charity number 1123526 6 | FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK
PAUL TOEMAN My future dream is that all women and men – however they are affected by breast cancer – know that they have a safe, comforting, reliable and knowledgeable home to come to at Future Dreams House.
SIMON EMMETT My future dreams is that we find a happy new normality as soon as possible.
SHEVELLE COPELAND My future dreams are to visit Niagara Falls, to continue exploring the beauty in life and accept it with its ups and downs, to be courageous in all I do and live without fear, taking each day as it comes.
LOUISE COURT My future dream is just to be able to hug my mum and dad properly and for us all to share a future free from cancer and Covid-19.
KORNELIA CHARLES My future dream? How do I just choose one? To always be inspired and inspiring, to love and to be loved, and to laugh and to create joy.
Magazine
CONTRIBUTORS ROSANNA ROBERTSON My future dream is to celebrate something – anything! – with all of my friends and family in one room. I hope we can all feel a bit less inhibited and a bit more joyful again soon, says Rosanna who has been instrumental in organising our online art exhibition and auction.
KARI COLMANS My future dream is that as a charity we will continue to make the best of every difficult situation. Nobody could have foreseen the many extra hurdles that 2020 has presented, but as a charity we have strived to overcome them, and thrived as a team in the process. Here’s to a brighter 2021!
JODI MEYERSTONE My future dream is to help continue FD founders Sylvie and Danielle’s vision and for a cure to be developed in the near future for breast cancer. I also dream for a world where people from different religions, ethnicities and backgrounds can live in peace and for children to grow up in a safe, nurturing and positive environment while helping those around them to reach for the stars!
MICHELLE HATHER My future dream is to sell my city house and move to the country where we can have a dog, keep chickens and grow a garden larger than a postage stamp. Selfish dreams aside, I can’t wait for the current crisis to be a distant memory – too many of us are living with loss, anxiety and loneliness through the experience.
FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK | 7
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Future Dreams is a unique charity. It was set up in 2008 by mother and daughter, Sylvie Henry and Danielle Leslie who, by a cruel twist of fate, were both diagnosed with breast cancer. Danielle was just 35 and a mother of three young children. Tragically, within a year of one another in 2009, both women lost their lives to the disease. A bond between any mother and daughter is extraordinarily strong, but these two women created a powerhouse of love and compassion with the most incredible support system of family and friends. From the start, they vowed to live life to the max with the people who were important to them and to do everything they could to stop Amy, Danielle’s daughter – Sylvie’s grand-daughter – from facing the same illness. Their dream too, was to ensure that nobody should ever have to face this illness on their own. As a charity we are inspired by the insight of our founders and all the people we have met on the journey. Our mission has been to use the values of kindness, dignity, thoughtfulness and community to make a breast cancer experience less bleak and lonely. But, in the end, it is not about us. It is about making a difference and helping families, friends and patients find the support they need at their toughest of times.
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Thank you, our beloved Sylvie and Danielle.
Our founders’ STORY
POWERHOUSE OF LOVE: Danielle with Amy (above) and with Sylvie (right)
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Everyone needs future dreams…including us. Adaptation has been a vital part of Future Dreams’ response to the dramatic impact of Covid-19. I’m sure many of you reading this are thinking and living very differently than you were 12 months ago. It has been the same for us. Like all charities, we have faced – and are still facing – big challenges with fund-raising. But an amazing thing has come out of these difficult times. We have been reacting to the increasingly desperate needs of breast cancer patients during lockdown by doing far more work on the front line. We have developed new and dynamic ways of giving direct practical and emotional support, working hand-in-hand with the wonderful NHS. It has been upsetting seeing increased problems of isolation and hardship. It has, however, enabled us to build an incredibly powerful new network of patients, survivors and breast care nurses who are constantly feeding into us their experiences. It has meant we can be instantly reactive, providing help where it’s needed, and we’ve been able to connect patients and their families to much-needed resources at this difficult time. It was only back in March, but it seems a lifetime ago that we raised £35,000 with our inspiring International Women’s Day Lunch, sponsored by Estée Lauder Companies. We met at The Arts Club in London’s Mayfair to hear broadcaster and breast cancer survivor Victoria Derbyshire chatting to a wonderful panel, including cookery writer Prue Leith, Cold Feet star Fay Ripley and Casualty actress and breast cancer survivor Amanda Mealing. Two weeks later, the UK was plunged into
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Editor’s L ETTER
lockdown and Future Dreams had to adjust to safeguarding our charity’s survival. The uncertainty of how Covid-19 would impact our lives, meant all our fundraising events were immediately postponed to 2021. We faced 12 months without income. We knew we had to be resourceful and deal head-on with these difficult circumstances. We were also instantly aware and concerned that the pandemic would have a critical impact on all those touched by breast cancer. Our move was to step up to the front line and support our beloved NHS and its breast cancer patients in these unprecedented times. Whether newly diagnosed or in the middle of chemo treatment and surgery, both patients and medics were dealing with the unknown. Bernie Phelan, breast care nurse and close friend of Future Dreams, felt overwhelmed by the volume of patients having to come into the hospital alone for treatment and surgery and then having to leave quickly to avoid the virus. Bernie has always prided herself on spending quality time with her patients, getting to know them and guide and soothe them with her experience and knowledge. Sadly, due to Covid-19 restrictions within the hospital, this was no longer possible. Future Dreams immediately created a special leaflet, Bernie’s Advice, containing all her tips for those touched by breast cancer – what to expect and how to cope when back at home. We also included in the leaflet further guidance from a clinical psychologist on how to cope with anxiety, exercises post-surgery from a physiotherapist and practical advice on how to buy online and then fit a post-surgery bra. The leaflet led to our Care Package initiative. We wanted all patients going through breast cancer during lockdown to know they were not alone and to make their experience of treatment a little brighter. We provided bags of loving and thoughtful treats for breast care teams to hand out when their patient one-to-one time was limited. We started our Care Package project with four NHS Trusts and it has expanded to over 21 nationwide, delivering over 4,000 packages. Our practical support continued with giveaways of over 2,500 mastectomy bras from brands such as Royce, Naturana and Amoena, plus much-needed softies (fabriccovered temporary breast prostheses) following the postponement of reconstruction surgeries during lockdown.
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In response to the demands on the NHS and the lack of cold cap facilities during the pandemic, we also supplied hundreds of head scarves that were donated by our loyal ambassador, jewellery company Lola Rose. Hundreds of drain bags, designed by Drain Dollies, were also given away. New and old relationships have blossomed and grown during lockdown. This year we are delighted to be working closely with the magnificent Leanne Pero from the Black Women Rising project. Leanne is now part of the Future Dreams family and it is vital that we focus on inclusivity and shared knowledge while lifting taboos for all those affected by breast cancer. We continue to support our fantastic ambassador Helen Addis with the ITV Lorraine show Change And Check campaign. Since its launch in October 2019, over 30 women have had early diagnoses, having been alerted by information on changing room stickers. It compounds our belief that early detection saves lives. We also worked on creating the Sisterhood Bra campaign. We are shouting loudly and proudly about it on our front cover. In a nutshell, for every Future Dreams Sisterhood Bra purchased by a woman who has not been through breast cancer, a postsurgery bra will be donated to a woman undergoing surgery who needs financial assistance. Plus, 20% of net proceeds from every mastectomy bra sold by Naturana will be donated to Future Dreams. It’s a way for all of us to provide support – literally! Blink Brow Bar is another amazing brand wanting to unite on a project very close to our hearts. In the summer of 2019 Taj Giles, BBB managing director, had recently been diagnosed with primary and secondary breast cancer and had lost her hair and eyebrows due to chemo treatment. She turned to her own products to restore both her brows and her self confidence. Working alongside Sarah Jossel, beauty director at The Sunday Times Style magazine, she devised a way to help other women in the same situation. Half of the proceeds of sales of BBB’s Dreams Brows Palette is now going to Future Dreams and #BeautyBOSS Sarah has created special video tutorials for anyone wanting to raise their own brow game.
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Editor’s L ETTER
Future Dreams prides itself on connecting to this extended family of contacts, creating a support system of information, advice, hope and friendship. If we can’t help, we know someone who can! Understanding there is a new normal, there will be a host of Future Dreams events and campaigns to look forward to in 2021. With your loyal support we can hopefully get back on track and raise vital funds for breast cancer support, awareness and important research. Finally, like everybody else, we have been inspired by the amazing Captain Sir Tom Moore, who has shown the importance of still having future dreams, despite turning 100 years old. During lockdown, he devoted his time to raising a staggering £33m for the NHS and I would like to end my Editor’s letter this year with his inspirational words. ‘For all those finding it difficult: the sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away.’
Sam Jacobs, Future Dreams magazine editor
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Future Dreams Founders Sylvie and Danielle
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Future Dreams is a charity helping women diagnosed with breast cancer to step beyond their diagnosis and move forward with their lives. We aim to help all those touched by breast cancer to ensure nobody faces this illness alone. We offer practical and emotional care and fund awareness, support and research. If we can’t help, we will always try to find someone who can.
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Brand
AMB A SS ADORS From celebrities to medical, beauty and fashion experts and inspirational campaigners and business people, Future Dreams is proud of its brilliant and dynamic ambassadors. These are some of the women and men who have this year shone a light on our charity and its mission to help and support those touched by breast cancer. From us to them... thank you!
ARLENE PHILLIPS Future Dreams has welcomed choreographer and former Strictly judge Ar lene to many of its events and she is a keen suppor ter. ‘Having lost my beloved sister-in-law Laura to breast cancer, I’ve been determined to be vocal about the need for suppor t and do all I can to help,’ she says. ‘I’m proud to be associated with Future Dreams and hope that this disease can soon be eradicated.’
PATSY KENSIT Actress Patsy has a special reason to be moved by the stor y of Future Dreams founder s Sylvie and Danielle. ‘It resonated as my mother had breast cancer,’ she says. ‘Mum was a positive, amazing woman who defied it for year s, but sadly passed away when I was in my twenties. I also lost my father to cancer. If this disease is caught ear ly enough, it can often be treated and so I’m thrilled and honoured to be a Future Dreams ambassador.’
MELISSA HEMSLEY Food writer Melissa has provided some of her exciting healthy recipes for this issue and was busy during lockdown baking cakes for breast cancer care nurses. ‘The Future Dreams family are some of the most kind, energetic, inspiring and loving people I’ve ever met,’ she says. ‘They are committed to constantly raising awareness and I am over the moon to be able to do my part.’
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STUART SWEETING Ar tistic director Stuar t was the driving force behind our tenth anniversar y show, A Decade of Dreams, and is currently creating NEON, a new stage spectacular for Future Dreams in 2021. ‘I am honoured to be an Ambassador,’ he says. ‘I feel truly blessed to have had Sylvie and Danielle in my life and I know their legacy will live on for ever.’
JACQUIE BELTRAO As well as being an all-round fantastic ambassador, Sky News spor ts presenter Jacquie models for our Melissa Odabash swimwear campaign. She says, ‘Future Dreams gives women the oppor tunity to have a place where they can connect with other people who have been affected by breast cancer and feel safe, knowing that they will be suppor ted through their toughest times.’
LOUISE COURT Journalist Louise is a loyal and passionate ambassador for Future Dreams who tirelessly helps the charity with its mission. ‘I wish I’d met Sylvie and Danielle but I have felt their energy through their friends and family who run the charity in their name,’ she says. ‘Future Dreams’ remit to provide a big warm hug for those going through breast cancer makes it a ver y special organisation and one I’m so proud to be involved with.’
LAUREN MAHON Host of the BBC podcast, You, Me and the Big C , Lauren has been raising awareness and funds since her own breast cancer diagnosis in 2016, aged just 31. Her GIRLvsC ANCER website and social media platforms help young women seeking information about the realities of living with the disease and in 2019 she was the recipient of our Future Dreams Humanitarian Award.
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RACHEL BRISTOW Media exper t Rachel has been a par t of the Future Dreams family for several years. ‘I’m thrilled and proud to help Future Dreams with its mission to suppor t those touched by breast cancer,’ she says. ‘I lost a close friend to this disease and under stand the hear tbreak and fear it causes to the sufferer and those who love them.’
VERA ORA Psychiatrist Vera is mum to pop star Rita and fronted our successful 2019 swimwear campaign with Melissa Odabash and Amoena. ‘Being a wor king medic and having had breast cancer myself, I am proud to suppor t Future Dreams as it is a cause ver y close to my hear t,’ says Vera. ‘If I can help one woman going through treatment, I feel going through it myself will be wor thwhile.’
MONICA HARRINGTON Lingerie specialist Monica is a devoted ambassador and her exper tise and knowledge have been instrumental for many of our projects. ‘From the fir st day I met the team at Future Dreams and learned about the wonderful wor k they do, I knew this was the charity I wanted to give my time to,’ she says. ‘Together we can make a difference to women’s lives and improve their body confidence through the knowledge of fitting and the use of beautiful lingerie.’
LEANNE PERO Entrepreneur, breast cancer sur vivor and founder of Black Women Rising, Leanne is one of our newest family member s. Her wor k has been instr umental in helping to encourage and empower more black female cancer patients by connecting and talking about their journeys.
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PHANELLA FINE Loyal ambassador Phanella coaches women to rocket fuel their chosen career s. She is the co-founder of the Step Up Club, an empowering online for um for women, and co-author of Step Up: Confidence, Success and Your Stellar Career in 10 Minutes a Day. Her work focuses on female leader ship, motherhood and diver sity.
JULIA LECKEY Julia has been diagnosed with breast cancer twice and has used her professional skills and business networ k to help Future Dreams with many of it projects. Julia and her husband Eddie have also taken par t in our Par tner s’ Per spective project, an emotional look at how we can suppor t patients’ other halves after a breast cancer diagnosis.
SUSAN GERRARD Chairman of Gerrard International and founder of Mii Cosmetics, Susan is a brilliant suppor ter of our charity fashion shows. ‘Congratulations Future Dreams on your tremendous fundraising events that bring women, families and friends together in such a positive way,’ she says.
SIMON EMMETT Renowned for his celebrity por traits and beauty photography, Simon has captured the famous faces of ever yone from Adele to Tony Blair and his wor k regular ly appear s in publications such as Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone and GQ. Simon, who is suppor ting his mum through breast cancer, is the man behind some of Future Dreams’ most glamorous photographic shoots.
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DARREN AND JAMIE CROOK Managing director s of beauty salon supplier s Louella Belle, Darren and Jamie have good reason to suppor t our mission – their great-grandmother, grandmother and mother all suffered from breast cancer. ‘This is an issue that is of great impor tance to us,’ they say. ‘We also knew Future Dreams founders Sylvie and Danielle and so we wanted to give something back to honour their memories.’
SASHA HARALAMBOUS AND LINDA MARKS Owner s of stylish clothing boutique Lili Grace, Sasha and Linda have over the year s seen too many of their friends and customer s diagnosed with breast cancer. ‘Helping to make a difference through our fashion shows and watching the women who take par t in them bond and feel confident again is an amazing thing to be par t of,’ they say.
NICKY WELLER Exhibition curator Nicky went through two year s of breast cancer after being diagnosed in 2012. Now she wants to help other s. ‘The suppor t you receive during and after treatment is so impor tant,’ she says. ‘Working with the amazing Future Dreams I can help to give back. I can’t wait for Future Dreams House to be finished to help more people through this awful time.’
HELEN ADDIS TV producer Helen launched her Change and Check campaign on ITV’s Lorraine after being diagnosed in 2018. The campaign sticker s encourage women in retail store changing rooms to check their breasts – and so far 33 women have had ear lier diagnoses as a result. Helen’s upbeat blog, The Titty Gritty, describes the effects of ‘the Cancer Bomb’ on family life.
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PAUL TOEMAN Paul has been our amazing official photographer since 2016. ‘I have been touched and inspired in equal measure by the tremendous work, energy and drive shown by ever yone at Future Dreams to suppor t and help the community affected by breast cancer,’ he says. ‘I hope that my images can in turn inspire people to get involved and suppor t the charity in all its endeavours.’
NICOLE DE LEIBURNE AND ADELAIDE RUDDY Along with cavapoos Bramble and Willow, Nicole and Adelaide are the founder s of the Self Care Co. Nicole discovered the therapeutic outlet of aromatherapy while going through difficult periods of anxiety and low mood in her ear ly twenties. The company has created a special Future Dreams candle to help raise funds for our wor k. ‘To suppor t a charity through what we do is such a joy,’ says Nicole.
MELISSA ODABASH Designer Melissa began creating beautiful swimwear for women going through breast cancer when her sister was diagnosed. ‘Under standing the effects of breast cancer and the vulnerability women can feel, I have collaborated with FD and designed exclusive swimwear for women to feel good and confident post surger y,’ she says.
NICKI GEWIRTZ Lola Rose jeweller y founder Nicki was one of our fir st amazing suppor ter s. ‘Since 2008, my relationship and wor k with Future Dreams has continued to grow stronger,’ she says. ‘It is such a vital cause that is close to my hear t, and my special memories of Sylvie and Danielle compound my commitment to the charity.’
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GABY ROSLIN TV presenter Gaby is a long-time suppor ter of Future Dreams and hosted our 2018 Palladium concer t. ‘Sylvie and Danielle stole my hear t,’ says Gaby. ‘Their love for life and for their families was so deep and they filled ever yone’s hear ts with love and kindness.’
MELANIE C Spice Gir l and songwriter Mel was par t of the super star line-up of A Decade of Dreams. She says, ‘Future Dreams is a dynamic charity with an ambitious challenge to suppor t women through their breast cancer journeys and to raise money for breast cancer suppor t. Together we can achieve something incredible.’
HANNAH WADDINGHAM The West End star moved ever yone at the Palladium show with her performance of a song written by 11-year-old Jasmine Fine, who lost her mum to breast cancer. ‘It was my absolute pleasure to be involved in the Future Dreams show,’ says Game of Thrones actress Hannah. ‘Sylvie and Danielle, we will continue the extraordinar y wor k you star ted with so much love.’
CAMILLA KERSLAKE Singing star Camilla fronted our choir of inspirational breast cancer sur vivor s at 2018’s Ten, A Decade Of Dreams concer t, held at the London Palladium. ‘I’m so proud to be an ambassador,’ she says. ‘Future Dreams is an incredible charity making a real difference to the lives of people with breast cancer and their families.’
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Our corporate
PARTNERS
Holy Water
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2020... What a very challenging, transformative but surprisingly productive year for Future Dreams. On the cusp of lockdown in March 2020, immediately after our International Women’s Day event, the trustees had to make some difficult decisions to safeguard the charity and enable us to deal with the unprecedented and uncertain times that lay ahead. These decisions have changed the way we will work in the future. An already lean and nimble team, we became even more so. We will do everything to prevent the disruption or permanent harming of our future plans to support those touched by breast cancer. The good news is that the much-needed Future Dreams House, while delayed, is still on course. Builders had started on site in January 2020 but were promptly shut down eight weeks later due to Covid-19 legislation. We waited patiently for government guidance as to when the construction could resume. Work on site finally recommenced mid-May, with the quick completion of the soft-strip-out, which included asbestos clearance and the removal of the main roof coverings aided by a full scaffold and temporary roof. A new lift was ordered and structural alterations commenced, including lift-shaft adaptations, new full-height stairwell, raising the main roof and strengthening the existing timber floors. Setting-out of internal walls and partitions were completed in late July, with mechanical and electrical designs being finalised with a view to starting first-fix installations in early August. This included plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, lighting, and power to suit end-user requirements. We are really grateful to have a fully committed management and construction team. The building is certainly taking shape and we are aiming for a new completion date of spring/summer 2021. It is six months later than originally planned, but in the light of the pandemic we have still made amazing progress.
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Trustee
UPDATE COMING TOGETHER IN A CRISIS When the situation began, we were told to, ‘Stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives,’ but sadly breast cancer wasn’t just going to stop because of Covid-19.
Future Dreams developed several new support services. These were initiated when Bernie Phelan, a clinical nurse specialist in breast care at The Wellington Hospital, contacted us the week after lockdown to see if we could help with the influx of new breast cancer patients from surrounding NHS Trusts. Collaborating with Bernie and her team of physiotherapists, psychologists, councillors and post-surgery bra specialists, we created a vital information leaflet and online resource for patients who were being sent home quickly to limit the risk of them contracting Covid-19. All the information they required was included in Bernie’s Advice. With patients’ time with their breast care teams and breast nurses limited, it signposted them to the support services they would require. We have also put funds towards the brilliant Change and Check campaign, so that one million stickers could be distributed to John Lewis, Monsoon, Accessorize, Royal Mail, M&Co, Dorothy Perkins, David Lloyd and The Welsh Ambulance service. The stickers, the brainchild of Future Dreams ambassador Helen Addis, encourage women to check their breasts while in changing rooms. Sadly, the new issues that affect breast cancer following the consequences of Covid-19 are potentially catastrophic. In a normal year, some two million women are screened for breast cancer. The current evidence suggests that around 1,300 deaths are prevented because of this. But when the country locked down, screening programmes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were officially put on hold. In England, nothing was said but we know most NHS trusts suspended their screening services. We need to ensure screening still happens and we continue to save those 1,300 lives a year. If you notice anything unsual see your doctor or nurse as soon as possible. Early diagnosis could mean a better chance of successful treatment.
Here at Future Dreams we want to continue our mission to practically support those touched by breast cancer and fund vital research. We are exploring innovative new fundraising mechanisms but we remain totally dependent on public funding. Our founders’ mission remains at the core of our charity: that no one should face breast cancer alone. And with the recent statistics and knowledge that breast cancer is the third-hardest sector to be hit during Covid-19, our work has never been more vital. Thank you for your support now and in the future. I’d love to hear from you, and if you want to know more about our work, please get in touch at sam@futuredreams.org.uk. Best, Samantha Jacobs FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK | 29
Proud to support Future Dreams.
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Allford Hall Monaghan Morris Architects Morelands 5-23 Old Street London EC1V 9HL T: 020 7251 5261 info@ahmm.co.uk www.ahmm.co.uk
IN 2021
Coming soon FU TURE D RE A M S HOUSE
I visited Future Dreams House in August and was thrilled with the progress. The facility is really taking shape and I’m excited about the opportunity to support so many breast cancer patients and their families – particularly in the current Covid-19 environment, when key illnesses like breast cancer are being neglected. We can’t wait to open early next summer and make a difference to the lives of so many. Spencer Leslie, Future Dreams Trustee
We’re delighted that work has recommenced on the refurbishment of our new London centre. The space will be the perfect environment for us to provide one-to-one therapies and support, there will be lovely areas where group sessions can take place and a beautiful kitchen and terrace where people can come together to share their experiences or simply relax. We are incredibly grateful to Future Dreams for providing such significant funding towards this project, their generous support, along with that of Estée Lauder Companies, has made our vision a reality. Sally Hall, CEO Breast Cancer Haven
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FUTURE DREAMS HAS PROUDLY SUPPORTED THE
throughout Covid-19
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A massive to all our
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thank you supporters LOVE FROM,
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THE SISTERHOOD BRA
WE L C OM E TO THE F U T UR E DREA MS
Sisterhood
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WEARING A SOFT, SUPPORTIVE AND COMFORTABLE BRA AFTER BREAST C ANCER SURGERY IS ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY AND NORMALITY. BUT FOR SOME WOMEN, IT’S A LUXURY THEY C AN’T AFFORD. FUTURE DREAMS’ SISTERHOOD PROJECT AIMS TO GIVE EVERY WOMAN ACCESS TO A POST-OP BRA. ARE YOU READY TO JOIN THE SISTERHOOD?
Join our sisterhood
Breast cancer doesn’t respect wealth. But, like everything in life, it’s without doubt much harder to deal with a diagnosis if you’re facing financial challenges too. Here’s how we’re trying to help...
words LOUISE COURT photographs SIMON EMMETT artistic director KORNELIA CHARLES
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It was while speaking to panels of breast care nurses across different hospitals that Future Dreams heard many devastating stories. Some were of women who couldn’t even afford the bus fare to travel to hospital for their chemotherapy. Often, breast cancer meant they were unable to work, which meant they were unable to earn. And so their financial worries simply piled on top of their health concerns. For them, buying a vital post-surgery bra was just a pipe dream.
forced to cut and customise old ones, pulling out uncomfortable boning or snipping away areas that rub on sensitive scarring. Which is why Future Dreams is working with lingerie brand Naturana to create the Sisterhood Bra range, supporting women at this difficult time. There are two lines in the Sisterhood Bra collection. Firstly, a beautiful range of four post-surgery soft bras of which 20% of profits go to Future Dreams. If you can afford to buy
‘FACED WITH THE CHOICE OF GETTING SOMETHING FOR THEIR CHILDREN OR PAYING FOR A NEW BRA FOR THEMSELVES, THERE IS ONLY EVER GOING TO BE ONE WINNER – AND IT WON’T BE THE SICK MUM’ As many of you will know, finding a comfortable post-surgery bra is difficult, even if you can afford to try and then buy. For those women battling to make ends meet, it can be a nightmare. Faced with the choice of getting something for their children or paying for a new bra, there is only ever going to be one winner. And it won’t be the sick mum who already feels guilty about not being able to provide. Instead of being able to wear a comfy, specially-designed new bra, some women are
a bra, choosing from this range will help fund the charity’s vital work. The other bra, available in cream and navy, is for the woman who has not had breast cancer and is simply looking for some stunning lingerie. For every one sold, a post-surgery bra will be donated to a woman who can’t afford to buy one. The message is simple. Treat yourself to some beautiful lingerie and help a woman who needs your support – literally!
HELP A WOMAN WHO NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT... LITERALLY!
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To launch our Sisterhood Bra, we worked with acclaimed photographer Simon Emmett, whose work often appears in magazines such as Vogue and GQ, and asked breast cancer survivors and celebs to model the Naturana underwear. First our ladies, all of whom have undergone breast surgery, model the Sisterhood post-op bras
Sisterhood ‘I WANT TO RECLAIM MY BODY AND SAY, THIS IS ME NOW’ – LESLEY FINNEY
‘I FEEL SEXY, I FEEL FEMININE, I JUST FEEL REALLY NICE’ – CLAIRA HERMET FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK | 39
‘WOMEN WHO HAVE BREAST CANCER SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A “FEEL GOOD” EXPERIENCE AND THE CHOICE TO WEAR BEAUTIFUL LINGERIE POST-SURGERY’ – SARAH MOUNTFORD (LEFT)
‘I FOUND IT REALLY DIFFICULT FINDING THE RIGHT BRA AFTER SURGERY, PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY LOSING YOUR BREAST , IT’S PART OF YOU, IT’S BEEN WITH YOU FOREVER’ – HELEN ADDIS (RIGHT)
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‘MY FITTING EXPERIENCES POST-SURGERY WERE VERY DISHEARTENING. I HAD A PARTICULARLY BAD EXPERIENCE AT A HIGH STREET DEPARTMENT STORE - I FELT LIKE THEY WERE
Sisterhood
ALMOST TOO SCARED TO FIT ME AND UNSURE ABOUT WHAT BRA WAS SUITABLE FOR ME’ – KATE COURTMAN (LEFT)
‘I AM A SECONDARY BREAST CANCER THRIVER, I STAND STRONG AND LIVE MY LIFE TO THE FULLEST’ – JENN CRONJE (RIGHT)
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P R O UD TO S U PPO RT T HE AMA Z I N G WO R K
FUTURE
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OF
D R EA M S
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‘BRA SHOPPING IS NEVER THE SAME AFTER BREAST SURGERY. IT’S A STRUGGLE TO FIND PRETTY BRAS BUT THE SISTERHOOD BRAS MAKE ME FEEL BEAUTIFUL AND FEMININE AGAIN’ – CLOVER LEWIS
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We’re grateful to these amazing celebrities, photographed by Simon Emmett, for modelling the Sisterhood Bra range for women who have not had breast cancer, and to Stephanie Dolker, co-owner of Naturana.
STEPHANIE DOLKER Co-owner of Naturana
AMANDA BYRAM TV presenter ‘Just because you haven’t been affected by breast cancer doesn’t mean we can’t all get together and be part of the same team. We are sisters – we are all together in this journey called life!’
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Sisterhood
‘The Sisterhood Bra campaign is something we feel very strongly about. We are acutely aware that a well-designed bra gives women a confidence boost. We’ve been making bras for 100 years, that’s all we do. Unfortunately we can’t save lives or cure diseases, but if we can make someone’s life a little better by gifting them a bra, that is a wonderful thing. When Future Dreams took me to some of the London hospitals to speak to the breast care nurses, I realised how many women can’t afford a mastectomy bra as they prioritise their family over their own needs. By working with Future Dreams on this amazing project, we have the chance to change a few women’s lives for the better in a tiny way. And that is something I’m extremely proud of.’
FAYE TOZER Steps singer who has supported her mum through breast cancer ‘Women are at their most vulnerable post-surgery and they all need something supportive and soft next to their skin. Not only supportive in a fabric sense, but something to feel more secure and confident and to help them deal with that time. It’s important we have this togetherness and if this campaign can be part of that, let’s do it. ‘It gives us an opportunity to gift a bra to somebody who needs it. This underwear is really fab – it’s super comfortable and I felt really lovely doing the photoshoot in it. If we can give anybody the sort of confidence that I felt today, we are doing the right thing.’
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CLAUDIA-LIZA ARMAH TV newsreader ‘I think it’s really important for women who have not been affected to reach out by doing something really simple – buying one of these beautiful bras and in return getting a bra to a woman who has gone through breast surgery, who can’t afford one and needs it the most.’
Both Sisterhood Bra Shoots – BTS Team and thanks to: ALI PIZARDEH hair stylist, GRACE HATCHER hair stylist assistant, AMANDA GROSSMAN make up, EMMA WELSH Nail technician, JULIA BABBAGE Nail technician, TRACIE CANT hair, CRISTIANO BASCIU hair, LIZ PUGH make up, PENELOPE MEREDITH Styling, MONICA HARRINGTON Lingerie expert, Special thanks to HELEN LISLE-TAYLOR at Premier hair and make up, JO ELMAN Catering, SASSY STUDIOS With special thanks to GABI BESEVIC-SIMPSON and AUDREY CHARON at CLM and MARTIN ROACH and ANT SHURMER
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Sisterhood
JACQUIE AND CHARLOTTE Sky sports presenter Jacquie Beltrao is being treated for breast cancer again after first being diagnosed in 2013. She came to the shoot with her friend, Good Morning Britain‘s Charlotte Hawkins, and they spoke of the importance of women supporting other women. Jacquie says of her first diagnosis, ‘It was really hard to tell my friends and work colleagues I had breast cancer and I felt I had failed. The first person I told at work was Charlotte and she was the first person I showed my new boobs to. You can make a really big difference by saying to someone – I am here for you.’ ‘It was devastating when Jacquie told me she had breast cancer,’ says Charlotte. ‘As a friend I felt powerless, I just wanted to help her – this special person to me, who I loved. It’s difficult as a friend when you are trying to help and you want to do what you think is the right and the best thing for them. ‘In the end you just have to show them you are there and you want to support them.’
The bras go on sale in January 2021. For details of where to buy them, please go to futuredreams.org.uk FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK | 47
WEARING THE RIGHT BRA CAN MAKE YOU FEEL
so much better
CHOOSING A BRA TO WEAR AFTER SURGERY IS A VITALLY IMPORTANT FIRST STEP FOR WOMEN AT THE START OF THEIR BREAST C ANCER JOURNEY. LINGERIE EXPERT MONIC A HARRINGTON HAS HELPED HUNDREDS FEEL MORE CONFIDENT AS THEY ADJUST TO THEIR NEW BODY SHAPE Monica has always been fascinated by the power of lingerie and has worked with women everywhere – from high fashion celebrities to cancer patients in hospital Tell us about yourself ? I’m from Cork in Ireland, my family live there so I pop over on a regular basis to see them. Home is north London. I have lived in London for 30 years but travel globally for work. I’m married to a guy from Perth, Australia, and we have one daughter who just turned 13. How did you start in your career? I got into it totally by accident. After my A levels I got a summer job working in the lingerie department at a department store.
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That summer, I saw hundreds of women transformed by the power of well-fitting lingerie. As you’d expect, their clothes looked better when their bras were correctly fitted, and I was fascinated by how lingerie could increase body confidence and make clothes look amazing. How did you end up working with breast cancer patients? Almost 30 years ago I began fitting women post-surgery, and I trained to fit breast prostheses and loved it. While working for Triumph I set up a training programme to teach other women working in lingerie departments and boutiques how to offer a proficient bra-fitting service to women post-
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surgery. I asked Breast Cancer Care to get involved and we did the training days together for many years. I still help Breast Cancer Care (Breast Cancer Now) with some of its Moving Forward courses, where I do a body confidence workshop focusing on lingerie, sports and swimwear.
can make a huge difference to how your clothes look. If you are wearing a breast prosthesis, it’s important to get the bra right with adequate support before fitting the prosthesis. Post-surgery, especially after a reconstruction, you need the bra to fit well and have enough compression.
In 2016 I set up my own company consulting for brands, styling on shoots, private lingerie and sportswear styling. An important part of my work is styling clients post-surgery, which includes breast prosthetic fitting and helping women find the right lingerie and get their breast to look symmetrical if surgery has left them unbalanced.
What are the most common mistakes women make when buying a bra after surgery?
I also work at Guy’s Hospital Cancer Centre in London, fitting women who are referred from the breast clinic for breast prostheses. I help them find the right fitting bras post-reconstruction. You work with lots of celebrities – how is that different to working with women who have experienced breast cancer? No matter who I am styling, I try to give them the same experience. During my training I worked with a woman who was my model. She would always say, ‘I’m just the same as any other woman, I’m just arranged a little bit differently.’ This has always stayed with me. Why is a well- fitting bra so important? Wearing the correct shape and size
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The type of bra you need after surgery may be very different to what you used to wear, especially if you are used to wearing bras with bones. You need to get fitted for the bra and that has obviously been very difficult during Covid-19. It is why there is a video on the Future Dreams website (futuredreams.org.uk) where we explain what to do. It can be very distressing for a woman if she comes for a prosthesis fitting and the bra she has bought is not suitable. How hard is it to find a bra when you have a prosthesis? There are many brands and stores offering good bras, with and without pockets, to suit different budgets. It’s a lot easier than it used to be. Has it been a lot harder for breast cancer patients during Covid? With stores closed and no fitting services available it has been difficult. As a brand ambassador for Future Dreams, I’ve been ringing lots of women to give them advice over the phone. I’m also doing virtual fittings
for some of my clients, which has been very successful. Can you make women feel confident again with a comfortable well-fitting bra? Yes definitely. At the early stage post-surgery, the bras are often not as pretty as many women would like. They are definitely more function over fashion. But I ask women not to bin their old bras – just put them away for a while and give them a bit of a sabbatical. I ask women to think about a few months on and I tell them about the beautiful options they will be able to wear. When it comes to their lingerie due to breast cancer, I don’t want to put women in a particular box. It is very individual. I’m all about thinking outside that box when the time is right so if a client wants something a bit more
seductive, let’s try to find a solution. Why is the Future Dreams Sisterhood Bra so important? I meet women who often just can’t afford a bra. Sometimes due to breast cancer diagnosis they have to take time off work, cash is tight and spending money on a new bra is not an option. The sisterhood bra will help many women to have the right bra when they need it most. What is the best advice on choosing a bra for immediately after surgery and then later? I recommend a supportive bra without any seams in a breathable fabric with a deeper under band, sides and front fastening for immediately after surgery. Something like a sports bra. For immediately after reconstruction it’s all of those features, plus compression to hold everything in place. You can start to have more fun with your lingerie
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later on, looking at colour, lace detail and more, depending on the type of surgery. Why do you need more than one bra for different stages after surgery? Straight after surgery there is the scarring, which needs to heal, so it’s important to wear a bra that doesn’t irritate the area around the breast and chest and under arm area. That’s why you don’t want a bra with wires. Six weeks post-surgery, many women have healed in this area and often want a soft bra that has less coverage but still offers enough support and comfort. How can someone get help with fitting? Throughout the UK there are independent lingerie boutiques offering appointments. Just ring in advance and mention you are looking for a specialist fitting. Some hospitals have bra-fitting clinics where specialist brands offer a service. In the London area I will visit clients in their homes and also offer virtual fittings if a home visit is not an option. We plan to offer fittings at Future Dreams House in Kings Cross when it opens. Have you always checked your boobs? Yes, and I think it’s because I have met many women who tell me their stories and how they have discovered their cancer. I moisturise every morning so it’s part of my routine to check if anything looks or feels different.
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IT’S ALL IN THE STYLING – AND LEARNING HOW TO THINK DIFFERENTLY Monica has helped many women find the right underwear. The important thing to remember, she says, is that no-one’s breasts are the same before surgery and no-one’s experience of breast cancer treatment is the same. Here she shares some of her success stories...
One of my clients was size 34F and had a reconstruction but she was much smaller on the reconstructed side. She was in her 40s and was wearing baggy tops to hide the lack of symmetry and had lost all her body confidence. The first thing I did was find her a good-fitting bra. I then fitted her with two partial prosthetics on the smaller reconstructed side. I used a fuller shape to the front and a more slender, smaller partial prosthetic to the side. It took some time but I made her breasts look symmetrical. I took some pictures with her phone so she could see how to place the partials inside her bra so she always had a reference when she was doing it herself. When she saw how different she looked in her clothes she was crying with happiness.
I had a young woman who was only 30 and had a double mastectomy and reconstruction. She came to me before going on her long-awaited honeymoon. I fitted her in beautiful bras and bralettes in different shades, plus some great bikinis. Most of the styles were from brands that were not post-surgery, so she felt like her old self.
One regular client loves beautiful lingerie. She had her surgery about 30 years ago when bra options were very limited for women post-surgery and she loves the variety of lingerie she can choose from now. I fit her in gorgeous bras and matching briefs and there is not one nude bra in her wardrobe. All the bras are supportive and hold everything in place and she looks great. She says she loves knowing she is wearing matching lingerie in beautiful colours and she has had breast cancer. It is such a confidence booster for her.
I help another woman who has had a bilateral mastectomy and no reconstruction. She wears a prosthesis and has her everyday bras and weekend bras for date nights with her husband. These bras are gorgeous and sexy. She says this gives her so much confidence.
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Protect your staff
What sort of bra to wear after surgery SUPPORT FUTURE DREAMS Facing breast or chest surger y is a distressing and emotional time for many women. But one source of comfor t can come from wearing the right bra during the post-surger y period. Future Dreams has collaborated with Royce Lingerie, the wor ld’s only dedicated wirefree bra specialist, to offer suppor t to women during this challenging time in their lives. For women facing breast surger y in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has created additional obstacles during an already anxious time. With non-essential appointments cancelled and emotional suppor t limited during lockdown, Royce Lingerie wanted to help and so donated post-surger y bras for Future Dreams to distribute to patients. After having a mastectomy, lumpectomy, reconstr uction, reduction or augmentation it is vital to find a comfor table, well-fitted bra – not just to aid healing of the surger y site, but to help restore self-esteem.
BEAUTIFUL: The Maisie set
Michelle Morgan, who was given a post-surger y Royce bra by Future Dreams, explains, ‘The sense of calm and comfor t from Royce’s Silver Post-Surger y bra was a huge relief. I still felt a large amount of discomfor t when wearing other bras but this felt completely different and so comfor table. The fabric is gorgeous, breathable and, most of all, it is so comfor table to wear. I feel confident in it!’ Amaya Raymond also received a free bra. ‘It fits like a glove,’ she says. ‘It’s amazing and feels like it was custom made for my
A DV E R TO R I A L body. I’m so pleased with the style and fit and I feel confident in it. I’ve never tried a Royce bra previously, but I would definitely recommend them to anyone in future.’ The positive impact of Royce has also been felt by breast cancer nur ses, who have been thrilled to be able to offer women a bra following surger y. Hannah Ford, a senior Macmillan breast cancer clinical nur se specialist, has been distributing Future Dreams’ Royce bras. ‘Patients have frequently commented on how comfor table they find the bras to wear and how suppor tive they feel,’ she says. Royce has almost 30 year s’ experience in designing post-surger y bras and regular ly advises women and professional fitter s on how to find the best bra for post-surger y. Here it shares its top tips...
Get fitted It’s impor tant to get professionally fitted prior to the surger y. However, if an in-person fitting isn’t possible, you can fit yourself at home using Royce’s online guide at royce-lingerie.co.uk/fit-guide. Royce recommends going up a band size to allow for swelling. Go wirefree A wirefree bra will offer greater comfor t immediately after surger y, it will also put less pressure on the delicate chest area. Choose details for comfort You should be looking for a secure, full-coverage shape with a deep centre and underarm edges to avoid irritating the surger y site. Front-fastening bras will also make putting on or removing your bra much easier.
R OYCE L INGE R IE’S R E C O M ME N DATI O N S Silver Post-Surgery The go-to choice for many women after breast surger y and the ideal bra for the weeks immediately following a procedure. With anti-bacterial, thermo-regulating X-STATIC silver fibre, the Silver Post-Surger y (left) is available in dual cup sizing to make fitting even easier. Most women feel ready to move to a more conventional bra after approximately 6-8 weeks following surger y. It will still need to be wirefree but women will have a little more freedom to choose a style that they prefer. Maisie A great option for the second stage of recuperation. Beautifully comfor table Maisie is a stylish, smooth-cup bra in soft fabric with satin cuff detailing. It comes with ultra-comfy smooth cotton lining that can also hold a prosthesis, if required. Royce has a wide variety of comfortable, practical and beautiful post-surgery bras. View the full range at royce-lingerie.co.uk/post-surgery-bras.
www.odabash.com
S CENT TO
make it better Help raise funds for the vital work of Future Dreams while filling your home with a calming yet uplifting scent. The Self Care x Future Dreams Rose Geranium and Sweet Orange Candle (£25) is completely natural and made from a mix of eco soya wax and organic essential oils – and 50% of proceeds goes to our charity. Purchase your Self Care Co candle from www.selfcarecompany.com
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Breast Cancer DU R IN G C OVID -19
LUCIE KON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER JUST DAYS BEFORE LOCKDOWN. HERE THE BBC PANORAMA EXECUTIVE PRODUCER TELLS HOW SHE FELT COMPELLED TO SHINE A LIGHT ON A HEALTH CRISIS Wednesday the 26th of February is a day I won’t forget. I had a doctor’s appointment at 3pm and I thought I’d be able to go to work until then. It turned out I was wrong... All through that morning I really struggled to concentrate during my meetings. I couldn’t sit at my desk and write when I needed to – I couldn’t even focus on a casual conversation over a cup of tea in the office kitchen. At lunchtime, I eventually gave in. I told colleagues I was off for a walk and spent the next couple of hours circling the park near to my office. In my mind, I was playing out all the different scenarios that might happen when the clock struck three and I would finally get to sit down and square up to the consultant I had arranged to meet. A week earlier, I had been to an appointment at my local breast clinic. It was a callback following my first-ever routine mammogram at the end of January. Now, as I walked through the
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clinic doors, my brain was bursting with regrets. Why had I postponed the initial mammogram when I’d been sent an appointment for it back in November? Why had I delayed opening the subsequent letter telling me I needed to go for further investigation, meaning I had missed the date I’d been given for the follow-up? What if I had done what
AT WORK: Lucy told the story of Britain’s Cancer Crisis
I’d been asked when I’d been asked to – I wouldn’t be here now feeling sick. If there was a problem, by now I would know about it and it would be being dealt with. What if the delays I’d created for myself had made whatever it was I might have worse? The clinic was a strange place. There were only three of us there and it was a whole month before the phrase ‘social distancing’ was even a thing. Even so, we each sat in different corners, heads down, trying to pretend the others weren’t there. A nurse handed me a clipboard with a whole load of leaflets about breast cancer and instructions to read the leaflets, then answer some questions about how useful they were. I got to work. There was a lot of detail about what would happen during my
visit, about breast surgery, life without boobs, even writing a will! WRITING A WHAT? If I wasn’t feeling anxious before, I was definitely feeling it now. Three hours later, after I’d had my boobs prodded, squeezed and scanned, I was taken to what looked like a giant tea trolley with an enormous hole in it and told to take off my top and lay face down with my right boob through said hole – so big it made my little boob feel even smaller than it actually was. My daughter would have loved that, she’s always gone on about my baby boobs. A very nice lady in a white coat, her head slightly tilted and sporting a sympathetic smile, said hello and then literally lay underneath me (on
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the lower rung of the ‘tea trolley’) while a nurse grabbed my hand and started to squeeze. I think she thought that was helpful! After an injection to numb the boob, the lady in white shoved a giant needle into it, did a fair amount of twisting and turning, then pulled it out with what she described as ‘a sample from the suspicious area’. In its place she told me she was putting was ‘a marker’. ‘Nothing to worry about’, she said. ‘We have to do this for all the ladies we biopsy. Just putting it there in case.’ Twenty minutes later, I was packed off with an appointment card to pick up the results and
walked away from the breast clinic extremely anxious. You bet I was worried! A week on, without much sleep and with my brain now overflowing with information about breast cancer – stages, grades, treatments, side effects, why you shouldn’t Google cancer, how to tell your children you have cancer, how to tell your friends you have cancer – there I was FINALLY sitting in the hospital waiting room, wondering how I would react to whatever I was about to be told.
‘FOR A WHILE I THINK I FELT A BIT SORRY FOR MYSELF, BUT THEN COVID HIT… AND EVERYTHING CHANGED’ My name was called and a smiling professor walked towards me, his hand outstretched, and introduced himself. Pleasantries of out the way, we walked into his room and as he sat down he asked if anyone in my family had had breast cancer. The penny dropped. I don’t remember a lot more of the conversation.
handed a load more leaflets about breast cancer. As she gave them to me, the nurse said, ‘We’d like you to read these. We’re not worried but please do have a look before your next appointment.’ Of course, having been told not to worry, I
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More prodding followed and a load more tests. During an ultrasound, some kind of seed was injected into my boob in preparation for surgery two days later. I texted my boss to apologise because I wouldn’t be able to go into work that day. At that stage, there was no way the cancer word was going to pass my lips and given that I had just started working on a film about what might happen if the trickle of new coronavirus cases turned into a wave, the timing was, as far as I was concerned, inconvenient. Two days later I went into hospital, had my surgery and by dinnertime, was home half a boob lighter and with an achy arm, but with lots
of chicken soup various friends had delivered to make me feel better. For a while I think I felt a bit sorry for myself, but then Covid hit... and everything changed. Not really having a clue about cancer, one of the first things I did when I got the diagnosis was join a support group on Facebook. I also started dabbling on Instagram, where I discovered a whole new world of cancer peeps. This was my way of getting my head around my new reality – and it seemed to me a good reality check. It made me realise how lucky I was that my cancer had been found as the result of a routine mammogram. It was still at an early stage and treatable. In the weeks after surgery, with coronavirus now spreading at quite a pace and toilet roll in short supply, I was booked in for a CT scan to plan for stage two of my treatment – radiotherapy. At work, we were planning what to do if Covid meant the world as we knew it had
most vulnerable received letters telling them they should spend the next 12 weeks at home, shielding from the virus. At work, I gathered a team together to make a film following some of that group to get a sense of the impact of shielding. One was a young dad with advanced bowel cancer. Because of Covid, his chemotherapy had been stopped and he was terrified. I started to read Facebook and Instagram stories of other cancer patients, among them many women who had a similar or much more serious diagnosis than mine, who were also having to come to terms with changes to their treatment plans because of Covid. They were scared. Then my oncologist called and suggested it might be safer to change MY treatment plan. Now I was scared, too. In the first week of April, I drove through deserted streets for a CT scan to plan the next steps. I felt strangely relieved when the radiotherapist told me the plan wasn’t changing.
‘IN OUR FIRST WORLD, FAST-PACED, HIGH-TECH DEMOCRACY, WHY WERE PEOPLE DYING PREMATURELY BECAUSE THEY WEREN’T BEING GIVEN ACCESS TO LIFE-SAVING TREATMENT?’ to stop. In my head, I was praying that it wouldn’t. I had just started to process the whole breast cancer thing. I didn’t want anything to get in the way of treatment. But on the afternoon of March 16, the team gathered round the office television to watch Boris Johnson tell the nation that the world was indeed about to come to a standstill. The following Monday, like a wrecking ball... LOCKDOWN. The Government’s message was clear: people were told, ‘Stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.’ Across the country, hospitals were closing their doors to all but Covid patients, and 1.5 million people considered to be the
One week later, sporting blue tattoos marking the spot where I would be zapped, I was back on the same road on my way to the first of 15 radiotherapy sessions. By now, my social media feed was full of stories of other petrified patients – people who were desperate to stay alive, even if it was just to give them a few more weeks, but whose treatment had been stopped or not even started. Many were shielding and alone, with no idea of what the future might hold – or indeed if they had one at all. Kelly was a young mother from Macclesfield with stage 4 bowel cancer and a six-year-old son, Finn. She knew her disease was terminal, but chemotherapy had so far been
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keeping it at bay and had given her the chance to spend precious time with her little boy. Fast forward just one month and, in the absence of chemotherapy, her health had deteriorated so much there was nothing more that could be done for her. Covid had stopped her treatment for a late stage, aggressive cancer and now she
‘HAVE A MAMMOGRAM IF YOU ARE SENT AN APPOINTMENT. BREAST CANCER ISN’T ALWAYS POLITE ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU A VISUAL CUE THAT IT’S THERE’ had just weeks left to live. My own treatment, for a much earlier, treatable disease, had been able to continue. I felt so guilty. Why, in our first world, fastpaced, high-tech democracy, were people going to die prematurely because they weren’t being given access to life-saving treatment? At work, I persuaded colleagues we should make a film, QUICKLY. We had to shine a light on Britain’s looming cancer crisis. For the next five weeks, the most amazing team worked around the clock to get what I think was a powerful piece to air. Often on Panorama, we struggle to find people who feel comfortable speaking to us. This time, there was no shortage of patients – all with devastating stories they were desperate to share. Since Britain’s Cancer Crisis was broadcast in July, I have had hundreds of heartbreaking messages from others who have been fighting for a diagnosis or treatment during lockdown. There have been questions in Parliament and promises from the Government that it will get cancer services back to normal. It feels strange to say that it’s taken all this to make me realise how lucky I was to get my diagnosis when I did, and how daft I had been to delay.
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HEARTBREAK: Kelly’s treatment was stopped (pic: @kickasskell)
Our world is now very different to the way it was at the start of the pandemic. I have never been very good at looking after myself. It is SO much easier to focus on taking care of my children or looking out for family and the people I work with. But faced with the prospect of a lifethreatening illness, seeing so many others fighting for the right to stay alive and seeing and hearing stories of people who have died because of cancer or Covid during lockdown, I know I need to do better. I imagine I am not the only one. Breast cancer isn’t always polite enough to give you a visual cue that it’s there so go for a mammogram if you are sent an appointment. Call the GP or go to A&E if you are concerned about any lumps, bumps, signs or symptoms and, whatever else is going on, open the mail. It might not contain a cheque for a few million quid, but it might have news that saves your life.
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Protect your staff SUPPORT FUTURE DREAMS
Help to protect employees in the workplace and on public transport while raising vital funds for those touched by breast cancer. Future Dreams has collaborated with Purple Surgical to offer a range of fully-certified PPE with 100% of the profits going to support our work. For all your PPE requirements, please get in touch and help us support those who desperately need it during these extremely challenging times.
Please contact samantha@futuredreams.org.uk for further information and to place orders
A DV E R TO R I A L
Purple Surgical is a leading independent British manufacturer of high quality, cost-effective, single-use surgical instrumentation and devices, partnering with global healthcare providers for positive patient outcomes. The company has been a prominent par t of the UK healthcare sector for over 100 year s and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, has par tnered with Future Dreams to offer a range of fully-cer tified Per sonal Protective Equipment (PPE) with 100% of the profits going to suppor t the charity’s wor k into breast cancer suppor t, awareness and research. As a tr usted, long-term par tner of the Depar tment of Health and Social Care and the NHS, Purple Surgical was able to access central procurement within the Cabinet Office and has been successful in obtaining approvals, where applicable, for all of the PPE products. All products and manufacturer cer tifications are 100% in accordance with EU and DHSC standards and requirements, and each supplier has been through the full diligence checks by the Cabinet Office’s quality assurance team. Chairman and CEO Rober t Sharpe is committed to helping women suffering with breast cancer, following his own family’s hear tache and connection to breast cancer. ‘I lost my sister to the disease and Purple Surgical has suppor ted Future Dreams from the beginning,’ he says. ‘It’s a cause ver y close to our hear ts, we want to help Future Dreams suppor t all those affected.’
F UTURE D RE AMS
during Covid-19 NOTHING STAYED THE SAME FOR ANYONE DURING THE PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN – AND FUTURE DREAMS WAS NO EXCEPTION... Like everyone else, Future Dreams was turned on its head due to Covid-19. It made us rethink everything – from the way we work to the way we fundraise. The urgent support needed by breast cancer patients changed in an instant and we had to respond quickly. At the same time our highly successful fundraising model of holding big events at music venues, hotels and clubs across London came to an immediate halt. Our main priority though was helping those who, due to shielding and social distancing, were having to isolate and go to their hospital and chemotherapy appointments on their own. It’s bad enough to have a hospital appointment to discuss your cancer diagnosis but even worse to have to go there with neither friends nor family to support you. It was the same for those going for chemotherapy appointments who endured hours of discomfort without the distraction of a loved one by their side. A sense of loneliness and isolation is a common feeling to those diagnosed
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with breast cancer – and the new rules of the pandemic heightened those, We worked closely with Bernie Phelan, clinical nurse breast care specialist at The Wellington Hospital, who was working across the North London NHS trusts. ‘Patients felt difficult emotions and responses including numbness, fear, shock and disbelief, as well as anger, betrayal, grief and sadness. It could be overwhelming,’ says Bernie (pictured top right). ‘In the midst of this sudden whirlwind, patients were also expected to gather information, learn medical phrases that can feel like a new language, understand treatment choices and make difficult decisions around surgery while living in very strange times due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Most patients would normally come to
hospital supported by family members and they would have direct contact with their medical team to discuss their breast surgery. In regular times I would often see three or four family members or friends accompanying patients to their surgery and admission to hospital appointments. These practices were challenged by Covid-19 because of hospital policies prohibiting visitors, meaning family and friends could not rally round and offer support in person, although they were still giving emotional support.’ Future Dreams produced a leaflet and online resource at our website (futuredreams.org.uk) for Bernie and patients across the UK. Packed with tips on mindfulness techniques, physiotherapy, post-surgery bra fitting and places to go to online for advice and support, it was distributed to as many patients as possible. We also produced special care packages, containing beauty and food treats, reading material and the advice leaflet to make hospital appointments a little easier.
‘I am speechless, the Future Dreams special care package was over and above anything that I could have imagined. It was wonderful and never-ending. Saying thank you doesn’t seem enough. I will be keeping the little knitted heart in my special box of keepsakes that I treasure.’
‘I loved receiving the Future Dreams care package at the hospital as that is where everything hit home that I’d just had cancer treatment. The package was full of nice things, such as lip balm and sweet treats, that I didn’t even know I wanted but were great after surgery.’
‘On behalf of the St George’s team and the patients who are loving the care packages, we want to say a big thank you to Future Dreams! We have had amazing feedback from those who have received them. In the current climate, with so much uncertainty, it’s a lovely gesture and very welcome.’
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Future Dreams created care packages to make those women turning up at hospital feel less alone. Each package was lovingly filled with the following:
• • • • •
A Future Dreams magazine Change and Check sticker Bernie’s advice leaflet Handcream Lipbalm
• • • • •
Crossword book Sweet snack Savoury snack Herbal tea Beauty gift
Meanwhile, food writer Melissa Hemsley made and distributed hundreds of cakes for hard-working NHS staff. At the end of March, we began distributing these packages to six hospitals and today we are delivering to 14 hospitals. So far, we have given out more than 3,500 bags. These small gestures have been so well received by patients and breast care teams, who can see the difference they make, we would love to continue to do this indefinitely to as many hospitals as possible. We have also produced other deliveries under the project, providing bras, drain bags, comfies and headscarves, and grocery products for women who are too unwell and too scared to shop. Future Dreams Ambassador Helen Addis helped us give away thousands of soft and comfy post-surgery bras sourced from Naturana, Amoena, Royce, and Nicola Jane. While all this was going on, building work excitedly started on the much-needed, Future Dreams House, Breast Cancer Haven’s London Centre. The house will offer all the practical and emotional support our brilliant but over-stretched NHS can’t and is due to open next year in 2021.
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Thank you to... We couldn’t have done any of this without the support of His Church, a brilliant re-purposing charity that has donated and helped us source so much in the way of hygiene and cleansing products, as well as storecupboard essentials.
We have also been helped by beauty experts, Laura Capon (left) from Cosmpolitan and Lucy Partington from Stylist magazine, who have donated beauty and self-care products.
Thanks too to Charley Wood who donated her Drain Dollies to the project. BRCA1 carrier Charley invented the bags while recovering from her own mastectomy surgery. The pretty shoulder bags are used to carry the drains that many women are fitted with post operatively.
Ambassador Nikki Gewirtz, founder of jewellery company Lola Rose, gave us beautiful headscarves to put in some of the care packages.
Ambassador and swimsuit designer Melissa Odabash made beautiful face masks that were sold to raise much-needed funds. Thank you Melissa!
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Proudly supporting
FUTURE DREAMS Here at LiFE we are aware of how many of our staff, past and present, have been affected by the cruel disease that Future Dreams is helping to battle. Our entire team will know someone, directly or indirectly, who has been affected. As it is such a wide-spread illness, we feel compelled to sponsor the amazing charity, Future Dreams, who work so hard to make coping with breast cancer easier.
“Charities have been hit so hard this year due to COVID, and we are proud to help out in a small way to show our support. Our staff come from the most diverse backgrounds and nationalities and Future Dreams helps those people, so we have much to be thankful for.”
The 8-hour working day is just a third of the entire day, which means that every staff member is spending 16 hours of the day doing other things. We know that so much goes on in their lives away from the office, and illness is bound to be impacting some of them or their family in some way, just as strongly as work does. Being compassionate and helping financially in some way, such as donating to charities on their behalf, is a small token of shared awareness that LiFE isn’t smooth for all of us. We hope that our support for Future Dreams can make a positive difference to those affected and help them move forward. Jonathan Werth, Managing Director, LiFE Residential
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E VE N STR O NG MAMAS
need a cuddle FUTURE DREAMS AMBASSADOR AND SKY NEWS SPORTS PRESENTER JACQUIE BELTRAO HAS HAD HUGE SUPPORT ON SOCIAL MEDIA SINCE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST C ANCER FOR A SECOND TIME. NOW JACQUIE’S DAUGHTER, AMELIA, REVEALS HOW SHE AND HER FAMILY ARE LOOKING AHEAD TO BRIGHTER TIMES
No daughter should ever have to see her mum battle cancer. Nothing prepares you for it – not even when she’s had it before. It can feel scary and lonely and as if nobody else in the world understands what you are going through. Waiting for the halfway review of Mum’s latest chemo treatment has been nerve-racking. But thankfully, the news is good. The doctors have confirmed that the treatment is working and we can begin to move on from our initial family trauma... The day I found out my mum had breast cancer for a second time was a painful day. We were already aware that she had found a lump under her collarbone and was expecting a phone
MY GIRL: Mum and daughter now and then (left)
call from the doctor for the diagnosis. It was a Tuesday afternoon and I arrived home after seeing some friends. As I opened the door, I instantly sensed the ominous atmosphere. Mum was sitting on the sofa in the living room, hunched into her phone, making small,
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feeble nods in response to whoever was on the receiving end. When she finished, she immediately ran upstairs into the office where my dad was working. By now, both my brothers had noticed something was wrong and we all crept upstairs to try to listen. We heard Dad say, ‘No! No! No!’ It took me right back to the first time Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was New Year’s Eve 2013, I was 16 and my brothers 13 and 12. Looking back, I realise that we were too young to appreciate the hardship Mum endured and that both our parents had tried to shelter us from the details of upset and initial trauma. Only later did we learn that Mum had actually been diagnosed on Christmas Eve. She and my dad had held back from telling us to avoid spoiling Christmas Day. I decided it was not going to happen like that a second time.
The three of us burst into the room to find my dad comforting my mum, who was sobbing into his chest. In that moment, everything changed for me. None of my own problems or worries were relevant or worth considering. That woman became the sole focus of my life. Everything she had ever been for me, I now had to be for her. I had to be her counsel, her rock, her chef, her driver, her best friend. I had to do anything and everything to let her know that she wasn’t going to be alone in this process. That evening, while everyone else was in the living room, I went upstairs and found her in bed looking at her iPad. I climbed in beside her and together, cups of tea in hand, we watched her new TV series. Tea soon became a frequent offer from the rest of the family. My brother, who isn’t a tea drinker, would often offer Mum a cup then quietly ask me how to make it. You find yourself looking to help with simple needs and requests – whether it’s keeping the kitchen surfaces clean, offering to make Mum’s lunch or picking up things from the supermarket. Anything to relieve her from small daily tasks.
‘WHAT SHATTERED ME MOST WAS SEEING HOW SAD AND DESPONDENT IT MADE HER’ I quickly assumed the role as co-head chef with my dad and was happy to take the responsibility. Mum was going to be having weekly chemotherapy for 16 weeks, so cooking would soon become out of the question for her. I already had an interest in health and nutrition but it became even more critical to make sure Mum was eating substantially to help improve her energy levels and physical health. At the beginning of her treatment Mum decided she wanted to POWERFUL: Jacquie wearing the dress Amelia chose for her
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adopt a keto diet, which complicated cooking as it meant no carbs or sugar. But it also encouraged me to explore new recipes and I began to hunt out obscure ingredients and healthy food alternatives. One of the things I’ve learned since Mum’s diagnosis, is how difficult it can be to shift a person’s negative thoughts and block out the realities and fears that come with cancer and chemotherapy. As a girl and my mother’s daughter, I understand how significant hair can be for some in boosting self-confidence and morale. Seeing Mum’s hair begin to fall out didn’t bother me. What shattered me most was seeing how
you can do during treatment. Whether it’s buying new clothes, practicing yoga, educating yourself, or taking up a new hobby, the secret is realising that you were someone before you found out that you had cancer – and that you still are this incredible person who can achieve great things. Beyond the tears of cancer and chemo, I’ve grown closer than ever to Mum. I’ve learned she’s more than just my mother, she’s a vulnerable human being who feels fear and anxiety and right now I want to do anything I can to relieve her burden. Even strong mamas need a cuddle. The doctors have told us she’s come through
‘YOU BEGIN TO SEE HOW THE CANCER IS PHYSICALLY DICTATING YOUR LIFE’ sad and despondent it made her. It’s easy for onlookers to say, ‘You still look great’ or ‘It doesn’t matter’, but hair is a part of our identity. I could see how cancer was physically dictating Mum’s life and it made me desperate to think of ways to try to cheer her up. With Mum’s keto diet, I couldn’t opt for a simple chocolate or wine solution. I had to think of ways to make her feel beautiful again.
the chemo better than anyone imagined – and for that she’s getting an even bigger hug.
During this time Mum was still working on TV, and was having to think of ways to dress smartly and cover her chemo port. I arranged for a delivery from Karen Millen and the box arrived one Saturday afternoon as Mum was curled up on the sofa. I’d selected two dresses – one red and one beige – for Mum to choose from. She went for the red dress – exactly the one I would have picked for her as it made her look powerful and vibrant. And many people on Twitter agreed! Mum is the most intrepid and inspiring woman I know and she doesn’t need a dress to tell her that. But finding ways to remind yourself your life is so much more than cancer is the best thing
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W H AT I WI S H
I’d known SEVEN WOMEN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED BREAST C ANCER SHARE THE INVALUABLE INSIGHTS THEY WISH SOMEONE COULD HAVE TOLD THEM AT THE START
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‘I W I S H I ’ D K N OW N M Y HEA LTH WAS M Y G REATEST A S S ET’ Sandie Fredriksson, 50, left her 20-year career as a stockbroker after being diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2014. She now runs a health coaching practice from her home in north west London. I was lucky. It was a chance conversation that forced me to pay attention to the lump in my right breast. I’d been at a party, chatting to a girl who had been through breast cancer, and as I listened to her story a little voice in the back of my head nagged me to go home and check my boobs. As I lay in bed that night, I felt it. A lump the size of a chunky school rubber. If I’m honest, my hand knew exactly where to go because I’d felt it before. Within a week I was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer, which is not only rare but also hard to detect on a mammogram, especially if you have dense breasts. There were multiple tumours, the largest of which was a whopping 5.5cm in diameter, resulting in an immediate mastectomy followed by chemo and radiotherapy. A shocking two-thirds of women ignore the early signs of breast cancer, and I’d allowed myself to fall into that majority. Whether I was too busy or too scared, or simply thought it could never happen to me, I still don’t know. But blinkers on, I dismissed it as ‘probably nothing’ and prioritised my busy schedule over my health. I was over-reliant on the fact that there wasn’t
a history of breast cancer in my family and I have since learned that more than 75% of breast cancers have no genetic link. Just one year earlier I’d had a clear mammogram, which I’d impulsively opted for as part of my annual health screen. When I revisited the notes from that test I found a sentence in the small print that described my breast tissue as being ‘dense’.I felt cheated. No-one had advised me that women with dense breast tissue have a higher risk of breast cancer, or that it can make it harder for the radiologist to see a tumour. It is now something I tell all my friends. Looking back, I’m certain mine was a burnoutrelated cancer. Like so many mothers I know, I was juggling an oppressively hectic schedule, moving through life at warp speed and giving little thought to how that was affecting my health. I grabbed food when I could, considered exercise to be a luxury I didn’t need to prioritise and truly believed that I was invincible. I was wrong. It took hitting rock bottom for me to understand that your health is your greatest asset and I’ve spent the last six years looking at this from a holistic perspective. What we eat, the quality of our sleep, how often we move, the way we respond to stress, how we talk to ourselves – it all matters. The truth is, there’s a lot you can do to future-proof your health and we can often make changes to the genetic hand we are dealt with. As I tell my clients, ‘It’s all very well chasing your dreams, but without a strong healthy body, how will you enjoy them?’ sandiefredriksson.com
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‘I W I S H I ’ D M ET U P W ITH M ORE B R E AST CAN C ER PATIENTS AT THE START O F M Y JOURNEY’ Merline Small is 59 and a mum of two who works part-time in a secondary school. Her passion is cake decorating. Last year, Merline was a swimwear model on the cover of our Future Dreams magazine. My breast cancer journey started in January 2008. While having a bath, I noticed a small trickle of blood coming from my right nipple. I knew I had to see a GP as soon as I could and within a week I was seen by a breast consultant at my local hospital. An ultrasound scan revealed a blocked milk duct, which was eventually removed, and tests revealed early-stage cancer cells. I had three more operations, one of which was the removal of sentinel lymph nodes, and finally I was told that a full mastectomy was the only option as the grade 2 cancer had spread throughout my breast tissue. It felt like I was on a nightmare ride that I was desperate to get off and only the medical team could stop it. I have always considered myself to be a strong and resilient woman and now that was about to be tested. I needed to stay strong for my girls, who were only six and nine at the time. I am lucky I have a fantastically strong support network of family and friends whose help and support have been a great source of comfort. But I felt that I needed more time to process what
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was happening and what was about to happen. On the May 6, the day after my 47th birthday, I was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital to have a full mastectomy, removing the nipple, breast tissue and skin. I was fitted with a tissue expander, which I still have to this day. One of my greatest challenges and fears came in 2014 when I found a small lump in the same breast. My sister, a senior nurse, came with me to get the results and I was told that the cancer had come back. I was thankful to have her to ask the relevant questions and explain the medical terms. Tests revealed the cancer had metastasised to both lungs and although no longer curable it is responding to hormone therapy treatment. There is no known history of breast cancer in my family. It is important to remember this can happen to anyone at any stage of life and I continue to be positive and strong.
Here’s what Merline wishes she had known before her diagnosis
1
I always assumed breast cancer presented itself with different-sized lumps, but I found this not to be the case. Mine presented as a blood discharge from my nipple.
2
I’ve met other breast cancer patients at group meetings and workshops in recent years and wished that I had met them at the beginning of my journey, before starting treatment.
3
Not all breast cancers show up on a mammogram – mine didn’t, it took an ultrasound scan to reveal the blockage.
4
Cancers can be pain free so selfexamination is vitally important. Had I been told of the different types of breast cancer symptoms I would have been better informed and vigilant of the different signs to look out for.
5
If you are unhappy or unsure, do not be afraid to challenge the doctors at any stage of treatment.
6
The biggest ammunition you have against this disease is your strength of mind. A strong positive mind can overcome the greatest challenges in life.
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‘I W IS H I ’ D K N OW N THERE WOULD B E A L IGH T AT TH E EN D OF THE TUNNEL’ Amanda Hanison, 49, is married and Mum to twin boys. Amanda leads Future Dreams’ Lunch & Learn scheme. Rewind to August 2013. I was a busy 42-year-old divorced mum, working full time and running my home. I’d noticed a lump just above my left breast and assumed it was just fatty tissue or muscle. I wasn’t concerned until it became more prominent when I was lying down by the pool on holiday. When we got back to the UK I took one of my sons to a medical appointment, and while there I asked the GP if she would have a quick look. She made an immediate referral to a breast consultant and within two days I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I remember feeling shocked and confused as my lump wasn’t what I had imagined a breast cancer lump would be like. With no history of breast cancer in my immediate family, no knowledge about the signs and symptoms to look out for, and no understanding about self-checking, I really wish I had known then what I know now. In the beginning I cried throughout the consultations and didn’t take in much of what was being said. I wish I’d known that there would be some light at the end of the tunnel. My advice would be to have someone with you at your appointments if you can, although it has obviously been hard during Covid-19. They can ask questions because there is so much to
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take in while dealing with the shock of a breast cancer diagnosis. During lockdown I have supported patients via telephone and video calls. I wish I could have had the opportunity to talk to someone who had gone through a similar experience to me. I had a mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and was very pleased with my outcome. Since my recovery I’ve been an active volunteer at The Royal Free Hospital show-andtell breast cancer reconstruction support group. I would definitely have benefited from seeing real-life mastectomies and asking recovered patients questions. It would have taken away some of the anxiety and fear of the unknown. This year I’m celebrating my 50th birthday. I’m remarried to a wonderful man and I feel happy, confident and grateful to be growing older surrounded by my family and friends. I’ll continue to tell my story and share what I have learned from my breast cancer journey in the hope that I can help others.
‘I W I S H I H AD K N OWN NEVER TO B E A F RAI D TO AS K QUESTIONS’ Nicky Sexton, 41, is a hairdresser who enjoys yoga, live music, watching trashy TV, her cat and Kylie Minogue. ‘She is my idol,’ she says. Being diagnosed with breast cancer makes you feel like a rabbit in the headlights. It is scary, with so much information to take in, decisions to make, shock to deal with. It can be really overwhelming. You feel like you have no control over what is happening and that your life is in the hands of the team looking after you. That’s when you have to remember that you are the person in all of this. Some decisions that are made are with you for life, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and be involved with the decision making. It’s your body and you have to be okay with what is a happening to you. I found breaking down the treatment plan
helped me. I was looking at about eight months of treatment and I couldn’t see an end to it. So, I took it one stage at a time – get through chemo, then surgery, then radiotherapy. The thought of chemo terrified me because of the fear of hair loss. I wish I’d known that it wasn’t going to be as bad or scary as I was expecting. I wish I’d known the cold cap was going to work and that I would keep most of my hair. My hair was my focus throughout. It was the one thing I wanted to try to have some control over. At times it was hard work maintaining the cold cap, but 100% worth it and I would encourage anyone to try. It did so much for my mental and physical well-being and I believe it helped me get through my treatment and keep some kind of normality. I discovered the podcast, You, Me and the Big C, during chemo and it helped me having people to relate to. People who knew what I was going through and were of a similar age. How you feel is so important. It can be lonely and isolating and this podcast made me feel like I wasn’t alone. Finally, I wish I’d known about Future Dreams. I think a safe space to be able to access information, support and meet women who understand the trauma of breast cancer is a real comfort. I needed hope that I was going to be okay and I feel Future Dreams could have given me that.
You, Me and the big C podcast
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‘ I W I S H I ’ D K NOW N I WOU L D AC C O M P LIS H THINGS I N EV ER TH OUG HT P OS S IB LE’ Sarah-Jane Phillips was 36 and Mum to two young daughters when she was diagnosed with cancer for the second time. My first experience of cancer was when I was 16 and told I had Hodgkin Lymphoma. Hearing a cancer diagnosis for the second time made me scared I wouldn’t be around to watch my girls grow up. My fears got worse when I was on my own or in the middle of the night when insomnia would set in.Today, 13 years later, my daughters are 18 and 20. Nothing can prepare you for opening those hospital doors and walking into the hands of strangers – your amazing medical team who will do their very best for you. You can’t help but feel overwhelmed when your diary is full of multiple hospital appointments. But in the breast cancer bubble you realise that some journeys are the same while others are very different and it is important not to draw comparisons as this only leads to unnecessary worry and heartache. Treatment was long. I will never forget those feelings when it all came to an end. I expected to feel full of excitement and relief. I felt utter admiration for everything that had been done for me but I also felt an enormous sense of grief too for everything that I had lost – and it wasn’t just both of my boobs. My emotions centred around the loss of
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the medical team. Their support, time and care. I felt alone, digesting everything that had happened over the previous three years as I sobbed uncontrollably. I have since learned from a support group that I help run for ladies considering breast reconstruction that these are common emotions. They are all part of the healing process. I believe the care I received through my breast cancer treatment ignited a strength within me and I became determined not to allow my diagnosis to be in vain. I wanted to help others through their breast cancer in the hope that experiences shared can be empowering. Raising awareness is important, too. During treatment I understood how vital it is to take responsibility for my own health and well-being. I have since run the London marathon for Breast Cancer Now, having never run before. That medal represents one of my greatest achievements. I am part of the fundraising team at my local hospice in Luton, where each day is about making the difference. I’ve also written a memoir. It was hard to imagine that a book called Worms On Parachutes: Mystical Allies In My Cancer Survival would reach readers across the world but it did! A team of ladies read it and decided to do a parachute jump in western Australia to raise funds for breast cancer charities. I’ve learned how vital support is. The relief on the faces of ladies petrified of their impending surgery is absolutely humbling at the end of our discussions. It has secured some great friendships – we are united through our scars.
‘I WISH I’D K N OW N TH ERE WOULD B E GOOD DAYS, B AD DAYS AN D GREAT DAYS’ Carly Moosah is 38 and, with her husband Daniel, runs keepemquiet.com, a child’s entertainment business. They have two children, Dylan, seven, and Sienna, four. Carly was diagnosed the day before Sienna’s fourth birthday with triplenegative stage 2, grade 3 breast cancer.
What I wish I had known at the start of my breast cancer journey is that there will be good days and bad days, great days and fatigued haze, and to ride the waves of each and every day knowing it will pass. It taught me to be so utterly appreciative of life and living, that the small things truly do become the big things. It’s given me perspective to realise what is important and patience to wait for my body to heal. As daunting a diagnosis as it is, it has been invaluable to help me live fully and move forwards.
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‘I W ISH I ’ D K N OW N N OTHING P REPA RES YOU FO R CA NCER’ Annie White, 40, noticed a strange pain shooting through her left breast but didn’t think anything of it. When it happened again she roughly checked her breast but found nothing. Several weeks later the pain returned... I had never had any health concerns. I exercised regularly, ate reasonably and had no reason to think I should be watching out for cancer. When a few weeks later I had the sharp pain again, I checked my breast – and this time I felt a sizable lump. It was early March 2020. I went to work the next day with the intention of making a doctor’s appointment. The following week I was meant to be on holiday and I had planned a big party for my 40th birthday. I was so busy at work finishing off everything before my break that I didn’t get round to making my appointment. Finally, during the chaos of Covid-19, I managed to get an appointment with my GP and then at the hospital a week later. I had a mammogram, ultrasound, MRI scan and biopsy. I remember thinking the lady who took the mammogram must be thinking, ‘What is she doing here?’ In my mind it surely couldn’t be cancer. I was due to have the next appointment with my consultant over the phone. Four days later she called asking me to come in to the hospital. I knew it could not be good news. I would not let her go until she told me why. When she said it was cancer my mind went into overdrive. I felt numb all over.
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The next day I went to the hospital. It was only then that it really started to sink in. I had very little knowledge of what would happen next. All I remembered was asking how long the treatment would take.. I wish I had known that nothing prepares you for finding out that you have cancer. I wasn’t able to understand what was really going on or retain any information. I found the full diagnosis part the hardest as I had no idea of the time frame this could take. Each time I had a biopsy I had to wait for the results and I became increasingly impatient. I wanted to know my treatment plan and if I needed chemotherapy. I wish I had known that each result determines or changes the treatment plan. I am now in the middle of my chemo treatment and waiting to see how effective it has been.
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I D I S C OVE RE D W HAT R E ALLY
makes me happy JULIA LECKEY HAS HAD AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY SINCE A DIAGNOSIS OF BREAST C ANCER. HERE SHE TELLS OF HER NEW LIFE...
two gorgeous sons, Max, seven and Fred, two, but instead of thinking of me or them, I was worrying about feeding the fast-growing, multi-million pound branding business I co-owned. Despite the armpit pain that had been going on for months, I never for a moment thought I was about to be told I had breast cancer. I didn’t have time to be ill. It turned out I had stage 3, which I later discovered had a 75% chance of killing me within five years.
‘I can’t believe you’re taking work calls at a time like this,’ he said, incredulously.
As the consultant explained his diagnosis, all the ‘urgent’ things that had been filling my brain – new business to find, 68 staff to creatively direct, my eldest son’s swimming lessons, youngest son’s hospital checkups, no food in the fridge and that quarter of a million pound business pitch to be won – faded away.
It showed just how much I had disconnected from what was important in my life. I was 39 years old, we had
His words cut through everything, ‘…cancerous lump, it needs to come out as soon as possible.’
My husband Eddy looked at me as I picked up my mobile phone. We were waiting to be called into the office of the consultant who would tell us if my test results meant I had breast cancer.
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‘I LOVED SPENDING MORE TIME WITH EDDY AND THE BOYS BUT I WAS ONLY 40 AND WASN’T READY TO RETIRE’ In that blinding moment, I knew I had got it all wrong. Following the initial days of shock, incredibly I started to feel huge relief that the pressure I’d been putting myself under for years would finally have to stop. I had naively thought that co-owning a business would give me a greater work-life balance but it had grown so quickly, it was like having another urgent mouth to feed. Before my diagnosis, my youngest son Max had been born prematurely and I’d found myself having to work, huddled next to his incubator. During that time, I felt absolutely torn in two, guilty for not doing anything properly. As I went through cancer treatment – a single mastectomy, chemo and radiotherapy – I felt, more strongly
than ever, that I had to start a new life for myself. So I sold my share of the business and took a year out. I travelled, read lots of books – I even met the Dalai Lama and climbed Mount Toubkal, north Africa’s highest peak. But I also grieved for my business and the people I used to work with. I loved spending more time with Eddy and the boys but I was only 40 and wasn’t ready to retire. I started to get calls from clients wanting me to work for them on their brand strategy – the work I’d always done. Knowing my workaholic tendencies, Eddy and my friends begged me not to start a business but I thought long and hard and decided I had more to give. Only this time I would do things differently. When facing a cancer diagnosis, you
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don’t have any control of your situation, which made me realise that I could control other areas of my life, including my approach to work. So I decided to keep it very simple and employ just a handful of staff. With my new company, The Honest Brand, it’s not about working the longest hours or making myself respond to emails at 11pm or 5am in the morning. I make time for yoga and pre-lockdown was already working from home one day a week. I would do school drop-offs and pick-ups a few times a week and was able to help Max with his homework. I have also partnered with a bigger company, Principle Global, and we are expanding across the world, with offices in Dubai and New York. It turns out my new rules make me much more productive but less ‘busy’. I set boundaries with my clients, take time to plan, strategise and delegate smartly. I’m now earning more, but crucially I have more time, too. I have also written a book about my journey, Colourful Creatures, which has been a brilliant experience and am writing a second.
THE IMPORTANT STUFF: Max, Fred and Eddy are the focus of Julia’s new life
‘ALL I’VE BEEN THROUGH HAS MADE ME ABLE TO FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE AND LIVE IN THE NOW’
Last year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer again. My mastectomy was delayed due to Covid-19, but finally went ahead. All I’ve been through has made me able to focus on the positive and live in the now. During Covid, the four of us worked from our kitchen table in London, enjoying the small joys to be found in these dark times. I’m hopeful that by the end of the Coronavirus experience, we will all appreciate life, the NHS and the value of our health more, so that we all go on to lead richer lives. Having breast cancer is scary but it’s actually scarier to think what if I hadn’t had it… I would never have achieved the life I have now.
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COLOURFUL CREATURES: Julia’s book uses characters to tell her story
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BLACK WOMEN RISING
CA NCE R TO OK M E TO R OCK B OTTOM
and back again LEANNE PERO, FOUNDER OF BLACK WOMEN RISING, EXPLAINS WHY SHE HAS CREATED A MOVEMENT TO GIVE BAME WOMEN CONFIDENCE, SUPPORT AND A VOICE AFTER A BREAST C ANCER DIAGNOSIS
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Future Dreams is thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership, working with Black Women Rising, a much-needed organisation that has grown out of Leanne’s personal experience. Leanne was left in shock and despair after being told she had breast cancer, aged 30. She had never felt so alone and realised that part of the problem was that, in many BAME communities, the illness is simply never discussed – despite higher mortality rates. This October sees the launch of the first BAME magazine dealing with breast cancer. Called Black Women Rising – The Magazine, the publication answers every question a patient might face and is distributed free of charge to women who need it. Leanne, an award-winning entrepreneur and community champion, wants to build a bridge of knowledge and understanding between BAME communities and the medical institutions that treat them. She wants to shine a light on the fears and misconceptions about screening and treatment and is also desperate to address the issue of BAME women having much lower survival rates. This is thought to be due to late diagnosis caused by the illness rarely being discussed. She is thrilled that her work has already encouraged a new generation of
UNITED: Portraits by Stevan Borthwick
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young black women to check their breasts. ‘I realised there was a problem when I was diagnosed and a couple of people stopped talking to me,’ says Leanne. ‘At first, I didn’t understand why. I also discovered lots of misconceptions about the treatments. I heard things like, “Go natural – chemotherapy is not for black people”.’
‘I HAD NEVER SEEN OR HEARD OF OTHER YOUNG BLACK GIRLS WITH CANCER. I FELT LIKE THE BLAME WAS ON ME’ Even when she was told her body was free from breast cancer, Leanne struggled to find support for the mental health issues she was experiencing. As a fit young woman in her thirties, and a former dancer, she couldn’t help feeling that her body had failed her. ‘I was a victim of sexual abuse as a child and I’ve had a lot of stuff happen to me, but my darkest days were due to cancer,’ she says. ‘It gave me terrible anxiety, which I hadn’t expected. I’d just turned 30 when I was diagnosed and was in the prime of my life. I’d started a business
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management degree, which I loved, and my life was about having fun. I’d just got back from holiday, I had released Take Control, a self-help book about being a survivor, and it was a time to focus on me and what I wanted from life. ‘When they told me I had breast cancer I felt like the only 30 year old in the world with it – I had never seen or heard of other young black girls with cancer. I felt like the blame was on me. Some people from my community said things like it must have been because I had a party lifestyle or that I was always stressed out due to working too hard. I felt like I was to blame and it shocked me. For the first 10 days I didn’t eat or drink a thing.’ Leanne managed to turn a corner but there were many things that knocked her confidence – such as the hospital running out of afro wigs. ‘For black women, hair is a big thing, it is our identity. I was told I could get a free wig from the NHS and was given a catalogue and informed there was an “ethnic” section at the back,’ says Leanne. ‘But then they said they’d run out of them so I had to choose from the other section.
I chose one, but in the end I went to Peckham High Street and bought three wigs for £30 that were so much better for me.’
the BAME communities – and that it could help explain why the mortality rates of breast and prostate cancers are higher than elsewhere.’
Leanne’s experience was made all the more difficult as just six months earlier her mother, Amanda, had been diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time.
Burning with desire to do something to help the women who had been suffering in silence, Leanne invited some of those who had contacted her for coffee and cake at her offices in south London. ‘I asked my mum to make the cakes and the first time we got together there were just eight of us,’ she remembers.
‘My mum and I are really close but we are very different,’ she says. ‘She is very closed and I am very open. I couldn’t relate to her experience and she couldn’t relate to mine. The first time Mum was diagnosed had been 26 years earlier. She had never talked about it in the home but I
The demand to attend these face-to-face meetings is now immense. And, as Black Women Rising has turned into a powerful
‘BAME WOMEN GO THROUGH DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES DUE TO THE CULTURAL MYTHS AND TABOOS’ grew up knowing there was an issue around cancer.’ Leanne kept a journal of all her experiences and released it on a blog that was then spotted by the charity Breast Cancer Now. It asked if it could promote her writing on its website. ‘I wasn’t really expecting anything to come of it, but I woke up the next day to so many emails and messages on my Instagram and Facebook accounts from young girls and older women, Asian and black. They said it was so good to see a brown face talking about cancer. It was incredible to read some of the stories they felt they could share with me.,’ says Leanne.
movement, the events are always oversubscribed. ‘People ask me why we make it about race and I say we don’t – it’s about shared experiences. BAME women go through different experiences due to cultural myths and taboos and cancer remains an unspoken word in many, many communities. Leanne with her mum Amanda
‘One lady said she had to go to chemotherapy, go home on the bus, pick up her kids and cook dinner because she had to keep up the façade she was okay. Some women had been asked not to attend family events as relatives were scared they would catch the cancer. ‘These problems were new to me. I thought, I am black and if I don’t know these things how can white doctors know? It also brought home that there is not enough awareness of cancer in
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STRONG: Leanne photographed by Noam Friedman
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‘Creating a magazine has been the ultimate dream of mine. I want any BAME woman reading this to know we are here for her, we have offerings for everyone. I’m very aware I’m still trying to get over my own diagnosis and every week brings different emotions or problems for me. I can’t help everyone who messages me, but the magazine is a one-stop-shop of everything you would need to know. It is written for women of colour by women of colour who have come through cancer, and I would like it to help them feel empowered.’ Leanne is hoping medics will read the magazine, too. ‘Then they will understand the kind of issues that are common in the BAME communities,’ she says. ‘I’m also so excited to be working with Future Dreams. We’re both on a mission to inform and support women. Hopefully, through raising more awareness, we can save more lives.’
ORDER YOUR COPY AT BLACKWOMENRISINGUK.ORG
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The power of touch Palmer’s celebrates its 180th anniversary this year. The American family-owned brand has been around for nearly two centuries, and selling natural cocoa butter and coconut oil skincare and haircare products since the 1970s. Today, its much-loved products are sold in more than 100 countries. Palmer’s is also a proud supporter of Breast Cancer Now, donating vital funds to support the charity... Palmer’s engages in constant research to improve its formula and explore the finest natural ingredients to help with skin and hair issues. It focuses on delivering luxurious, naturally-inspired and highly-effective affordable products with unique scents and textures, enabling all women with different skin and hair types to enhance their natural beauty. Palmer’s has been a proud suppor ter of Breast Cancer Now for more than a decade, donating just over £250,000 to suppor t the charity’s wor ld-class research and life-changing care and suppor t ser vices for people affected by breast cancer. Previously, Palmer’s has raised money through sales of ‘pink’ products and recently the brand has been suppor ting Breast Cancer Now’s Moving Forward cour ses, which suppor t women and give them the confidence to adjust to life after treatment. Between 2017 and 2019, Palmer’s Pamper Hamper s were gifted to near ly 5,000 women who attended the Moving Forward cour ses across the UK. Each attendee received a tote bag filled with Palmer’s products to help tackle the dr ying effects of breast cancer treatments – Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil, Swivel Stick and Coconut Oil Hand Cream. Palmer’s hopes the gesture will help these special women reconnect with their body and help them rebuild their confidence again. Research has suggested that five minutes of massaging hands before bed, or arms or legs after showering, helps to release hormones that translate into positive feelings inside, plus softer, better-looking skin on the outside.
A DV E R TO R I A L
Gayle Berr y, an international exper t on nur turing touch and massage for parents and babies, has par tnered with Palmer’s on many past projects. ‘Nur turing touch and massage is powerful,’ says Gayle, who has written several books on the topic and lectured in holistic massage. ‘As social animals, we are born to seek physical contact. It enables us to feel connected – whether to our selves, to other s or to our environment – and affects our physiological and emotional state. Touch not only allows us to feel through the millions of ner ve endings on the skin connected to the brain, it also enables us to feel a whole range of emotions through the release of chemicals.’
LOVING RITUAL: ‘Touch and massage is vital,’ says expert Gayle Berry
Touching your self or another per son produces a hormone called oxytocin – commonly known as the love hormone – as well as serotonin and dopamine. This cocktail of happy hormones can transpor t you from a state of stress and anxiety to a state of calm and relaxation. Touch is vital for self-checking breasts and other areas of the body. ‘Regular self-massage can lower stress levels and help you examine your breasts and body, ensuring there are no changes that might be of concern,’ says Gayle. ‘A daily practice with your favourite product can create a loving and connected ritual.’ Nur turing touch is also a fantastic way to love and honour your body, to celebrate what is unique about you and to spend time looking after your self. How we feel can change through a simple touch, so harness this power in whatever practice feels right. The power is in your hands...
From a holiday in Dubai
TO A D O CTO R’S WAI T I NG R OOM NO-ONE WAS MORE SURPRISED THAN SHEVELLE COPELAND-KELLY WHEN SHE WAS TOLD SHE HAD BREAST C ANCER. AS A YOUNG WOMAN, SHE NEVER DREAMED IT COULD BE PART OF HER LIFE. HERE SHE EXPLAINS WHY...
A week before my breast cancer diagnosis I had been in Dubai drinking Champagne on a yacht. I was just 28 years old. Seven days later I was sitting in a hospital with a man in a white coat telling me I had cancer. I went from a young, excited millennial to a deflated human in utter despair. I no longer had my identity. It felt as if I had lost my strength, my power and my glory.
SPEAKING OUT: Shevelle Copeland-Kelly was just 29 when she was told she had triple negative breast cancer
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I took my diagnosis extremely hard, but it also sparked a sense of belligerence within me. I asked myself, ‘How can they tell me that I have cancer?’ Every health professional that I had encountered until this point had been telling me it was nothing to worry about. I did not fit the so-called
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criteria for breast cancer. I was convinced they must have made a mistake.
concerns surrounding intimacy during and after treatment because a lot of things change.
I told myself I was going to keep my diagnosis secret. Having cancer at under 30 was not acceptable. The cancer was triple negative too, which was a triple whammy. What could I say when people asked me how I got it?
After 16 rounds of chemo I finally made the decision to have a mastectomy, and again many people gave me their opinions on what I should or shouldn’t do. Removing your breasts is particularly frowned upon within the BAME community, whether it is to save your life or not. So I kept my decision to have a mastectomy a secret and it was incredibly overwhelming.
‘WOULD I STILL BE ATTRACTIVE? WAS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE CANCER AND HAVE A RELATIONSHIP?’ One of the reasons I wanted to keep my diagnosis secret was to limit the amount of questions and unhelpful advice thrown my way. Within the BAME community, the stigma attached to cancer can be quite detrimental. It’s not something that is spoken about. People don’t intend to be insensitive when you tell them about your diagnosis, but when you get multiple people asking the same thing, it can be draining.
At the time I agreed to having chemotherapy, I didn’t fully understand the effects it could have on the body. I had fertility-preserving treatment but didn’t really understand it was because I would go into early menopause. It was particularly difficult to find a wig that suited me as the options are very limited for black women.
I had people telling me that I shouldn’t take chemotherapy as it’s extremely harmful to the body and would do more damage than good. Others, with no medical expertise, told me my diet was most likely the cause of the cancer. I also had messages about the herbs or remedies I could take. If you’re not strong enough to educate yourself and fight off the opinions of others, you could drive yourself into a deeper state of depression. The thought that I could lose my breast at such a young age was so challenging. I was just devastated. Suddenly I felt different to my friends – like the ultimate reject – and I had nobody to ask the questions I needed to know the answers to. Would I still be attractive? Is it still possible to have cancer and a relationship? I had so many
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I also felt that sometimes my worries were dismissed because I was a younger patient and I don’t think I was able to express my true feelings. Since then I have learned that everyone’s journey is different. I’ve come to understand the importance of reaching out to people who can speak about their experiences. I discovered how important it is to seek advice from reputable organisations recommended by health professionals. And I’ve seen the case studies of the women who have survived this disease Thankfully, I’ve also found support within the
‘BEING PART OF THE BLACK WOMEN RISING PROJECT HAS EMPOWERED ME’ Black Woman Rising project. It opened up a whole new world for me. Instead of feeling deflated about my diagnosis Black Woman Rising helped me to pick the route of positivity and apply gratitude to my situation. I suddenly became thankful that I’d found this intruder growing in my breast, because checking my breasts was something I was not aware that I, and all women, should be doing. I realised there is a lack of representation within the media, not only of under thirties with cancer but under 30 BAME women with cancer. So I made the decision to start sharing my story and spreading awareness. I started blogging about my experience and it made me realise that so many women were suffering in silence. It was such a liberating experience knowing that speaking out gave others power to tackle their own journey. One year on, I am extremely happy to say my treatment went well and the cancer was treated effectively.
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Being part of the Black Women Rising project has empowered me. It has given me a safe place to navigate cancer and start my process towards healing. Now I advise any young person diagnosed with cancer to find the spot where they fit in. There are so many groups and charities out there ready to support you – and remind you that you are never alone.
NICOLA JANE
NICOLA JANE proudly supports Future Dreams
MASTECTOMY | LUMPECTOMY | RECONSTRUCTION nicolajane.com | 01243 537 300FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK | 101
I A M NOT J UST A CA NCE R SURVIVOR
I am Lauren
RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT YOUNG WOMEN AND BREAST C ANCER HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED LAUREN MAHON’S LIFE. BUT NOW IT’S TIME, SHE SAYS, NOT TO BE DEFINED BY HER HEALTH – OR THE DISEASE Lauren Mahon, 35, is the wonderfully gobby award-winning creator of the GIRLvsCANCER movement. Diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of just 31, she set to work raising awareness of the disease in younger women and became co-host of the award-winning BBC podcast You, Me and the Big C. Tiny in size but huge in impact, she has forged a dynamic social media presence, using her uber cool and sassy t-shirts to spread her important message. There’s even a television drama based on her life in the pipeline...
@IAML
M AUREN
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AHON
But while you’d never actually say this force of nature has gone quiet, Covid-19 has given Lauren the chance to take a step back and see her life somewhat differently. Her cancer diagnosis stole the normal life of a young woman in her early thirties –
You, Me and the BIG C’s Steve Bland, Lauren and Deborah James
‘THEY SAY “YOU’RE SO INSPIRATIONAL” – WOULD THEY STILL SAY THAT IF YOU TOOK THE CANCER AWAY FROM ME?’ FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK | 103
there was no clubbing or spontaneous nights out for Lauren. And, five years on, there has been no let up in her crusading work. Requests for help have been constant, and living the life of a cancer survivor and talking openly has meant she has been ‘on’ 24/7. It has been exhausting. But then along came lockdown and a chance for her to stop and to think. A breathing space for her to consider her next steps and draw a line between Lauren the campaigner and Lauren the individual. A chance to work out what she needs to do now to be happy.
‘OFTEN PEOPLE INTRODUCE ME SAYING, THIS IS LAUREN, SHE HAD BREAST CANCER. CAN’T I JUST BE LAUREN?’
‘It is really important to talk about how we deal with the issue of survivorship,’ she says. ‘I may not have cancer any more but I certainly carry it with me.
‘You, Me and the Big C has been such an amazing opportunity and has led to so many things. But now I’m really enjoying doing stuff that’s nothing to do with cancer, like becoming a regular guest on Radio 5 Live. I have also written for Grazia and Stylist. I’ve moved house and I’m back to being just a 35-year-old woman – not just a cancer survivor. I used to think people wouldn’t want me unless it was in connection with my disease so it’s nice when people have shown they are interested! I’ve been looking at how cancer sits in my life – how often I bring it up when perhaps I don’t need to. Often people introduce me saying, “This is Lauren, she had breast cancer.” Can’t I just be Lauren?
‘A lot of people struggle to step away from the disease. Cancer tends to gives you validation make people interested in you. They say, “You are so inspirational” but would they still say that if you took the cancer away from me? It is really important to give yourself permission to move on.
‘I’ve tried to be everything to everyone and I’ve discovered I can’t do that on a massive scale for ever. Four years ago, even before I began chemotherapy, I started GIRLvsCANCER and I’ve had cancer in my day-to-day ever since. I didn’t realise how damaging it had been until lockdown made me take stock of my mental
‘During lockdown there were so many triggers, including friends dying,’ she says. ‘I lost a fifth friend from the cancer community in two years. I want to help but I can’t be a onewoman Macmillan service to everyone. I have to be careful with my heart.’ Lauren realised she had to reassess where cancer ended and she began.
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The original You, Me and the Big C team: Rachael, Lauren and Deborah
‘MY CANCER EXPERIENCE IS PART OF WHO I AM BUT NOT ALL THAT I AM’ health and I realised how much I was really struggling. ‘I want to have a chance to live my life at a slower pace, not constantly on show and never replenishing myself. I am prioritising what makes me happy, like spending time with my nephew Griff, three, and with my one-year-old niece, Lillian. My friends and family are ecstatic that I’ve slowed down. ‘For ages I was scared of hurting my body so I limited my exercise to yoga, but now I’ve started to push my body and I’m getting back into fitness – not just for recovery but for fun! I’ve changed my medication too, which has made me feel
so much better. I couldn’t sleep, I was a shell of myself, so I gave myself a risk and benefit analysis and decided to opt for quality of life versus no quality of life. My risk of recurrence is already pretty low so now I am just on Tamoxifen and no longer taking Zoladex. ‘I have new goals for GIRLvsCANCER and I’m looking at different ways of raising money for four different charities. I’ll choose a charity per project. I’m also looking forward to my new media career and I’m pitching documentary ideas that have nothing to do with cancer. My goal is to have a balanced existence of work and Lauren Mahon. ‘The whole cancer experience is part of who I am, but not all that I am. I’m looking forward to getting to know Lozza: The Sequel.’
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WH Y I’ M G L AD I WAS T EST E D FOR
a breast cance gene DISCOVERING SHE HAS INHERITED A FAULTY BREAST C ANCER GENE HAS MADE JESS FINE, 21, DETERMINED TO ENCOURAGE – AND HELP – OTHERS TO TAKE THE TEST TOO
Two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, passed on through families, can raise your risk of developing breast cancer if they become altered. Deciding to be tested to see if you have inherited one of these genes can be a scary and tough decision. Here Jess Fine, AGE?, explains why she went ahead... My mum Joanna wanted me to have the BRCA test as soon as I could, aged 18. She had an aggressive triple negative breast cancer, which was caused by a faulty BRCA1 gene. She was an extraordinary woman, and I’m not just saying that because she was my mum. She was funny and strong, with an incredibly positive outlook on life. After hours of intensive chemotherapy in the morning, she would join me for lunch and shopping trips as if she had just had a quick check-up at the doctor’s. She was so beautiful, inside and out, and even when she was very sick she did everything in her power to maintain a ‘normal life’, always putting the needs of her family and friends above her own. It makes me so proud when people notice the resemblance I have to my mum. We share an obsession for Disney, the same toothy, wide smile, an outrageously loud laugh, the same positive energy and, most importantly, the same determination and perseverance.
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FAMILY: Memories of Jo Fine with (bottom) daughter Jess
Although Mum’s cancer went into remission, it was aggressive and returned three times over three years. But somehow every knockback made her more determined.
‘I DON’T WANT PEOPLE TO SHY AWAY FROM BEING GENETICALLY TESTED FOR BRCA AS THE PREVENTIVE MEASURES ARE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE AND WILL SAVE LIVES’ Heartbreakingly, she passed away in 2017 aged 46, leaving behind myself, my two younger siblings, my father and an incredible legacy that I want to carry on to educate and inspire others. Mum firmly believed in the mantra that knowledge is power and I am so glad she encouraged me to have a genetic test at such a young age. The test proved positive but rather than being fearful, I immediately embraced my result. It has given me the active choice to seek prevention. All of us carry BRCA genes, which usually create proteins that act as tumour suppressants. When the genes become mutated, they trigger cells to grow and divide abnormally and this can lead to cancer. Faulty BRCA1/2 and PALB2 genes are hereditary, so if you are a carrier there is a 50% chance you will pass this to your children and a 50% chance that each of your siblings also has it. These genes account for 1 in 10 of all ovarian cancer cases (NHS England) and breast cancer cases (breastcancer.org). Carriers face a significantly elevated chance of cancer growth – a 60% to 90% for breast, 40% to 60% for ovarian, up to 40% prostate and increased risks of melanoma, fallopian tube and pancreatic cancers (NHS England, Breast
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TOGETHER: Jess and her mum shared a love of all things Disney
Cancer Foundation, BreastCancer.org and Gene Health UK). Around 1 in 400 people in the UK carry this gene, and as many as 1 in 40 individuals within certain groups, such as those with Jewish heritage or a strong familial history of cancer (NHS UK).
‘HAVING A GENETIC BRCA TEST BEFORE HER CANCER MANIFESTED WOULD HAVE SAVED MY MUM’S LIFE’ I don’t want people to shy away from being genetically tested for BRCA as the preventive measures are extremely effective and will save lives. As well as increased screening and cancer prohibiting medications, there are surgery options to reduce your risk, if you choose. Women can undergo prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removing both ovaries and fallopian tubes) and double mastectomies (removing both breasts) with optional reconstruction, which reduces their risk of breast and ovarian cancers by over 90%. In memory of my incredible mum and with the knowledge that I now have, I am setting up
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the Jo Fine BRCA Campaign, which will raise awareness of BRCA genes and inform people of the preventative solutions. My mum wanted to be proactive and take control of her health and the health of her family. She was desperate to seek this vital knowledge to make sure her children would never have to endure a cancer diagnosis like hers. She paid to be privately tested for BRCA as she did not meet the guidelines of the NHS. Ultimately, it is my goal to set up a trust fund within the campaign to raise funds to pay for genetic tests for people who cannot afford them. Around 70% of people are unable to access free BRCA testing (Cancer Research UK) and struggle to find further support. I would love to raise awareness and help people get comprehensive predictive cancer tests and genetic counselling to provide a wider scope of options for them, which is why I have started working in the industry. Having a genetic BRCA test before her cancer manifested would have saved my Mum’s life. I’ve made it my mission to prevent others going through what she went through.
P R O U D LY S U P P O R T S
FUTURE DREAMS
SHIFT
HAPPENS WHEN YOU CHANGE THE CONVERSATION FAC TO RY. U K . C O M - P O D C A ST C O M I N G S O O N FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK | 109
FUNDRAISING
Let’s nail breast cancer
‘I’M COOL WITH WEARING HOT PINK NAIL VARNISH TO RAISE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS AND HELPING THE CAUSE,’ SAYS CALUM BEST
A special thank you to: BROOKE SIMONS grooming, GEORGIA ROSE grooming assistant, ROBBIE TOMKINS nail technician/publicist, STEVIE B stylist, RUBY ELKINS stylist assistant, LONDON SANDWICH COMPANY catering, SPRING STUDIOS
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We’re urging men across the country to sport a pink Mani this October for our latest Let’s Nail Breast Cancer campaign. So spread the word to your partner, son, father, grandad, uncle, nephews or friends to get sponsored for painting on the polish. Alternatively, they can simply donate or buy a special man-i-cure kit and together we can raise funds to help all those with breast cancer.
Male breast cancer survivor Phil Alderson gives his nails a debonair twist
Future Dreams has been running Let’s Nail Breast Cancer for a number of years – encouraging women to donate while they were in salon having a manicure. But this year, when quite frankly everything has been shaken up, we have added a twist. We are inviting men to join us. Breast cancer sends ripples through every family and friendship group it touches and we often speak to men who want to do more to show their support. Now is their time. We’re asking men to paint their nails pink this October and make a donation to Future Dreams. We’d love them to get sponsored to wear their nails out and about and when people ask them why they have gone pink they can explain they are doing it to nail breast cancer. Every man can rock their own style, from a subtle blush pink to a full-on fuchsia – see TV personality Calum Best (opposite) wearing it as quite a macho addition to his tattoos, or male breast cancer survivor Phil Alderson (above) who has given it a debonair twist. They can wear it for a day, a month or – if it’s allowed by the time you read this – during a trip to the pub. Encourage your daughters to help Dad put on the polish and share it on social media with the hashtags #LNBC #LNBCboys #LNBC20. We can’t wait to see your handiwork. To help us, we’ve enlisted top manicurist Robbie Tomkins, whose clients have included Kate Moss and Lily James. ‘Let’s Nail Breast Cancer is such a great idea as it’s simple and really connects with its target audience – women,’ says Robbie, who last year discovered one of his closest friends had been diagnosed with the illness.
‘But while women painting their nails pink to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month is wonderful, it’s perhaps not very surprising. This year we’re mixing things up a little and are instead challenging men to paint their nails pink too. After all, why should girls have all the fun? “We’ve created rather epic LNBC20 MANicure packs that contain everything you’ll need to proudly boss a pink mani. With six different exclusive Future Dreams Male Polish colours to choose from, there’s bound to be a shade that will help release your inner pink superhero.’ Or he can paint his nails pink and donate via his phone , see the text and QR codes at the end of the story. It is that easy. Celebs supporting the campaign include reality star Calum, Love Island winner Nathan Massey and The Apprentice and Celebrity Masterchef star Thomas Skinner. They are joined by breast cancer survivor and model Phil, and Adam McVay whose wife, Meg, was diagnosed with breast cancer and features in the Future Dreams Appeals campaign. ‘Future Dreams aim is to create an ongoing annual campaign, similar to Movember,’ says Robbie. ‘We want you to see a guy with hot pink nails and automatically think of nailing breast cancer.’ Ready to help us find a mani-cure? FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK | 111
‘It’s about guys supporting the breast cancer cause’
ADAM MCVAY, 44 Adam runs Holy Water, a culinary consultancy that curates menus with a focus on locality and sustainability, and is the man behind the Glasshouse bar at The Grove hotel in Hertfordshire. He says his wife Meg’s breast cancer diagnosis was one of the most unexpected pieces of news in his life. ‘It made me realise how precious life is and how quickly something can be taken away from you for ever,’ he says. ‘It made me cherish what I have and what I’m put on this earth to achieve and helped me realise that I have to help spread awareness about breast cancer and give back to people who need my support. Education is key.’
‘I want to promote early diagnosis – it’s what saved my life’
PHIL ALDERSON, 48 Phil is a t-shirt designer, illustrator and dad to a 10-year-old daughter. In 2016 he was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and, after the initial shock, pledged to turn the discovery into a positive thing. ‘I started to try new things and say yes more,’ he says. ‘I learned to dance, started modelling, raised money for charity, made new friends and had lots of new experiences ‘I’m passionate about raising awareness about the impact of an early diagnosis of breast cancer, in both men and women. And I’m also very passionate about helping people start to live the lives they dreamed of. After all, no-one is here for ever.’
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‘I think I’ve chosen the right shade – it’s hot enough for me!’
AARON EDGEWORTH, 39 Aaron is a consultant, barrister and mediator. Both his grandmother and mother suffered from breast cancer and the disease has featured in his life for many years. ‘While the illness was suffered as an individual, the effects were felt across the family,’ he says. ‘When I was given an opportunity to show support for the cause, I jumped at the chance.’
‘If all I have to do is wear this bright pink nail polish, I am happy to do it and raise awareness’
CALUM BEST, 36 The reality TV veteran says he’s very comfortable painting on the polish. Calum, who won the original series of Celebrity Love Island and has also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, Celebrity Come Dine With Me and Famously Single, recently presented the BBC3 documentary Brought Up By Booze, about growing up under the cloud of his father George’s alcoholism. ‘I’m cool with wearing hot pink nail varnish to raise breast cancer awareness and helping the cause,’ he says.
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‘I’ve never had my nails painted – pink to make the girls wink!’
NATHAN MASSEY, 27 Since winning Love Island in 2016, Nathan has married Cara De La Hoyde, his TV isle partner. The couple now have a two-year-old son, Freddie, a baby daughter, Delilah, and a YouTube channel, Dela-Mass Family. ‘I’ve never had my nails painted before and it’s starting to grow on me – pink to make the girls wink!’ says Nathan. ‘We’ve just had a baby girl so no doubt one day she’ll be painting my nails pink. ‘My wife and family will be proud that I’m wearing pink nail varnish and sharing the message to raise breast cancer awareness loud and clear.’
‘Listen fellas, don’t mess about. If I’ve done it, you can do it too!’
THOMAS SKINNER, 28 Thomas was one of 2019’s candidates for the BBC’s The Apprentice, took part in Celebrity Masterchef and also runs The Fluffy Pillow Company. ‘I’ve lost family to cancer, my nan had it,’ he says. ‘Get yourself checked out – learn about breast awareness because it saves lives.’ He’s also game for any pampering for the cause. ‘It’s a talking point and gets the word out,’ he says. ‘I’ve never worn pink nail varnish, but if it means raising awareness for breast cancer, I’ll do it every day. ‘Having my nails painted makes me feel like a new woman – although I’m a little concerned what my pals are going to say when I turn up at the pub.’
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AND NOW IT’S YOUR TURN...
Well done to those men lending a hand – but there’s no need to miss out on the chance to paint your nails pink and make those talons count to raise money for Future Dreams. Buy a Future Dreams pink at lnbc.org.uk. then get your girlfriends together – either in real life or virtually – and have a mani party. All money raised will go directly towards breast cancer support, awareness and research. Or make a donation online, as explained below. If you prefer to sit back and relax while getting pampered, visit one of your local BioSculpture, Jessica and Artistic/Morgan Taylor salons to raise money for the Let’s Nail Breast Cancer campaign by choosing anything from a pale peach to a full-on fuchsia. A percentage of all sales will go towards Future Dreams. You can also donate when you book or pay for your treatment. Once your nails are looking super glam, post a photo on social media and tag us @Futuredreamscharity using the hashtags #LNBC #LNBCboys #LNBC20.You can also donate to the campaign through the Future Dreams website, futuredreams.org.uk/nbc. If you work in the nail industry and think this sounds like something you would like to be a part of, please email jolie@futured‑reams.org.uk with your address and we’ll get a pack out to you. Remember: pink is not just a colour. It’s an attitude!
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I left and headed to university, drawing, painting and generally being creative kind of left me. I remember the first time I painted a set of nails, the old creativity came back in seconds and I loved it! I find it helps me with my anxiety, much like adult colouring books work for some people. How important is the beauty industry for people’s mental and emotional well-being?
FIVE MINUTES WITH ROBBIE TOMKINS… Tell us about some of the best jobs you’ve worked on. Working with Kate Moss for the cover of LOVE magazine is a career highlight. I got booked on the job the night before and couldn’t believe it – I had to pinch myself! Luckily, I didn’t have much time to panic or get anxious as the call time was 8am the following morning. Kate was so down to earth and lovely that within minutes of meeting her we were getting on like a house on fire. Do you have any good stories? If I told you, I’d have to kill you… What do you love about working in the beauty industry? It really nourishes my creative side. I absolutely loved art and sculpture at school, however when
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It really is vital – just look at how many people struggled with the closing of salons during lockdown. Having any form of beauty treatment that makes you feel even a fraction happier is absolutely essential, especially after what we have been through this year. I tell my clients to turn off their phones, relax and take some time out when having their nails done. The pause is so important to allow you to connect and take a step back from life and just be. I always encourage my clients, colleagues and friends to talk more about mental health. I’ve suffered with depression and I have an anxiety disorder and it’s taken me years to finally feel comfortable admitting it and talking about it. I used to carry a lot of shame around it. Are more men finding roles in the beauty industry? There’s room for everyone in this industry and we’re seeing a much-needed shift taking place in terms of sectioning society into just men and women. The LGBTQ+ community is starting to have the visibility and acceptance it finally deserves, although I think the beauty industry has been a bit of a safe haven for gay people for many years. Careers and roles that were once traditionally seen as feminine and masculine are slowly starting to blur, thankfully. Do you believe in looking good to feel good? When I spend a bit of time on my appearance then I do generally feel better and more
confident in myself – but I don’t think you need to dress to the nines to feel good. True feelings of peace and contentment must come from within, and no amount of new clothes, treatments or ‘things’ will make you truly happy – it’s an inside job. Who do you turn to when you need to talk? I really am a proper Welsh mummy’s boy and always turn to my mam when the chips are down. I don’t get to see her as often as I would like, as she lives in Swansea, but whenever we get together, we talk rubbish for hours. A hug from her when I’m down makes everything okay! The other thing I do – and it may sound weird, – is that whenever I need a pick me up, I go for a walk near water. Whether it’s a lake, river or my favourite, the sea, I find being outdoors and near water really calming. Have you ever been touched by breast cancer? My beautiful and courageous friend Jenna was diagnosed with breast cancer. She sadly lost her battle with the disease on January 13, 2019, after it spread to other parts of her body.
She was the bravest and most positive person I ever met and I’m so glad I got to spend the years I did with her. When she was sadly diagnosed with terminal cancer the first thing she did was to start planning her ‘final party’. She wrote her own eulogy and chose the songs she wanted to play to say goodbye to us all. Kylie’s Dancing was one of them. I think about her all the time and I know she is with me whenever I’m having a down day, saying ‘Hey darlin, don’t worry about it.’ I used to paint her nails while she was having chemo as she loved having them done. She was a true friend and an absolute legend. What are the best products to use during a breast cancer journey? Nail polish is advised rather than gel when you are going through any kind of hospital treatment, but as with all beauty treatments or therapies please check with your medical team first. Nourishing cuticle oil, hand cream and anything hydrating is going to treat hands and keep them supple and soft. I have actually created a video for the Self Care Matters series, which is on the Future Dreams Instagram page.
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FUT U R E D R E A M S
the next generation We hope you feel like one of the Future Dreams family. We’d like to take this opportunity to tell you about our beginnings and why supporting those touched by breast cancer is so important to us. And we’d like to introduce you to Ben, Joe and Amy – the amazing young people carrying the baton for their mum and grandma...
We often talk about the Future Dreams family, as that is what we are. Started by mother and daughter Sylvie and Danielle after they were both diagnosed with breast cancer, the charity was born around Sylvie’s ever-welcoming kitchen table. Sadly Sylvie and Danielle are no longer here to see how much has been achieved in their names. But, 12 years since deciding they wanted to make a difference, Spencer, Danielle’s husband, and Dale, her brother, are still both trustees. Now Danielle and Spencer’s children, Ben, Joe and Amy, are becoming increasingly involved. The children have grown up with the charity and have learned the importance of everybody supporting one other. Surrounded by love and support, they are now at ages where they are deciding what they want to do with their lives and looking back at what their mum and grandma began. Amy, 16, spoke on stage at our 10-year anniversary fundraising concert at the London Palladium and has just started Year 12 of school. Joe, 19, wants to play football at the highest level and has been given the opportunity to go to college in Massachusetts in America, where he will play ‘soccer’ full time and study for a degree. Big brother Ben, 21, last year gave the opening speech at a boxing event and has just begun a master’s degree in international business, having graduated from the University of Nottingham with a 2:1 in American history. We asked Ben, Joe and Amy to tell us what Future Dreams means to them...
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LOVING LEGACY: Ben, Amy and Joe are proud of their mum and grandma
AMY Future Dreams means a lot because it’s a way for me to connect to my mum and it keeps her in my life today. The charity is something I’m very proud of. It helps such a lot of people – I know my mum and grandma would be very happy with it and its success. JOE To me Future Dreams is my mum’s charity and it’s her way of contributing to life, even when she is not around. Through Future Dreams, their legacy lives on and the work they did to set up the charity has helped raise lots of money for breast cancer and helped many people struggling with the illness. For this reason I’m extremely proud. BEN Future Dreams to me has always been a family-orientated charity. I have always known the main people running it and have always felt
involved in some capacity, even if from afar. I’m extremely proud of what the charity has achieved. When my mum and grandma were alive, I was too young to fully appreciate and admire how they put in every bit of their strength to help future generations so they wouldn’t face the same difficulties they were. Now that I am older, I am very proud of all the money raised and the people that has helped. It inspires me to always try to help others when I can. Future Dreams will always remind me of my mum and grandma. It is their charity, their idea and their legacy. You were all very young when your mum and grandma died. Do you have advice for other children who have lost loved ones to the illness?
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AMY When my mum died I don’t think I understood what was happening, but I had lots of support from my family and friends. My school was very supportive and understanding, which made me feel comfortable and able to be upset when I needed to be. My brothers and I all had therapy, which was helpful. I was scared to upset anyone and it was much easier to talk to a stranger about my feelings than to my friends or my dad. Because I was so young, I found it hard to talk about my feelings as I didn’t really understand them, so I used to keep a diary full of drawings and some writing. It was a way for me to express how I was feeling. JOE My advice would be to remember the good times and commemorate their life rather than their death. Also I would say speak about your problems rather than keeping them in. BEN That’s a hard question as different people will cope with grief in different ways. My best advice would be to talk if you are down, but also trust your friends and family as they will all try to help. In the first year after Mum died, I did some therapy and it definitely helped me to talk about my feelings. Keep all the good memories and try to be happy about the time you had, rather than sad about the times you didn’t. How do you feel about Future Dreams House opening next year? AMY It makes me very proud. I know my mum and grandma would have loved to have seen it. The support the house will be offering was their aim when they started the charity.
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JOE Future Dreams House will help so many people who are going through the traumas that cancer brings. I’m very proud that it will be created in their name as this will help continue their legacy. BEN I am very proud of my dad and all the other committee members who are working so hard to ensure the Future Dreams House opens. I am also extremely glad that people will be able to get the help they need and the suppor t from being around others who are in the same circumstances. I feel the idea is quite unique. It will help people with the mental health side of cancer as talking to people in the same boat makes you feel far less alone. I have heard many times, through speeches at Future Dreams events, how difficult it can be for women to be the only ones in their families with cancer, and being able to enter an environment where everyone is facing the same difficulties is clearly therapeutic. How do you think your mum and grandma would have reacted to knowing the house has been created in their name? AMY I think they would be overwhelmed with how far the charity has come in the last 10 years. I’m sure they would be very proud of their legacy and that the small charity they star ted is changing people’s lives. BEN They would have been extremely proud to know their charity was improving the lives of women with breast cancer. It is the reason they star ted it in the first place. I couldn’t think of a better legacy.
Autumn Winter 2020 lilyandlionel.com
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W H EN G R EAT WOM E N
come together... TAKE A ROOM FULL OF INSPIRING WOMEN, ADD A DASH OF LAUGHTER AND TEARS AND UNITE THEM IN A SPECIAL C AUSE. WELCOME TO FUTURE DREAMS LADIES’ LUNCH Future Dreams has always admired breast cancer campaigner and broadcaster Lauren Mahon, who set up the organisation GIRLvsCANCER and is one of the hosts of the brilliant podcast You, Me and the Big C. She has created a strong and vibrant voice for the many young women who find themselves diagnosed with the illness, so we were thrilled to present her with our humanitarian award at last year’s Future Dreams Ladies’ Lunch. Presented to her by Elizabeth Hurley, global ambassador for Estée Lauder Companies Breast Cancer Campaign, it was a very special moment. The lunch is always emotional and elegant and the 2019 event was no exception. Held in the stunning ballroom at the Savoy Hotel, it was hosted by our ambassador, Gaby Roslin. Lauren’s story was not the only inspiring moment. The event was kicked off with a moving speech from Sara Prentice, creative director at House of Garrard, who told the room how she
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had been diagnosed with breast cancer just as she took on her new role at the company. Lunch was then served and guests were treated to a menu curated by food writer and author, Melissa Hemsley. The wine was sponsored by Mirabeau and the tables featured candles from the Self Care Co. The lunch marked the première of the Future Dreams pledge film, which for the first time took viewers inside what will be Future Dreams House. The building, which will be Breast Cancer Haven’s new London centre, is due to open in May 2021. It was the first opportunity for Amy, daughter and grand-daughter of our co-founders Danielle and Sylvie, to be shown around the building. Her reaction to what has been achieved since her mum and grandmother started the charity with just £100 back in 2008 was hugely moving. Helen Addis, better known on Instagram as @thetittygritty, spoke about
SPECIAL MOMENT: Elizabeth Hurley presents Lauren Mahon with her award
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Danielle Livesey and singer Jack Savoretti
Helen Addis
Melissa Hemsley
Gaby Roslin
being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 39. She filled the room with tears and laughter, talking through her Change and Check campaign. Since launching on the ITV Lorraine show, the scheme has led to 30 women finding lumps in their breasts after seeing Change and Check stickers in stores and gyms. Our finale was a performance by singer Jack Savoretti, whose manager Danielle Livesey was 124 | FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK
A lunch guest
inspired to go into the music business after recovering from her own breast cancer diagnosis. Thanks to our guests and sponsors, EstĂŠe Lauder Companies, we raised ÂŁ360,000 for Future Dreams
Joyce Misrahi (third from left) and her glamorous table guests
Melissa Odabash and Jacquie Beltrao
Helen Addis
Dr Fharat Raja
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FUNDRAISING
I T ’ S M OR E T H A N A R IB B ON
It unites us
THIS YEAR WE HAVE LEARNED TO APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER FOR A COMMON C AUSE. THE ESTÉE LAUDER COMPANIES’ BREAST C ANCER C AMPAIGN HAS NEVER BEEN MORE APPROPRIATE...
Beauty writer Emma Guns, Global Ambassador of The Estée Lauder Companies Breast Cancer Campaign Elizabeth Hurley, Dr Zoe Williams and GIRLvsCANCER’s Lauren Mahon
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What an extraordinary year 2020 has been. As the global pandemic has touched every part of our lives, we have experienced feelings of fear, isolation and lack of control.
then editor-in-chief of Self magazine, to create the symbol. They used it to make patients’ and survivors’ visible and their voices heard.
Which is why this October, Breast Cancer Awareness month, it is more important than ever for everyone to come together and unite against this disease. This unity is important, not just for those diagnosed, but for friends, families and loved ones, too.
That was back in 1992 and, since then, it has become a globally-recognised symbol. Evelyn’s vision was for it to unite people through a common pink thread. Today, whether it is worn as a brooch, lipsticked on a hand, or sent in a social media post, it is a message that is understood worldwide.
As always, The Estée Lauder Companies are at the forefront with their international message #TimeToEndBreastCancer and their key message – ‘It’s more than a ribbon. It unites us’.
The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign is not just about creating awareness and giving women and men a space to discuss their health.
The iconic pink ribbon was borne out of two women’s desire to unite and inspire people to create a breast cancer-free world.
Most importantly, the campaign has also raised an incredible $89 million (£68 million) for global life-saving research, education and medical services.
The late Evelyn H Lauder joined forces with her great friend Alexandra Penney,
Through its Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 293 medical research grants
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY LUNCH: Actress Amanda Mealing, Bake Off ’s Prue Leith, actress Fay Ripley and broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire
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have been funded. And, despite the fact that breast cancer is still the most common cancer in women worldwide, progress has most certainly been made. In America, for example, breast cancer mortality rates have decreased by 40% among women since the late 1980s. But sadly it is increasing in developing countries, where the majority of cases are only diagnosed in the late stages. Every 15 seconds, somewhere in the world, a woman is diagnosed. Actress and businesswoman Elizabeth Hurley has dedicated herself to being the Global Ambassador of The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign.
‘EVELYN HAD A VISION AND WOULD BE PROUD OF HOW FAR WE HAVE COME. I AM HONOURED TO WEAR THE PINK RIBBON’ – ELIZABETH HURLEY ‘Being a part of the movement to end breast cancer is my most meaningful work,’ says Elizabeth. ‘With people around the world still being diagnosed with breast cancer every minute of every day, the disease remains a challenge that we are dedicated to. ‘I joined Evelyn to work on the campaign shortly after she started it in the early in 1990s, when women still did not talk openly about the disease. She would be so proud of how far we have come and the positive impact we have had.’
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Elizabeth says she has seen the tremendous progress made through the research that has been funded. ‘But I’ve spoken to many leaders in the field who all tell me the same thing – that we must continue to fund research to advance science, treatments, and care, to bring us closer to a cure,’ she adds. ‘Evelyn had a vision and knew that long-term impact would be the result of our collective actions. I am honoured to wear the pink ribbon proudly and be a small part of the global community that is driven to end this disease once and for all.’ While every experience of breast cancer is individual, scientific research, awareness and support is something to be shared. Estée Lauder Companies is committed to spreading the word in local communities as well as on the world stage. Meanwhile, Future Dreams and The Estée Lauder Companies have both been working closely with Leanne Pero, the breast cancer campaigner who has set up Black Women Rising. ‘There is a higher mortality rate for BAME women diagnosed with breast cancer,’ explains Leanne, who was diagnosed four years ago. ‘We need to make more women in the black and Asian communities aware of the symptoms so they can seek treatment earlier. ‘We are thrilled to have had support from Estée Lauder Companies to amplify our voice in these communities. It is so important that everyone comes together – women and men – to support each other with the common goal of finding a cure.’
SHOW US YOUR PINK RIBBON AND SHARE WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU Use the hashtags #TimeToEndBreastCancer and #ELCdonates and join us in supporting the global breast cancer community. Because it’s always been more than a ribbon. For every public, in-feed Instagram or Facebook post during the month of October featuring both #TimeToEndBreastCancer and #ELCdonates together, @esteelaudercompanies will donate $25 to @bcrfcure up to $100,000.
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you?
B UT H OW A R E
Watching the woman or man you love deal with a diagnosis of breast cancer is heartbreaking and why Future Dreams has started our Partner’s Perspective project. We want to bring together other halves who are doing their best to be there every step of the way and to acknowledge it is okay to struggle
In the same way that nothing prepares you for being given a breast cancer diagnosis, nothing prepares you for seeing the one you love receive the shattering news. Every relationship is different and some spouses handle it better than others. While some find it hard to cope and even go missing in action, others step up, becoming an emotional sponge and practical life organiser. But it can be tough trying to be everyone’s rock when you are quaking inside. Many partners dismiss their pain, believing they shouldn’t be having problems. They aren’t the one with the disease, after all. However, watching your loved one struggling physically and emotionally when you are not sure what to do for the best, brings huge challenges. Breast Cancer Haven (breastcancerhaven.org.uk) offers counselling for partners and it is a service that will be offered at Future Dreams House. Future Dreams ambassador and photographer Paul Toeman has worked at many of our fundraising events and wanted to understand exactly what the other halves were going through. He photographed couples in his studio in north London and, pandemic permitting, hopes to launch an exhibition of the images for Valentine’s Day next year. Our case studies will include same sex couples as well as men and women who have, or have had, the disease. Every couple is different – but many of their feeling are similar. Here some of the couples tell their story...
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Eddy and Julia Eddy Edwards, 50, has been with his wife Julia for 17 years and they have two sons, aged 14 and nine. Julia’s breast cancer diagnosis has made him wake up and grow up, he says. ‘If I’m honest I could be a bit selfish before. The whole experience has made us closer and made me think more about being a dad and a husband. I’d be very interested in how many partners have taken up the offer of counselling. If you haven’t been through this you don’t realise what it’s like. As a couple you have to keep communicating, talking to each other and exploring how you feel. Men can feel really alone and their wives can feel really alone too, even though you are living in the same house together. You have to talk to each other. ‘Cancer isn’t funny but it is true there are an awful lot of funny things that have happened to us. We have laughed less this second time though. It has been so much harder for both of us. ‘When Julia was diagnosed the first time I took pride in being calm, of being the support act for her. She was diagnosed again earlier this year and it has been a struggle to remain calm. I feel I have been less effective. I have to jolt myself sometimes – Julia is going through so much and I ask why am the one feeling sorry for myself? Cancer has become so dominant in both our lives but you just have to get on with it. The thing is, I have never met anyone who makes things happen in life like Julia does.’
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Kreena and Satty Kreena and Satty Dhiman became parents this summer to beautiful triplet boys. Kreena was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. Chemotherapy pushed Kreena into early menopause and the couple embarked on an emotional journey of fertility treatments, egg freezing and a hunt for suitable surrogate mothers. Kreena also nearly died as a result of a rare reaction to one of her treatments. Since then she has created an award-winning podcast and is enjoying life as a mum as well as a successful career in the finance industry. Their sons Anaayan, Arvaarn, Aanav and daughter Amaala, two, have brought them even closer but their relationship has faced many pressures as a result of Kreena’s breast cancer diagnosis.
‘DURING MY TREATMENT HE MADE ME FEEL BEAUTIFUL. HE WASHED MY HAIR AFTER MY MASTECTOMY, HE KNEW HOW IMPORTANT MY HAIR WAS TO ME’
‘I just knew I had to do my part as a husband,’ says Satty. He has been there for Kreena every step of the way, and it was Satty who insisted she went to the doctor when she noticed her left nipple was inverted. ‘We had been married three years, been travelling, bought our house and planning a family was the next thing we wanted to do,’ says Kreena. ‘I can remember coming out of the consultant’s and looking at him. He was crying and I started to cry, too. ‘During my treatment he made me feel beautiful. He washed my hair after my mastectomy, he knew how important my hair was to me. After I lost my breast and my eyebrows he accepted me. He was always there. We are quite different but it works. We are a unit. People say he is lucky to have a strong woman but I couldn’t do it without his support. He is there for me. He is always there.’ But Satty would not have it any other way. ‘Kreena is remarkable,’ he says. ‘I didn’t think I could love her more, but I do.’
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Steve and Rachael Steve Bland is the widower of You, Me and the Big C broadcaster Rachael Bland, who sadly died two years ago. He continues doing the podcast with Rachael’s co-presenters, Lauren Mahon and Deborah James, and is bringing up their five-year-old son, Freddie. ‘I get quite a lot of messages from women who are stage 4 incurable breast cancer, who say they get comfort from seeing that I am doing okay with Freddie and it makes them think their other halves may do so too when the time comes. I don’t think there is enough support for partners. Of course, I understand totally that the focus should be on the person with the disease but I think men are not particularly good at seeking out help. I didn’t get any help when Rachael (right) was alive, but I probably should have done. It is one of those cliches that men are not good at talking or asking for help. It is important to be proactive about it.
‘IT IS ONE OF THOSE CLICHES THAT ‘MEN ARE NOT GOOD AT ASKING FOR SUPPORT. PEOPLE WHO JUST TOOK IT OUT OF MY HANDS AND TURNED UP WITH FOOD REALLY HELPED’ ‘Before Rachael had cancer, if a friend or their wife had become ill I would have probably done that thing of saying, “If there is anything you need just call me, I am there for you.” I had lots of friends who did that. They were very well intentioned but the reality is you will never call them. You will never say, “I have decided I would really like a lasagne, if you could just cook it for me and drop it off, please.” But some friends did just drop off food in the porch without me asking. The people who just took it out of my hands were really helpful. One friend drove 15 miles to deliver a meal. ‘Rachael was incredible, an unbelievable mum. She was brilliant, kind and funny and we just presumed she would get well. It can put a lot of strain on a relationship trying to see positives all the time but at the same time being realistic. She wore a cold cap and managed to keep most of her hair – she had this big mane of golden hair. It was important to her and I could look at her and think she didn’t look ill and I could pretend it wasn’t happening. ‘It is important to fight to stop the cancer getting in the way of the good times.’
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‘THIS HAS MADE ME REALISE HOW MUCH SHE HAS BEEN AN AGENT OF CHANGE IN MY LIFE’
Adam and Meg Adam, 44, and his wife Meg have children, Lola, 15, Rudy, six, and Meg’s daughter, Matilda, 26. The entrepreneur says he’s yet to ‘have the big cry’ since Meg’s diagnosis – but he knows it is coming... ‘When Meg found a lump in her breast she had it checked by the doctor who said it didn’t look like anything alarming but that she should have it looked at in hospital. We weren’t worried so I went to work and two and half hours later Meg phoned me in tears. I shouldn’t have let her go on her own. It nags at me massively but we didn’t think it was anything serious. I drove to collect her as quickly as I could. There was so much going through my head. I just wanted to be there for her. ‘I’m lucky I run my own business. It would have been much harder if I had a nine-to-five job. We have good friends and relatives around and we are a very close family and talk about everything. There have been a few tough moments – the toughest was finding out her diagnosis. I haven’t had the big cry yet, but I know at some point I need to let it out. ‘Meg is tough, she just gets on with everything and I have so much admiration for her. She makes people feel good about themselves. Her diagnosis has made me realise how much she has been an agent of change in my life. For the first time I’m asking myself where we will be in five years time, where will we live? ‘After going through this together you don’t want to be just doing stuff and going through life without thinking.’
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www.phase-eight.com
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MY PL AN IS TO BE HERE
a lot longer yet
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A POSITIVE MINDSET, A ‘LET’S JUST DO IT!’ ATTITUDE, AND A JOB SHE LOVES HAS HELPED MARY HUCKLE DEAL WITH A SECONDARY BREAST C ANCER DIAGNOSIS. HERE SHE PASSES ON SOME OF THE LESSONS SHE HAS LEARNED...
Mary, 54, discovered she had secondary breast cancer in July 2014, seven years after her primary diagnosis. I call the seven years that I was cancer free, my seven-year itch... and then came the diagnosis. I’ll be honest, it was devastating because I knew it meant that I would never be cured, and that I would be on treatment for life. Initially I thought, ‘I’m in a really bad place now,’ but then as I researched more into secondary breast cancer, I came to realise that although the median life expectancy is two to five years, there are some people who live for a long time after that. Last year I met someone who had been living with secondaries for 19 years. ‘That’s what I’m going to do,’ I told myself. ‘That will be me.’ I’m not superwoman. I’m realistic. Of course, I have some dark days too, but I try not to get down for long. Getting overly stressed or worried serves no purpose, causes stress and I believe can suppress your immune system further. I have been lucky. For almost 13 years I have tolerated well most of
my treatments and have had quick recoveries from my various surgeries. Apart from the breast cancer, I’ve always been fit and healthy. I’m a personal trainer and a Pilates instructor, and I truly believe that my job has kept me in good stead. Exercise works wonders for your state of mind, as well as your physical wellbeing. I’m active on social media and you can find me on Twitter @mary_huckle and Instagram @maryhuckle. The emotional isolation that accompanies a diagnosis can be frightening. Before Instagram I thought I was the only one with breast cancer. Since then, I’ve made some incredible online friendships and it’s even better when you get to meet them in person. Whether you’re having a good or bad day, there’s always someone you can call upon. There’s an entire community encouraging, supporting and cheering you on. There is a unique camaraderie. When it comes to secondary breast cancer, there’s a huge and concerning lack of awareness. I find it worrying
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that some primary patients don’t want to know about secondaries, either because they’re frightened, or they haven’t been told about the red flags to look out for. I’ve been fortunate enough to have all my reoccurrences discovered early when they’ve been low-volume disease, meaning that I’ve had a good chance of dealing with them early on.
counselling then, but I wish someone had checked on me, explained that it was normal to feel this way and told me how to get help. A cancer diagnosis can be just as devastating for family members and I believe they should be offered emotional help, too.
‘BEING DIAGNOSED WITH SECONDARIES MEANS FACING YOUR MORTALITY ON A REGULAR BASIS’ I’m now having counselling again. It’s reassuring to know that I can talk and offload onto a complete stranger, rather than burden my husband or my kids. I can cry if I need to and I know it won’t cause the counsellor upset or worry. I used to think that it meant you were failing and weak if you asked for help, but actually it means the exact opposite – that you are perceptive enough to realise something isn’t right with your mental health, and that you’re being proactive.
If you are diagnosed with secondaries, become your own patient advocate – do the research on your particular diagnosis. Don’t be afraid to ask your oncologist lots of questions, and make sure you are on the right treatment. Don’t just assume that your oncologist is the oracle. He or she probably consults with other oncologists all the time to check that he’s definitely taking the right course of action. Tell yourself: it’s my life, my body and my human right to know everything I need to know. My next bit of advice would be to seek help with the mental health side of things. Twelve years ago, when I finished active treatment, I couldn’t understand why I felt so down and vulnerable – I should have been happy! I never sought
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Being diagnosed with secondaries means facing your mortality on a regular basis, especially around scan times when you get to find out if the treatment you’re on is working. The last thing you want is to be in a state of constant anxiety. Counselling is a great complementary therapy and I highly recommend it. A cancer diagnosis may also bring about financial issues. Money worries on top of health worries is an awful situation. So, if you do have to give up work, make sure you look into what benefits you might be entitled to. Next, value the people around you. My husband, Phil, is my rock. Before lockdown, he accompanied me to all my oncology appointments. He never missed one. He has been so understanding and supportive all along. I am also incredibly lucky to have a brilliant network of
family, friends and even clients, who all look out for me. Self care doesn’t have to involve a spa weekend or a holiday abroad. It could very much be about making time to just read a few pages of that book that has been sitting on the side gathering dust. It might be a walk in a green space and literally smelling the roses. Nowadays, I take more notice of the details and I’m conscious of everything around me, especially anything to do with nature or being outdoors. I live in the moment and I’m definitely thankful for all the days I feel well. Secondary breast cancer puts your life into complete perspective. Some of the things we can worry about are so insignificant and petty. Being a personal trainer is a bit like being a counsellor and quite often my clients offload their problems on me. They might then suddenly stop midflow because they feel bad complaining about something that doesn’t compare with what I’m going through. It’s all relative, so I allow them to carry on complaining. Eventually though, I usually tell people not sweat the small stuff. Life really is too short.
VALUE THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU: Mary with her children
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WE L IV E LI FE
to the max!
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POSITIVE: Laura (left) and Nicky (right) want to spread awareness while offering hope to others
FINDING AND MAKING NEW FRIENDS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF MANY WOMEN’S BREAST C ANCER JOURNEY. FOR LAURA AND NICKY, THEIR SHARED EXPERIENCES HAVE CREATED AN EXTRAORDINARY BOND AND AN INSPIRING ORGANISATION – SECONDARY SISTERS
Laura Middleton-Hughes and Nicky Newman, both 32, have set up an inspiring online community for women like them who have been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. Laura and Nicky were both told the news when they were 30. It meant letting go of some of their dreams, but together they have found new goals. We asked them to tell us about the work of Secondary Sisters and why it is so important... What is your mission behind Secondary Sisters?
together to raise awareness and increase support around the disease.
Being diagnosed with incurable secondary cancer can be a dark and frightening time. Secondary Sisters is here to create a safe place to connect with other Secondary Sisters, to give an insight into what it’s like to live with the disease, and to share everything we know about learning to live with cancer.
How did you meet?
We believe there is a lack of support and understanding. Most people think that when someone is diagnosed with cancer they will go through treatment and ‘beat’ the disease. This isn’t the case for all of us. Lack of education and awareness of secondaries means being diagnosed can be very lonely. We want to change that. No-one should face cancer alone. Our aim is to unite the secondary cancer community to allow cancer bods, charities and brands to work
Laura was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2016 following her primary diagnosis in 2014. Nicky was diagnosed in April 2018 with secondary breast cancer, which has spread to her bones. Both of us receive hospital treatment every three weeks, which, alongside a concoction of drugs, helps us with our side effects and keeps the cancer stable. We first met each other at a cancer campaign and immediately connected as our stories are so similar. We were both in our early thirties, both had breast cancer in our bones and were both unable to fulfil our dreams of motherhood. We discovered we are both gym nutters and are determined to live life to the absolute max. We met again
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several months later for a girls’ day out and, over wine and cake, Secondary Sisters was born.
loss but most drugs for secondary cancer do not make you lose your hair.
How have you managed to build a community of women who have been diagnosed with secondary cancer?
You sound so positive – are you like that all the time?
We’ve found Instagram an incredible platform to allow us to use our voices and in return we have managed to help a huge and very lonely community come together. Social media gives us an in-box and the ability for people to chat via comments. It is also a great tool to help us personally as we find it a form of therapy as well as an outlet. Helping others helps us in return. And do these women get to meet one another face to face? Before Covid-19 we managed to arrange and host our first-ever meet up and we’ll certainly be doing it again as soon as we can. We’ve received such amazing feedback from the event and managed to create a safe space for likeminded people. It was amazing to see women being able to chat to others and to know they understood one another on every level. What are the most common misconceptions about secondary breast cancer? That it’s curable. And, when people discover that it is not, that their life is over. It definitely isn’t – you can still live very well. Often, they are scared the prognosis is always short. That’s not true. People can now live with secondary cancers for many years. People also assume that chemotherapy always causes hair
We wish! Of course we have down moments but we try not to let them take over. The secret to staying positive is to allow yourself to express all feelings – the good and the bad. Who designed your brilliant logo? Nicky came up with the double SS and Laura turned them into boobs! We had also some amazing help bringing it to life. What’s the most important message you want to share with women in your situation? You are not alone and you can live with this disease. Take one day at a time and focus on the present. It must have been particularly tough, being diagnosed at such a young age. It can feel trickier. We’re often the youngest people in our clinics, which makes it difficult to connect with others, but since we started Secondary Sisters we’ve found more younger cancer bods who are in the same boat as us. We’re also of the age where a lot of our friends are getting on with life – buying houses, following exciting careers and having babies – and this can be a painful reminder of what could have been. It’s okay though. We both have some pretty exciting living lists to be ticking off.
Check out @nicknacklou @baldbooblessandbeautiful @secondary.sisters on Instagram
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L AU RA AND NIC KY ’S
stay positive list
Don't worry about the things you cannot change and focus on the present.
Let yourself have a cry. Crying is always seen as a negative emotion but we see it as a relief.
Make a list on your phone of all the things that make you happy, so that when you are having a down day you can go to your list, choose something and do it!
Make up a living list so you have things booked that you can look forward to.
Talk to your friends, family and cancer crew. We find talking helps and acts as a kind of therapy.
Get moving. Even a gentle yoga session can put your mind back on track.
Sleep. Make sure you rest and allow yourself time to heal.
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FIGHTING TO STOP THE SPREAD When breast cancer spreads around the body it is known as secondary or metastatic breast cancer and is sadly incurable. Almost every one of the 11,500 women who die each year as a result of breast cancer will have seen her cancer spread. So, we are in real need of drugs that can save lives by stopping this. Future Dreams has in recent years supported a Breast Cancer Now research project at the University of York, led by Dr William Brackenbury (pictured above). Dr Brackenbury is trying to discover what helps breast cancer cells spread around the body – and his innovative research has the potential to bring us one step closer to being able to prevent secondary breast cancer and save lives. The work involves testing to see if breast cancer cells generate electrical signals and if this helps them to move around the body. If Dr Brackenbury’s team is successful, its work could eventually lead to the use of drugs that stop the signals and, in turn, prevent the cells from invading other parts of the body. The researchers have been making great progress with the project. Their experiments indicate that the levels of sodium inside cancer cells – which can lead to electrical signals – differ
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across the tumour. Sodium levels are higher in the cancer cells than in healthy tissue, they say. In an attempt to further understand these differences between healthy and breast cancer cells, Dr Brackenbury has also been testing drugs that can prevent the sodium from entering body tissue. ‘We know that sodium levels are higher in breast tumours than healthy tissue and they may also help breast cancer to spread around the body,’ he says. ‘However, until now there has been no method to study this outside of the clinic, meaning that we know little about how this elevated sodium occurs and what subsequent effects it may have.’ The research project was due to finish in October this year, but was severely delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like most research labs in the country, Dr Brackenbury had to temporarily close his facility to meet lockdown rules. He believes the hold up will set the work back at least six months. ‘One of the major issues is how long it will take us to restart experiments and begin generating data at the point where we left off,’ he says. ‘We really don’t want to lose momentum or to let progress stall.’ The message is clear. In the search to find a way to prevent secondary cancers and to make up for lost time, researchers like Dr Brackenbury and Breast Cancer Now need your support, now more than ever.
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WHEN YOU TURN THE O2
into a giant boob! For Future Dreams ambassador and cancer survivor Helen Addis, the O2 is a boob waiting to happen. Here’s how Helen plans to lead 50 women – and one man! – up the iconic stadium to raise much-needed funds...
Helen Addis sees boobs everywhere. On Instagram as @thetittygritty, she posts pictures of boob-shaped objects to remind women to check their breasts. And so it was only a matter of time before she set the curve of London’s O2 in her sights. Last month, ITV journalist Helen and a brave band of fundraisers were set to scale the stadium. The group included TV’s Lorraine Kelly, some 31 women who had all spotted signs of breast cancer thanks to the Change and Check campaign, and 15 women and one man with secondary cancers. This second group was led by Nicky Newman and Laura Middleton-Hughes, founders of Secondary Sisters. But then came new lockdown laws. Unfortunately the event had to be postponed and will now take place in 2021. The good news is there’s still
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loads of time to get on board and sponsor the climb. ‘I was talking to Future Dreams about awareness and we came up with the idea of taking this brave group, many of whom are still having treatment, up the O2,’ says Helen. ‘It’s the perfect boob-shaped building.’ Helen, who is head of features on ITV’s Lorraine, launched Change and Check on the show after her breast cancer diagnosis. The campaign uses stickers in changing rooms to remind women to check themselves. Lockdown has caused so many 2020 Future Dreams events to be postponed, so it is more important then ever to support those scheduled for next year. Look out for news of the climb on social media and Helen’s Instagram @thetittygritty.
Michelle Watson, 52, realised she might have breast cancer after reading a Change and Check sticker. She is one of the women planning to take on the O2 climb. ‘Just one year after my mum passed away from breast cancer, I received my own diagnosis. It was a shock as my mum’s cancer was age related and not hereditary,’ says Michelle. ‘Without seeing the Change and Check sticker I wouldn’t have recognised my own cancer. It looked totally different to Mum’s – I wasn’t aware the disease could manifest itself in so many different ways. ‘Telling my eight-year-old son was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I am now cancer clear. We kicked this as a family! ‘Thank you to Future Dreams for helping to produce those stickers. You probably saved my life.’ Following her own breast cancer journey, Maggie Walker, 75, is also taking part in the O2 event. ‘Early diagnosis saves lives,’ says Maggie. ‘I told family, friends and everyone I met on my daily dog walks that I had breast cancer and reminded them of the importance of checking their breasts regularly. Get checked by your GP, I would say. Screening is straightforward so just overcome your fears and do it. ‘I still check for any changes, however small or insignificant. At 75 years of age I really have an appointment with life.’
Support us! Please head online to justgiving.com/fundraising/Future-Dreams-Ltd and sponsor our brave climbers.
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A DV E R TO R I A L
Get to know your breasts! Provided by:
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If you notice anything unsual see your doctor or nurse as soon as possible. Early diagnosis could mean a better chance of successful treatment.
I WA N T TO GIV E WO M EN
dignity and comfort
CHARLEY WOOD USED HER EXPERIENCE OF BREAST SURGERY AND C AME UP WITH A SIMPLE INVENTION TO HELP OTHER WOMEN RECOVER
My name is Charlotte, but everyone calls me Charley. I’m 31. I discovered I carried the BRCA1 gene, which gives you an increased risk of getting breast and ovarian cancers, when I was tested at 25. My mum had died of ovarian cancer eight years earlier. I am one of three girls in my family and two of us have inherited the mutated gene. So, in July 2015, I had a preventative double mastectomy. This has taken my breast cancer risk to below that of the general population, which is brilliant. But the experience highlighted to me a real post-op problem for patients – and one I was determined to find a solution to. Before I went in for surgery, I searched high and low for bags to carry the post-surgical drains I would be fitted with. I knew I was going to be discharged from hospital with these drains and have them for at least 12 days. It’s so inconvenient not having the use of your hands and so I worried about how I would manage. I didn’t want to be housebound but I didn’t want to get funny looks in the street or to feel embarrassed. Unfortunately hospitals don’t readily give out things to
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contain the drains and I saw ladies using plastic carrier bags and pillowcases. I designed two simple fabric bags to be worn over my shoulders. Being able to do things for myself made me feel much better – I realised how helpful these were and wanted to make them available to others. I came up with the name Drain Dollies while recovering from surgery, I thought it sounded nice and not too clinical. The morphine must have helped my imagination!
‘HOSPITALS DON’T READILY GIVE OUT THINGS TO CONTAIN THE DRAINS AND I SAW LADIES USING PLASTIC CARRIER BAGS AND PILLOWCASES’
Since then the feedback I’ve received has been brilliant. Lots of surgeons and breast care nurses recommend the bags. They make recovery with drains easier, because you don’t have to worry about carrying them, or catching them on something. I also feel they give ladies more dignity – it isn’t very pleasant carrying round a bottle full of blood. The messages I’ve had from ladies with children has also been very touching. Many felt the drain bottles scared their children, and the Drain Dollies took this fear away. My advice for anyone facing a BRCA diagnosis is not to panic. It doesn’t mean you have or will get cancer. Research all your options. Surgery isn’t right for everybody, and the surgery types themselves are vast. I often have ladies who are contemplating surgery email or message me and I’m more than happy to chat with them. I’ve even sent out photos of my boobs during all the stages and final result to ease their anxiety. The entire world has seen my reconstruction!
GOOD LIFE: Charley is looking ahead with boyfriend Tom
If you are facing a double mastectomy find people who have been through it to talk to – there are always some things you don’t want to ask the medics or don’t have the time to. There’s plenty of private support forums on Facebook, where women talk openly about their experiences and air their concerns. Through groups such as these and Drain Dollies I have made friends for life. We still talk all the time,
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sometimes about cancer related stuff, as none of us have had our ovaries removed yet, which is the next hurdle. I never doubted taking the test. I don’t like uncertainty and always want a plan. The test appointments were not scary at all – it was the subsequent surgery that was nerve-racking. After all, having your breasts removed at such a young age is very drastic but much easier than getting breast cancer. For me, it was better to get it out the way and look forward to the future with one less worry. I was very confident that my surgeon would give me the best outcome he possibly could and he did. It helped that I wasn’t particularly a fan of my boobs before. I prefer them now and don’t even have to wear a bra! Today, life is good. I no longer worry about getting breast cancer. I live with my boyfriend, Tom, and our dog, Winston and one day in the future, Tom and I would love to have a baby. Obviously I can never breastfeed, but when you compare this to the alternative, for me it was a much better option. I am a podiatrist and have my own foot-care clinic but I work on Drain Dollies in my spare time and really love doing it as it’s so different from my other job. A donation from sales goes towards Genesis breast cancer research and I love buying new fabrics and creating new designs. Losing my mum at such a young age has made me realise that nothing is guaranteed for ever and you must enjoy every moment you can with the people you love. Live for today and do things that make you happy. FOR MORE DETAILS GO TO: draindollies.co.uk
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Bags designed by Charley
A DV E R TO R I A L
STACK FOR THE SISTERHOOD
With Future Dreams
At Lola Rose, Future Dreams holds a very special place in all our hearts and, most poignantly, with our founder and Creative Director Nicola Gewirtz MBE, who grew up with Danielle and was always in awe of her strength and endless positivity. It was therefore only natural for Nikki and Lola Rose to become devoted supporters of Future Dreams since the beginning, with Nikki herself asked to be an ambassador for the Charity in 2010.
We at Lola Rose hope that through our partnership with Future Nikki Gewirtz MBE founder of Lola Rose Dreams our jewellery and accessories can help bring a little joy and happiness to women’s lives. Lola Rose is synonymous with the use of bold, beautiful and unique colour and it is our wish to help every woman celebrate their natural beauty and instill confidence and positivity in women everywhere. Future Dreams offer impeccable care and support to those touched by cancer. Beyond that, sometimes a thoughtful gi really can li spirits. Lola Rose is proud to have created many pieces that that will make the wearer feel special, with 20% of all proceeds from the sales of our pink and purple jewellery being donated to Future Dreams. Our most recent collection includes eye catching wild pink quartzite, super so sweet pink quartzite, luxurious Persian agate, and the tranquil lavender quartzite, in an array of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings. Any of our beautiful pieces can be worn by a lady undergoing treatment, a survivor or a mother, sister, daughter or friend in solidarity. It is our hope that something from Lola Rose could be that little piece of everyday luxury that every woman can really treasure. To help Future Dreams continue the good work that they do, for the month of October Lola Rose will be donating 20% off all full-price pink and purple jewellery through our website direct at www.lolarose.co.uk.
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SUPPORT AND ADVICE
WHY EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE TALKING AB OUT
breast cancer
TV DOCTOR AMIR KHAN HAS A VERY PERSONAL REASON FOR WANTING ALL HIS PATIENTS AND VIEWERS TO BE BREAST C ANCER AWARE. HERE HE EXPLAINS WHY... In October 2015 I got a call from my mum, Abida, while I was at work. She had gone for her routine mammogram and they had found a suspicious looking lesion, they wanted her to come back for an ultrasound-guided biopsy. My immediate reaction was that it was likely to be nothing and they were just being over cautious so I tried to reassure her and went with her to the appointment. At the clinic, she was assigned a breast liaison nurse who translated everything for her – even though Mum can speak perfectly good English, Urdu is her first language. This took away some of her anxiety, but unfortunately the biopsy came back as cancer – a small undifferentiated lump in her right breast. She’d had no symptoms and had felt perfectly well, and so it was a shock for the whole family. Further tests revealed the cancer had not yet spread to her lymph nodes and a mastectomy was suggested. The hospital was brilliant (as was my mum). She had the
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LUCKY: Amir’s mum Abida, was diagnosed early with breast cancer
surgery in the morning and was home that night. At the next appointment, the oncologist told my mum it had been an aggressive type of breast cancer but they were confident it had all been removed. There was however a small chance that it could have seeded somewhere and, to reduce the chances of it recurring, she was offered chemotherapy. It was a difficult decision – the chemotherapy would only reduce the chances of it coming back by a tiny percentage. We discussed it as a family and decided against it. Thankfully, Mum is still healthy and now goes for yearly mammograms. I come from a family of women, I have six sisters and no brothers. People assume being the only boy means I am spoilt rotten. Sadly (for me) my mum is the ultimate feminist and made sure that when I was growing up I did my fair share of washing, mopping and vacuuming. But even with all these women around, we never talked about breasts or any form of cancer screening.
It’s a bit of a taboo subject in our South Asian community and after my mum was diagnosed, the elders in our community would come to visit but never mention the words ‘breast cancer’. They would ask how my mum was doing after her ‘illness’ or after her ‘surgery’. Even my own sisters would skirt around the subject.
‘IN THE UK, SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN HAVE HIGHER BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER MORTALITY THAN THE HOST POPULATION’ I thought, if people in South Asian communities are too embarrassed to say ‘breast cancer’, how can we be sure they are aware of the symptoms and signs to look out for? Studies show that South Asian women generally have lower screening rates than host country women. The evidence also shows that South Asian women have poorer knowledge of
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cancer and cancer prevention and experience more barriers to screening. Cultural practices and assumptions influence understandings of cancer and prevention, emphasising the importance of host country cultures and healthcare systems. And it gets worse. A systematic review of the evidence shows that in the UK, South Asian women have higher breast and cervical cancer mortality than the host population, worse cancer-related health outcomes (with the exception of some Indian groups) and are
screening services and cancer in general. Many believed their health to be in the lap of the gods, but others had their attitudes shaped by previous encounters with healthcare professionals and even their migration experience. There were other barriers too, including those around language, family commitments and ease of appointment access. It was also clear that cancer screening wasn’t being openly discussed in the communities we sampled. This has to change. Many people much
‘I KEPT THINKING OF ALL THE OTHER MUMS OUT THERE FROM OTHER CULTURES WHO WERE PRESENTING LATE WITH CANCERS AS A RESULT OF CULTURAL BARRIERS’ more likely to present with advanced disease. My mum was lucky. She has doctors in the family who are constantly telling her about the importance of cancer screening. She is also fluent in English and can drive, which means she can attend appointments without having to take a translator with her. I kept thinking of all the other mums out there from other cultures who were presenting late with cancers as a result of cultural barriers. Since then I have worked with a team at the Yorkshire Cancer Research centre and the University of Bradford to better understand these cultural barriers so that we can try to overcome them. We spoke to South Asian women living in Bradford about their understanding of cancer
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cleverer than myself are working at getting these communities better, more targeted access to screening. But, as a GP, I can do my bit. I can talk to my South Asian patients in their language about the importance of screening and try to allay their concerns. Being from their culture allows me to better understand some of their beliefs and openly talk about them without being dismissive. When it comes to encouraging all of our patients to attend for cancer screening, every health care professional has a role to play. Not every mum will be as lucky as mine was, but we can improve that by simply talking to our patients and making sure we have a better understanding of them.
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR GP
about breast cancer IF YOU SEE YOUR GP ABOUT BREAST SYMPTOMS THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THEY WILL REFER YOU TO SEE A BREAST SPECIALIST. COMMON QUESTIONS TO ASK MIGHT BE:
1
When am I likely to get my appointment?
2
Can I bring a family member with me – even with recent Covid guidelines?
3
What tests are they likely to do?
IF YOUR GP DOESN’T REFER YOU TO SEE A SPECIALIST, YOU MAY THINK OF ASKING:
1
Who do I contact if my symptoms change or get worse?
2
How long shall I give it for my symptoms to settle down?
3
Can you explain why I do not need further tests or a referral?
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Riding the Wave Consultant breast and oncoplastic surgeon and Future Dreams trustee, Joanna Franks (left), explains how The Wellington Hospital triumphed through the first Covid-19 wave, and why breast cancer patients should feel confident about receiving treatment safely, even in the face of a second lockdown. While March now seems a lifetime ago, as the countr y prepared itself for a then indefinite lockdown and the unknowns of a Covid-19 pandemic, UK NHS hospitals up and down the countr y turned their operating theatres into intensive care units. As a result, many breast cancer patients were being operated on in private hospitals, such as The Wellington, which was taken over by the NHS for this ver y purpose, with the capacity to see 40 to 50 NHS patients for surger y ever y week. With news headlines highlighting the knock-on effect of prioritising care for Covid-19 casualties over all other patients, Jo is keen to reassure all breast cancer patients and their friends and families that The Wellington has now established a number of new ways to look after them safely, minimising the risk of Covid-19 exposure. How did The Wellington work with the NHS during the spring lockdown? In nor th London, NHS breast cancer patients from 10 different hospitals were put under one ser vice. The good news for patients was that they were getting the exper tise and input from all these incredible teams who were
coming together to create a new plan for best practice. We successfully under took almost 460 breast cancer operations throughout the height of the lockdown, managing a ver y safe and consistent pathway in a Covid-free environment. Did you have any Covid outbreaks during the first lockdown? As a hospital, The Wellington was separated from any Covid infections. Patients were and still are thoroughly screened prior to a procedure, including pre-op assessments, Covid swabbing and periods of isolation. Staff are also regularly tested and we have managed to avoid any Covid-related complications in our breast cancer patients. We created a safe environment where patients were able to receive the best possible care at the right time. The Wellington has really triumphed over Covid and has used the time to showcase what they can do. What were the biggest issues to conquer? Safety and capacity: because at the beginning, we didn’t know if it was going to be safe, or what our capacity would be, even in the private sector. So the priority was to ensure that we had established safe pathways to protect our patients. How have some of your practices changed? We have just had to become more creative. We have done a lot more ‘tele’ medicine than face to face. We have had to utilise a strategy across London to ensure people who require timecritical care get their treatment quickly. The breast cancer patients whose diagnosis allowed us to treat them safely with medications had this first, while we worked out a clear strategy on safety and capacity. Once we had established safe pathways we were able to expand what we could do, and
A DV E R TO R I A L
Breast cancer is not just a physical experience for patients but emotionally challenging. Bernie Phelan (left), lead breast clinical nurse specialist at The Wellington, shares some advice... re-established more complex treatment options, reconstructions, and lately more risk-reducing and symmetry surgery. Have there been any positives to the changes in strategy? The efficient way of working together collaboratively over 10 NHS trusts was really great to see. I am sure The Wellington felt extremely proud of their own teams and the ability to be able to support the NHS effort through a clear national Covid response. It shone a light on the fact that breast care has always been an exemplar of multi-disciplinary teams coming together, but what it has shown is that we are able to work collegiately with neighbouring hospitals to support each other, ensuring patients are receiving the same quality of treatment across the board. We have demonstrated that across London, breast cancer care can be an equal experience. And we were able to achieve that because of the support and partnerships with both the HCA hospitals and London Bridge hospitals. What message do you want to get out there to those who may experience breast cancer symptoms during a potential second wave or lockdown? Understandably, people didn’t initially want to come to hospital, even when they were sitting on breast cancer symptoms that were quite significant. So we would like to encourage people to come to all screening and symptomatic appointments, regardless of what is going on in the outside world. Those who come forward earlier have a better chance of a more positive prognosis. You must still see a GP or a specialist review if you find something that doesn’t look or feel right.
‘My role is to help patients by providing ongoing suppor t during ever y stage of their breast cancer journey, from the time of diagnosis to treatment, sur vivor ship and beyond. The shock and influx of new information may cause patients to be distressed and str uggle to comprehend what is being discussed. Many patients can find this thoroughly overwhelming. Upon meeting their clinical nur se specialist, patients and their families are offered emotional suppor t and guidance, while being educated on their diagnosis and treatment options. ‘Treating breast cancer is not just about medical exper tise. A holistic approach is required, which is where my role as a breast CNS comes in, through to taking care of the patient’s emotional and psychological well-being. Patients often have many questions and thoughts about their diagnosis so having someone who can listen and help them to formulate a plan is ver y impor tant. ‘It is vital for patients to remember that you do not have to face the challenges of breast cancer alone. A breast CNS is an impar tial figure to whom patients can express their emotional concerns without the worr y of burdening loved ones. I also ensure patients are signposted to the amazing suppor tive ser vices, such as the new Future Dreams House, Breast Cancer Now and Macmillan. Talking with other patients is also a good way to share feelings and experiences, as they will under stand what you are going through.’
and you
BREA ST CA N CE R , S E X
RELATIONSHIPS C AN BE CHALLENGING AT THE BEST OF TIMES, BUT A BREAST C ANCER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT C AN BRING A WHOLE DIFFERENT SET OF ISSUES It is perfectly normal to feel concerned, but the important thing is to talk, says Dr Claire Scanlan, a clinical psychologist at the Breast Cancer Haven... Every intimate relationship is different. Individual sexual and romantic needs are unique, whether you are in a partnership, married or single. But once you factor in a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment it can become even more complicated. Common issues range from loss of body confidence to fear of intimacy and worries that sex or a relationship will never be the same. It is not just an issue for women and men diagnosed with the illness – their partners are often concerned about behaving in the right way, too. Dr Claire Scanlan (pictured above), a clinical psychologist at the Breast Cancer Haven, has helped many couples and individuals find a way to get their relationships and selfconfidence back on track. She works individually with women with breast
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cancer as well as with their partners or with couples together. ‘Breast cancer will exacerbate any pre-existing difficulties in a relationship or that you may have in general,’ says Claire. ‘It shines a spotlight so it is important to talk about them. It is not my job to give advice per se but to help people explore how they feel and the challenges that they are facing.’ Here Claire explores some of the most common relationship issues she has encountered in her work...
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1
Body image
Scarring from a mastectomy or lumpectomy can have a very negative impact on some women, who may feel that having breast cancer is an assault on their sexuality and their femininity. Some say it makes them feel less of a woman and can make them very selfconscious about wearing swimsuits and low-cut dresses, for example. They may feel a sense of loss over their pre-cancer body. We may talk about using mindfulness techniques, such as acceptance, which is based around learning to accept the things that we cannot change rather than being stuck in the cycle of despair about not liking the new way you look. Helping them find a way to accept their new normal is important – befriending their new body, acknowledging it and familiarising themselves with it and the fact that it is different. I would encourage them to become comfortable with the way it looks and feels in a way that is safe to them. It is really important that this is done in a gradual and appropriate way, for example by encouraging them to look at and then touch their new body. It is perfectly normal to feel the way they do and it’s very important for women to know this and realise they are not alone. For some women it is a real revelation that other people feel the same way they do. It is also important to manage their
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expectations. They have been through a lot and in the early days it is a huge thing to come to terms with. They may feel they have multiples losses on multiple levels. I was working with one lady who was worried about a work event, talking about how unfeminine and unsexy she felt alongside other women in their plunging necklines. I asked her if she had felt like this before. After thinking about it, she realised she had always felt other women had better bodies or were more beautiful than her. She was attributing the way she felt totally to the cancer. The cancer had magnified it but her lack of body and self-confidence was already there.
2
Getting physically intimate
Issues here can range from not feeling sexy, to problems with lubrication and vaginal dryness due to early menopause. Or it may be that your partner feels scared to touch you as they once did. Physical and emotional issues are not entirely different things – they are very much interlinked and I would not treat them separately. I always encourage people to communicate and be open with their partners. Fear of, or anxiety around, intimacy is not just an issue for the person who has the cancer but for their partner as well, who is often worried about saying or doing the wrong thing.
They may be concerned about coming across as insensitive if they initiate, or don’t initiate, sexual contact. They can often be scared of causing pain or harm to their partner and if it’s not talked about openly, it can become the elephant in the room.
might put people off. There is also the dilemma of when you bring it up – if you don’t do it early on when you meet someone it can become a big thing, both for you and potentially for them. The right time and way differs from person to person.
Some women will say, ‘I still have my libido but my partner is scared to touch me.’ Others don’t want their partner to come near them or let them see them naked. Communication and dialogue about this is vitally important but it has to be done in a safe place and at a safe time, for example not when you are in bed or when someone feels vulnerable.
There is no right or wrong way. Whether you choose to do it on date one or date six – the most important thing is to do it at a time that feels most comfortable for you.
By talking, you can explore how you both feel and what you might be able to try. You may also discover different ways of sharing intimacy or making yourself or each other feel good. It needs to be an unpressurised time –
‘THE CANCER HAD MAGNIFIED IT BUT HER LACK OF BODY AND SELF-CONFIDENCE WAS ALREADY THERE’ not mid-way through a film, cooking the dinner or as someone is leaving the house. It is important to name the problem and be honest about how you feel. In new relationships, breast cancer and issues related to it can feel a big thing to address and it can really play on people’s minds. There is a fear it
3
Early menopause
There’s no getting away from it – especially for women who are diagnosed with breast cancer when they are young – this is a difficult issue. Many have lost what they hoped was in their future with an early menopause and maybe the inability to have children without surrogacy or egg donation. Some people are happy to consider adoption and others think it is not something for them. There can be lots of decisions to make in a short space of time. Will they want to freeze their eggs before treatment begins, for example. Again, there is a lot to talk to partners about – both the emotional and physical changes, such as vaginal dryness or hot flushes, both of which can affect your relationship and how you feel about yourself. Speaking to a therapist about it can help you find ways to manage these challenges.
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4
5
Taking your emotions out on your partner
Communicate, communicate, communicate. Acknowledge if you feel that you are taking it out on your partner. Say so, but tell them why. Is it because you are scared, feeling overwhelmed, exhausted or lost? Is it the medication or, most likely, all of these combined? Is there anything your partner can do to help? Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment is very intense, even more so during lockdown, and it can become a melting pot of emotions. If you feel that your partner is being too gentle with you tell them you are still the same person, and are not necessarily more fragile. If you feel they are being selfish or not meeting your needs, then say so. Bottle up any emotions – be it frustrations, fears or sadness – and they will build up and eventually come out sideways. Often in a less contained and considered way and often at a less than ideal time. That huge row about the spaghetti not being cooked properly may have stemmed from this, rather than dealing with the real issue.
Make or break
Breast cancer makes some couples value each other more, but it can be a time when you realise that you are perhaps not happy in a relationship and you want change. Breast cancer can give women an opportunity to re-evaluate their lives and realise what is important to them. Some feel they are not spending as much time with their family as they would like, or that they hate their job. It can be a real opportunity – it is an enforced punctuation in life and so has the potential to be a good time to re-evaluate what you want and to challenge and change things if you are not happy with the way things are. Don’t feel that you need to ‘get back to normal’ if your normal wasn’t making you happy. Perhaps it’s time to create a new normal. Breast cancer can provide a rare opportunity to re-evaluate things – many people have a level of dissatisfaction in their lives that they never normally address. This can be an opportunity to do exactly that.
6
Feelings of loneliness and isolation during Covid-19
There are many similarities between the general public’s reaction and feelings towards Covid-19 and some of the reactions to a breast cancer diagnosis. People struggling with
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the uncertainty are unable to see family and friends or do the things they love to do. They feel a loss of control. ‘Welcome to my world,’ is an understandable reaction from many women who have experienced breast cancer. For others it may reignite how they felt when they were diagnosed and undergoing treatment. If this is the case, it’s important to talk about it. Breast Cancer Haven provides counselling and advice on these and other matters, as does Breast Cancer Now. Hover your phone camera over these QR codes and tap for more.
SCAN HERE FOR COUNCILING AND ADVICE ONLINE
Breast Cancer Haven helpline
Breast Cancer Now helpline
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H OW TO L E A R N TO
love your new body FOR WOMEN DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST C ANCER, SURGERY C AN BE A PARTICULARLY HARD PART OF THE JOURNEY, BUT YOU ARE NOT ALONE Accepting how your body looks after surgery can be challenging. A new survey, by Future Dreams and its partner Amoena, manufacturer of post-op swimwear and underwear, reveals there is much to be done to make women feel more confident. More than 2,600 women took part in the survey, and six in 10 said breast cancer surgery left them feeling less attractive and feminine. Seven in 10 said they now felt limited in the clothes they could wear. And four in 10 were worried their breasts looked uneven.
struggles women have and says many breast cancer survivors think they are being shallow and ungrateful when they find it hard to come to terms with their new body. But, she says, they have every right to be concerned and must feel able to talk about these issues.
Other women in the survey were worried their scarring or – if they had not had a reconstruction – that their replacement breast forms, would show. One third chose to wear baggy clothes to camouflage their problems.
‘Women think it is vain to worry about how their breasts will look after they have had surgery, but it is not,’ she says. ‘Even with the best surgical techniques, their breasts may not be the same size or shape as they were or they may have had to have mastectomy without reconstruction, especially during the current Covid-19 crisis.
Not every woman felt this way, however. The survey showed that two out of 10 women felt the same or even more confident after surgery. So how do you learn to embrace the new you with confidence?
‘It is not vanity. It is about encouraging women to feel good about themselves after their surgery.’
Joanna Franks is a Future Dreams trustee and one of the UK’s leading consultant breast and oncoplastic surgeons. She witnesses first-hand the
Ms Franks says many patients are unaware that symmetry surgery is available on the NHS. The operation, which makes breasts look balanced,
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can be done either at the time of the original surgery or decades later after gravity has changed a woman’s body.
says Ms Franks. ‘Some women stuff things in their bras for decades thinking there’s nothing they can do.’
‘Worrying about how you look is not just experienced by young women,’
Here, Future Dreams survivors tell how they learned to love their bodies.
Posing in our Future Dreams swimwear, Amanda, Merline, Jacquie and Vera discovered how to feel great again
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‘I would never have posed in a swimsuit before I had breast cancer’ AMANDA HANISON,49 Amanda was diagnosed with breast cancer in her left breast in September 2013. She had a mastectomy and immediate reconstruction using fat from her stomach and has scars on her breast, tummy and armpit. ‘I had no idea how I was going to look afterwards, I felt like I had lost all control,’ she says. ‘I was a divorced mum and newly dating and worrying about how I was going to look was a big thing. I don’t think it was superficial. Obviously survival was the first thing I was worried about as I had 12-year-old twin boys. Three days after surgery my nurse took me to the mirror. I was so petrified to look they thought they were going to have to call the psychiatrist. But I was so grateful when I did look – they had done an amazing job. ‘Now I have 100% more body confidence – and self confidence – compared to before. The things I used to worry about before don’t bother me in the slightest! I love my body because it didn’t let me down. I am a breast cancer survivor and I have moved forward and lived on. Whatever scars I have show I faced a battle and that I am okay. ‘I am proud of my body – we have been through this journey together.’
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‘It takes time to learn about your new body. But I’m here and I’m alive’ MERLINE SMALL,58 Mother-of-two Merline works as a school lunchtime supervisor and cake decorator. She is living with stage four secondary breast cancer. ‘It has been 12 years since my first diagnosis with breast cancer and it takes time to learn about your new body,’ she says. ‘How to dress differently and to buy different types of clothes. You have to re-educate yourself. It is a personal journey and you have to make sure you are on the same page as your consultant and plastic surgeon. Mine listened to my concerns. You may feel great one day and rubbish the next, but don’t compare yourself. ‘Since the age of 14 I have been very self-conscious about my breasts. I was very top heavy and I would feel people looked at my chest before my face. I always covered up my shape and it would never have entered my mind to pose in a swimsuit for a photo shoot. I have come a long way. I have learned a lot about myself and some things are just not important. ‘I am here, I am still alive. I don’t care what other people think any more - it is their problem not mine. I have other important things I want to do with my life.’
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‘I waited more than 10 years to have a reconstruction – and it has changed my life’ DR VERA ORA, 56 Vera is a London doctor who specialises in psychiatric health. She has three children, including superstar singer, Rita Ora. ‘I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 39 and really struggled,’ she says. ‘I chose not to have a reconstruction when I had my mastectomy. I just wanted the cancer out of me and couldn’t see past that. I told myself, “Just get rid of the cancer, then it will be fine.” ‘Looking back, I should have requested or had more information but I didn’t want to think about it. I then struggled with how I looked for years. My husband, Nic, always told me how attractive I was but I hated summer. I always covered up and if I went swimming, I felt my swimwear was floating away from my body. ‘Finally, six years ago, I decided to have reconstruction surgery and it changed my life. I felt more balanced. It was amazing. ‘Before the reconstruction my body confidence had been zero. Medication and hormone treatments had made me put on weight – now I felt ready to be more rigorous with my diet and exercise. I found the thing that made me click and it made me want to try to dress better, I started to feel like me again. ‘Women have to make sure they have the right support, a good network, as health anxieties can affect your body confidence. After you are diagnosed you need to see your clinician lots of times to make sure the decisions you make about surgery are the right ones. ‘And don’t Google for answers! Every woman is different, the answers you will see there are not personal for you.’
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B O DY C O N F I D E N C E
Inspiration
‘Initially my body confidence was really low but as I got used to how my body now looks I came to appreciate everything that was good about it, including my scar. My initial worries about a new partner seeing my scar for the first time soon faded and only strengthened my confidence.’
‘My body is my personality, my me, whatever shape or size it is, having a mastectomy has made me realise that.’
‘IF I CAN COPE WITH BREAST CANCER I CAN COPE WITH ANYTHING.’
‘I am proud of my scars. They show how strong I am.I got cancer at 28. My husband has only ever known my body after cancer and he loves it more than I could have ever hoped for.’
‘MY BODY IS MINE AND I AM HERE, SO WHAT THE HELL!’
‘THERE IS MORE TO ME THAN MY BODY SHAPE.’
‘I had one breast removed and the other reduced as I had large breasts beforehand. I love my smaller breasts and the shape they give me.’
‘At first after finishing treatment I was ashamed of my non-boob side. I had decided not to have reconstruction then a tattoo artist friend offered to tattoo my nonboob. She did an amazing job, which has given me my confidence back and I love showing it off.’
‘I DON’T WORRY ABOUT WOBBLY BITS OR BITS THAT AREN’T “PERFECT” ANY MORE.’
‘Once I put on my wellfitted bra and pop my false boob in my pocket, I look and feel perfect.’
Future Dreams has launched a major body confidence project with Look Good Feel Better. We have conducted a number of workshops and asked participants to fill in questionnaires to find out more about breast cancer patients’ crisis points and the support you are looking for. We look forward to announcing the next steps in the near future.
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A DV E R TO R I A L
NICOLE’S STORY Nicole de Havilland is the Founder and Managing Director of RECOHEART® Ltd and product designer of the RECOBRA® Nicole’s clinical background started as a Lymphoedema Practitioner working within the breast cancer patient industry both for the NHS and privately, and has gained over twenty years of experience providing physical therapy for breast cancer related issues. Nicole dealt with the most complex breast surgery cases and became a relied upon expert in her field, attaining practicing privileges within the Ramsay Hospital group and the Princess Grace Hospital in London treating patients within their London Breast Institute unit. Later Nicole worked at the London Breast Clinic based in renowned Harley Street, London. Nicole heard continuous complaints from her patients that there was not a suitable and comfortable post-surgical bra available. Nicole also witnessed some of these issues including the irritation of seams and uniformed compressive garments that impeded the lymphatic flow causing complications. All of which led to impaired and compromised healing for these patients.
The concept of the initial idea of creating, designing and manufacturing a bra garment that could cater for all breast cancer, cosmetic and cardio surgeries proved a difficult challenge. The product also needed to fit all shapes and sizes of women including their breasts. After four years of development, Nicole co-manufactured with the help of a well-known medical textiles company in seamless technology. Nicole also had the innovative idea to add a medical antimicrobial that would prevent body odour issues for the recommended recovery wear times and would provide a safety factor in infection risk reduction. The product was named Reco Bra®, an abbreviation of recovery, and was awarded a medical device CE marking. Reco Bra® is specifically designed to meet the needs of women looking for an immediate post-surgical garment that can be applied directly in theatres or when returning from hospital, with some cancer free ladies using the bra for comfort and sleep. The Reco Bra® is an exceptionally well designed amazing bra product; it is not
RECO HEART ARE PROUD TO BE WORKING WITH FUTURE DREAMS TO SUPPORT THOSE TOUCHED BY BREAST CANCER
Sammy is the Reco heart model seen here wearing the Reco Bra®. Sammy wore the bra following her breast reconstruction surgery for breast cancer. You may recognise Sammy as Amanda Holden’s Golden Buzzer award winner when she sang with her daughter Honey recently on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent.
only seamless using the latest weave and weft technology to provide support with no wires, but also has a very unique four-way stretch fabric which moulds to the breast shape or when a breast is removed. The product is recommended to wear for the standard 6-8 weeks 24 hours per day and will gently hold dressings in place and a lightweight breast form. The material is highly breathable, wicks away moisture, machine washable and is simply sized from small to 3XL. The product has become a leading initiative in post-operative care within the UK and becoming part of patient-centric approach pathways in breast cancer recovery.
Future Dreams will be including the Reco Bra® product in their cancer care parcels starting to reach NHS patients. Reco Heart® is also extremely proud to be teaming up as a corporate sponsor of the charity. Find out more and purchase www.recoheart.com
N E W N IPPLES MA DE ME
feel complete
TATTOOED, RECONSTRUCTED OR STUCK ON – NEW NIPPLES C AN TRANSFORM BODY CONFIDENCE. WHICH IS WHY RACHEL WALKER IS USING HER EXPERIENCE OF BREAST C ANCER TO HELP OTHERS FEEL FABULOUS ONCE MORE
For many women one of the toughest parts of their breast cancer journey is looking at their new breasts without nipples. It’s not just that it makes them look different, it can also have a big emotional impact in terms of how they feel about themselves as a woman and sexually. After a multitude of operations Rachel Walker, 53, was so frustrated by the challenges she faced she finally started a company to help others with the problem. Rachel’s story started with a breast cancer diagnosis in May 2013... ‘I’d found a lump a few years before I was diagnosed,’ says Rachel. ‘I went to the doctor, who said it was hormonal and nothing to worry about, but I went back again when I noticed my nipples were leaking. Again I was told it was hormonal. Finally in May 2013 I found a lump by chance when I lay down so I went back a third time. I was referred to the one-stop clinic where I had scans and biopsies and was told immediately it was cancer. ‘I was diagnosed with three different types of breast cancer and told it had spread to my lymph nodes.
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I underwent a bilateral mastectomy, corrective surgery and was told I’d need to exchange my original implants because the doctors were concerned about the material used. In all I’ve had 11 procedures and I’m just waiting for my 12th. ‘I was so extremely grateful and humbled by the outstanding care I received from the NHS, but in 2015, although my surgery was far from complete, I decided that a prosthetic nipple would help make me feel normal and make my breasts feel balanced by optical illusion. At this time my
breasts were very asymmetrical as my reconstructed breasts were different sizes and shapes. One is higher on my chest than the other and I am heavily scarred. ‘I found a prosthesis maker in the UK, and went to see him about making a customised pair of nipples for me. Ideally I would have had moulds made from my own nipples before my bilateral mastectomy, but nobody told me that could be done and it was the last thing on my mind to research at that time. Had I have been told it was an option, I would definitely have considered it. ‘The NHS is amazing but I didn’t like the nipples it could offer. They didn’t stay in place and I’d continually lose them as they kept falling off. I found a few businesses in America that made customised nipples and ‘off-the-shelf ’ ones but the prices were astronomical – more than $400 for the custommade and $270 for the standard. ‘My original pair made for me in the UK cost £250 – expensive, but
worth every penny, I felt. The first time I used them I felt complete – naturally focused on the nipples and not the asymmetry. I was so impressed with what a simple product could do I was determined to give something back. ‘I decided I wanted to learn the process, and trained with the prosthesis maker over a long period. Observing him mixing the silicon to get the most natural nipple colours and then practising myself took months. I’d had a career in jewellery making and it was good to do something creative, but mostly I wanted to give something back. I set up my company, Areolae, to produce nipple prosthetics at an affordable price. ‘It’s early days but I’ve had some interest from investors, plus some very large corporate businesses support me, including Nordson Corporation, which has donated cartridges and mixing nozzles. This has enabled me to donate some nipples for free. Once Areolae is in profit, my plan is to give a percentage from each sale to cancer charities.
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‘It’s really common for ladies to get emotional when trying their nipples on for the first time and I have had amazing feed back. A common comment is, ‘When I look in the mirror I feel like me again.’ I want every woman to be delighted, to feel more confident, whether just personally or when undressing at the gym or in front of her partner. Some of my customers are using them as a temporary measure between breast reconstruction and nipple reconstruction or as a long-term alternative to either further surgery or having tattoos. ‘Tattoos aren’t for everyone, plus they can fade after six months to a year. The skin on a reconstructed breast is normally very stretched and thin. It may even be damaged from radiotherapy, making it unsuitable for tattooing or surgical nipple reconstruction. ‘And it can take years from mastectomy to final reconstruction, so having tattoos or nipple reconstruction too soon could mean that if further surgery is needed then your nipples may not be in the correct place. My prosthetic nipples allow you the option of changing positioning before going down the permanent route. ‘Each nipple is custom coloured and handmade using the highest medicalgrade silicone. The three styles are different in areola texture and nipple projection. Each nipple is hand crafted and has a slight variation in size, shape and depth of colour. This creates a natural look that mimics the body’s natural imperfections.
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LIKE THE REAL THING: It’s tricky to tell Rachel’s prosthetics from natural nipples
‘The nipples attach to the breast or breast form using a water-based medical adhesive that is strong enough for day-to-day wear and waterproof. You can shower, swim and bathe in them. If you use a silicone-based adhesive, then you will have a more secure bond that will last longer, even with bathing. I’ve been swimming, sunbathed in 32 degrees heat, been in a hydro pool, jacuzzi, steam, sauna and ice pool, exercised and power-walked over a three-day period and they were still completely intact. ‘As for more intimate moments – obviously body-on-body friction can mean they are quite likely to dislodge. However, a stronger silicone-based, medical-grade adhesive will give a better bond. ‘I guarantee them for six months but to date I’ve not received any back under guarantee and in reality they are lasting much longer. I’m still currently using nipples I made in 2015! IMPROVED: An NHS nipple compared to Rachel’s
LIFELIKE: Every prosthetic is hand-made
‘The Areolae website shows a variety of nipples available and I’m always happy to try to achieve exactly what each customer is looking for. There’s no typical customer as there’s no typical breast cancer patient. I’ve made nipples for ladies in their thirties and ladies in their seventies. In fact, a few ladies have purchased two pairs in different styles and colours to alternate depending on their mood!’ Nipples cost £80 and are made from European-produced, medical-grade silicon that is bio compatible. For more information, go to areolae.co.uk
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As a breast care and support nurse at The Fitzwilliam Hospital in Peterborough, Adele Miller (left) provides vital ongoing physical and emotional support to her patients. Here, she discusses why her role is so important and why the Future Dreams care packages make such a difference... What does a normal day look like for you? My day star ts ear ly on a Monday morning as we have a one-stop breast clinic in the outpatients depar tment that begins at 8am. We also have a one-stop clinic on a Wednesday, which star ts at 4pm. This clinic is where the patient gets to see the breast consultant who does a breast examination and requests imaging, be it a mammogram or ultrasound, or both. The imaging is carried out and the consultant radiologist repor ts on it immediately. The patient then sees the breast consultant and gets the results of these two tests right away, which is extremely reassuring for them. However, if the patient requires a biopsy, this takes a fur ther 7-14 days to return with results. I also carr y out all the pre-operative assessments on the breast cancer patients. It’s my job to ensure their needs are being met and to provide continuity of care. The one-stop clinic at Fitzwilliam is a private ser vice and patients can call me at any time. I know they all hugely appreciate this. Why is your role so important? This is an extremely difficult time for patients and their families and they just need someone to listen, under stand and answer their questions.
A DV E R TO R I A L
The patients know they can call or message me any day and I will get back to them. The type of suppor t patients need during treatment for breast cancer varies with each individual and I want to be there to offer that, whenever or however. I’m ver y lucky that I get to know the patients well, as I see them ever y six months for five year s following initial diagnosis and treatment. My job is really rewarding. I meet the most amazing, strong and courageous people. How has Covid-19 affected the hospital? Since the star t of Covid-19, Fitzwilliam has been doing NHS breast cancer operations several days a week to ensure patients are still able to have their surger y. I’ve therefore also been working on the Fitzwilliam hospital ward to help with the NHS breast cancer patients and linking with the NHS breast care nur ses to ensure ever ybody receives the best care and suppor t possible. I’m doing what I was trained to do and suppor ting the NHS. It’s ver y rewarding and a pleasure to look after so many patients who really needed to continue with their treatment. How did you hear about Future Dreams? The matron from Fitzwilliam told me about the care packages the charity was providing to breast cancer patients and put me in touch. They have put so many smiles on so many faces – not just when patients open the care packages, but with the bras, softies and drain bags that were also donated. The feedback from patients has been incredible. Ever y patient was astounded at the generosity and care put into the packages, as was I. The patients need a little something to put a smile on their face, even if it is for a shor t while, and these packages cer tainly did that. One elderly lady was cr ying when she received the package and just kept saying, ‘Unbelievable, unbelievable.’ Another lady said, ‘This is like a treasure trove!’ The ver y young patients loved the inclusion of some make up products, too. Thank you!
fitzwilliamhospital.co.uk/treatments/one-stop-breast-clinic
BEAUTY
HOW TO FIND THE BEST
beauty products WHEN YOU’RE GOING THR OUGH TREATMENT
Finding beauty products you feel confident using when you are going through treatment for breast cancer can be a challenge. Which is why campaigner Helen Addis, otherwise known as @thetittygritty, and beauty expert, Lisa Potter-Dixon, are doing some of the hard work for you...
Helen Addis knows how it feels. ‘Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is one thing... but when you’re then told that while on treatment your beauty regime is going to have to change and you need to avoid certain chemicals then it really feels like a blow to your selfconfidence,’ says Helen (top left). ‘I wanted to look and feel as much like “me” as possible. I didn’t want to have to re-think my entire bathroom cabinet and make up bag. ‘After my diagnosis I had to have a mastectomy the following week. I was then quickly put onto chemotherapy and my hair and skin
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changed dramatically. I felt like I aged overnight and wanted desperately to feel attractive and feminine again. ‘I was told by my breast nurses to use mild products and avoid anything heavily fragranced because your skin can get understandably more sensitive. I was also very aware that my body was under so much stress from the chemo chemicals that I wanted to use the most kind products possible... to give my body that extra special care it needed. ‘So off I went with my shopping list to the high street to buy my new products. I walked up and down the aisles looking at the ingredients on the back of the bottles but it was like I was trying to decipher a foreign language. I was feeling so overwhelmed and scared about what I could and couldn’t
use. What was considered mild and what wasn’t? I asked the shop assistant to tell me which shampoo and suncream had the least chemicals in and she was as clueless as I was. It wasn’t her fault. Even the manager didn’t know. It just wasn’t something that was on their radar. I felt like an alien and left in tears. ‘One thing that I noticed in the store is that if I were vegan, I’d find a whole section of beauty products all signposted and labelled and on its own dedicated shelf. One in 100 British people are vegan and many shops and supermarkets cater specifically for that market. So what about
‘THE C LIST WILL BE THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BEAUTY PRODUCTS FROM WELL-KNOWN TRUSTED BRANDS OR RECOMMENDED BY CANCER PATIENTS’ cancer? One in two people in the UK get cancer and almost a half will receive chemotherapy, radiotherapy or both. So that’s a whopping percentage of our population who need to potentially buy new daily essential beauty products but no-one on the high street or online is catering for them or making the experience any easier. ‘It’s often suggested that cancer patients should just use baby products... but I don’t recall a six week old needing deodorant or a splash of suncream. You? I wanted proper products. ‘So this is why The C List was born. I was lucky to host an Instagram live with best-selling author and leading beauty industry expert Lisa PotterDixon about her make up tips and tricks for my online cancer community. I told my story about how hard it was for me to find the right products and so many followers agreed and shared their own experiences. Lisa and I made a pact to
find the best cancer-treatment-friendly products and bring them all together in one simple shopping experience. ‘The C List will be the ultimate guide to beauty products, from well-known trusted brands or recommended by cancer patients at price points to suit every budget. It will have everything, from moisturisers to mascaras, shaving foam to shampoo and concealers to conditioners... whatever your beauty needs The C List will have it covered.’ Make up artist Lisa (pictured opposite, bottom) is certainly no stranger to the power of beauty products. ‘ I wanted to create The C list as the experience of shopping shouldn’t add to your stresses,’ she says. ‘Putting on your favourite lipstick or moisturiser should make you feel good. The C list will be a place for you to find
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products that work and look after you during your cancer treatment.’ Says Helen, ‘The real beauty (pardon the pun) of the website is that it’s more than just a shop. It will be a community and we’ll be inviting YOU to join. ‘There will be tutorial videos from Lisa on everything, from how to create the perfect eyebrow when you’ve lost them to how to protect your finger nails while on treatment. Plus we’ll have uplifting and inspiring stories from cancer thrivers who will share their stories. We will use our C List profits to give back to the community.’
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LOOK OUT FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS To find out more about The C List, follow Helen @thetittygritty on Instagram. @thetittygritty @futuredreamscharity @lisapotterdixon
@futuredreamss
futuredreams.org.uk
BEAUTY
Raise a brow for WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE A NEW C AMPAIGN THAT GIVES A VITAL BEAUTY BOOST TO WOMEN HAVING CHEMO TREATMENT For many years, Future Dreams has longed to collaborate with beauty experts who could help support women going through breast cancer. We were looking for a partner that could not only raise funds, but provide advice on the best products to use if treatment had made you lose your brows. Then we met Taj Giles and Sarah Jossel...
When Taj Giles was diagnosed with breast cancer and lost most of her hair during chemotherapy, she found a solution by wearing a headscarf. But she hadn’t expected what the loss of her eyebrows would do to her confidence – and a headscarf couldn’t hide that. Fortunately Taj, managing director of Blink Brow Bar, was in the right business and had a wealth of options to choose from, finally landing on the Dreams Brows Palette from her brand’s own range. ‘The stencil helped to create a brow when I had nothing to work with and the product delivered a smooth, natural look that withstood the constant hot flushes throughout the day,’ says Taj, who carried on working during her treatment last year. Taj was determined to help others in
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HIGH BROW: Beauty boosters Sarah (left) and Taj
BEFORE
AFTER
her situation, and decided to donate 50% of the sale proceeds of the Dream Brows Palette to Future Dreams. Now she has been joined by Sarah Jossel, beauty director at the Sunday Times Style magazine who, with Taj, has created some powerful and emotional video content to share on social media. ‘I’m thrilled to be a part of this campaign to help raise funds and awareness for breast cancer,’ says Sarah. ‘Being in the beauty industry and supporting many women close to me who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, my mum included, I understand the emotional impact of losing one’s eyebrows. ‘The Dream Palette is a brilliant product for all women and it’s a wonderful feeling knowing that 50% of the proceeds is donated to Future Dreams to help those touched by breast cancer.’ The palette is available in two shades and includes everything needed to shape, fill and perfect the eyebrow. It features two velvety-smooth powders to build gradual definition, alongside a powder highlighter to lift and enhance.
Dream Brows Palette in Light/Medium or Medium/Dark RRP £25
The loss of eyebrows during chemo is common for women undergoing chemo – and Taj is determined to raise awareness of the problem. ‘You can’t overestimate the importance of brows in building self confidence.’ she says. ‘Even now that my brows are growing back, the Dream Brows Palette continues to be my daily go-to product. ‘ Dream Brows Palette is available from www.bbb-london.com and in all four BBB London boutiques.
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Puzzles
W E LLB E I N G
Need to while away some time? Our fun puzzles and brain teasers are just the thing...
WO R D S E A RC H Spot the hidden words in the grid
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SUDOKU Good maths skills? Fill in the numbers 1-9
RIDDLE ME THIS... I can be crushed to pieces but only if I am given away first. I can be clogged and attacked, but that’s usually my own doing. No matter how many problems I have, you wouldn’t dare let me go. What am I?
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FOOD FOR LIFE
veg
S UP ER H EALT HY
Melissa baked for breast care nurses
Future Dreams ambassador and celebrated cook Melissa Hemsley believes that healthy meals should be simple and tasty. Here she shares recipes from her new book, Eat Green. ‘It’s a practical cookbook stuffed with delicious, joyful, easy, everyday recipes for absolutely everyone
– whether you eat meat, you’re vegetarian or something in between,’ she says. ‘I want to promote a relaxed way of cooking that teaches you how to put a wider variety of UK-grown, seasonal vegetables at the centre of your plate, eat less meat and cut right down on food waste.’
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SERVES 2 WITH LEFTOVERS TA K E S 3 0 M I N S
FR IE D CH ERM OUL A CAU L IF LOWE R
on herby bean dip with slaw
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INGREDIENTS 1 medium cauliflower, save the leaves (about 800g) 2 tbsp ghee or oil Sea salt and black pepper CHERMOULA SPICE MIX 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp sweet paprika 2 tsp ground coriander Chilli flakes or ¼ tsp cayenne, to taste HERBY BEAN DIP 240g cooked white beans or chickpeas (1 × 400g tin, drained and rinsed) 1 garlic clove 2 tbsp tahini Juice of 1 lemon 1 big handful of a mix of fresh parsley and coriander, leaves and stems roughly chopped separately Extra virgin olive oil, to serve SLAW ¼ red cabbage (150g), finely shredded 1 green apple, cut into matchsticks 1 celery stick and leaves, sliced 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp mustard
These spiced cauliflower steaks on a green dip steal the show at any dinner party, but are super simple for a mid-week dinner, too. They come together in 30 minutes on the nose! If you want to get ahead, the dip and slaw can be made in advance, then dress the slaw while you’re cooking the cauliflower. You’ll want to try this chermoula-esque spice mix on everything, or you could fry it with onion for the base of a pumpkin soup. Preheat the oven to fan 220°C/Gas mark 9. Slice two 2–3cm thick steaks off the cauliflower and roughly chop the remaining cauliflower florets and the leaves, keeping them separate. Mix together all the ingredients for the chermoula. Put the cauliflower florets in a roasting tray with 1 tablespoon of the ghee or oil, half of the chermoula spice mix, sea salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15–20 minutes, adding the chopped cauliflower leaves halfway through and tossing everything together. Melt the remaining ghee or oil in a large frying pan and fry the cauliflower steaks for 2 minutes on each side, then add the remaining spice mix and carefully turn again, coating the steaks in the spice. Cook for a further 2 minutes until just tender (you could now pop in the oven to keep warm). Meanwhile, mix all the slaw ingredients together with the parsley and coriander leaves in a medium bowl and season to taste. Blitz all the dip ingredients in a food processor with the parsley and coriander stems and taste for seasoning. Add 2–4 tablespoons of cold water until nice and thick. Divide the green bean dip between the plates, drizzle with olive oil and top with the hot cauliflower steak and the florets and leaves. Serve the slaw on top or on the side.
WASTE NOT This dip is a delicious way to use up hardier parsley and coriander stems, saving the leaves for garnishing so there’s no waste, just like the cauliflower leaves. You could also make this with broccoli steaks, aubergine wedges or squash, sliced into half moons. Fennel and carrot would also be great in the slaw.
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SERVES 4 TA K E S 2 0 M I N S
F R ID G E R A ID
frittata
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INGREDIENTS 1 large head of broccoli, florets evenly chopped and stem finely chopped 1 small onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 tbsp butter 10 eggs 2 large handfuls of grated cheese (I use mature Cheddar or you could use crumbled feta or goat’s cheese)
The beauty of a frittata is that anything goes – really, it does! In this case, broccoli is the star, but let whatever is in your fridge take the lead. Always aim for some green as it’s often the green veg that most of us could do with more of. Not only is a vegetable frittata an easy and delicious way to start your day, but in this case you eat the whole broccoli in all its glory – stems and stalks – and, even better, everything happens in the same pan. If you’ve got cooked broccoli ready to go, then skip step 1 and save time. And if you know you’ll be rushing out the door a lot this week, bake it in a 12-hole muffin tray at fan 170°C/Gas mark 5 for 10–15 minutes for a grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
Sea salt and black pepper. OPTIONAL EXTRAS A handful of chopped fresh basil, parsley, chives or celery leaves Chilli flakes, to taste 2 handfuls of wild garlic, chopped (when in season)
WASTE NOT This is divine with cauliflower too and tastes a bit like cauliflower cheese. The day I handed in this book, I made a celebratory clear-out-the-fridge frittata with two big handfuls of chopped mushrooms, shredded cabbage, a tablespoon of leftover cream, ¼ onion and a big pinch of fresh thyme leaves. It was delicious and too good not to share with you here.
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MAKES 16 COOKIES TA K E S 2 5 M I N S
TA HIN I C H O C C H I P
cookies
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INGREDIENTS 2 eggs 2 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp maple syrup 2 tsp vanilla extract 150g light tahini 110g smooth nut butter 100g good-quality dark chocolate, broken up into squares, or chips 30g black and/or white sesame seeds Pinch of sea salt
The vegan version of these are just as delicious, none of us can decide which we love the most. Store these cakey cookies in an airtight container for five days. You could warm them briefly in the oven to give them a little crispening boost. The dough freezes well so double up and save half for a rainy day. Just defrost, then slice into portions before putting in the oven. Preheat the oven to fan 170°C/gas mark 5. Line a large baking tray with reusable baking paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs then mix in the baking powder, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Add the tahini and nut butter and mix together until very well combined. Roughly chop the chocolate (if not using chips) and fold through the batter along with the sesame seeds. Measure out 16 balls of the cookie batter, roughly a tablespoon each, and bake for 10–15 minutes on the lined baking tray (making sure to leave a little room between each one) until the cookies are just set. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with a little sea salt and allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.
FLEXI SWAP For vegans, replace the eggs with a large mashed ripe banana. You can also swap the nut butter for the same amount of a seed butter or tahini for a nut-free alternative.
Eat Green by Melissa Hemsley (£20, Ebury Press) is available now from all good bookstores.
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WE S H OUL D A L L E AT MOR E
fruit and veg
TORAL SHAH IS A NUTRITIONAL SCIENTIST AND A BREAST C ANCER SURVIVOR. SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT SPREADING THE WORD ON HEALTHY EATING AND THE IMPACT ON C ANCER
STRONG: Exercise helped Toral feel well again
in nutritional medicine that I found a lump in my own breast. It was an incredible shock. It made no sense to me. I knew that I might have to deal with breast cancer at some point in my life but I didn’t think I would be quite so young. I was just 29, had a healthy lifestyle and was training for a triathlon. It felt like my world was falling down around me.
Ever since I was a child I have been interested in health and science. I went to medical school, but watching my mother have chemotherapy for breast cancer made me realise that a career as an oncologist was not for me.
I had an incredible trainer who helped with the mental and physical effects of breast cancer and encouraged me to feel normal again. I finished my master’s and completed the London triathlon Olympic distance.
I watched Mum and my aunt fight the disease and side effects of treatment and I knew I wanted to prevent others going through the same thing. Understanding how cancer grows became important so I switched from medicine to studying cell biology.
The ability to exercise and complete physical challenges helped me learn to love my body once more. It made me feel strong and was an important way of coping. If I’m honest I also felt inspired watching all the fit men running around. I wanted to feel attractive again!
It was while I was doing my master’s
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Breast cancer has changed my attitude to life. It has made me more confident to try new experiences. It pushed me to try things that I always wanted, including doing a ski season, travelling by myself, learning to surf and kite surf and standing up for what I believe in. I changed my life to ensure I had time to do the things that I loved, such as seeing the world and supporting marginalised communities with their health. I started my business, The Urban Kitchen, in 2004 to support people optimising their health and preventing disease. I saw that how and what we ate could make a huge difference to our health and I couldn’t understand why traditional medicine didn’t discuss this more. Having cancer or recurrence is a bit of a lottery, but optimising a healthy diet, exercise, rest and sleep can help. I am not talking fad diets. According to the World Health Organization, we know that at least a third of cancers could be
prevented with diet and lifestyle changes. In fact, diet is second only to tobacco as a preventable cause of cancer. My master’s thesis was on how nutrition and lifestyle can prevent a recurrence – a subject that has always interested me. I have had cancer patients who felt anxious about their diet come to me for support as they had been so confused by information they had got from the internet. The more that we can educate the public and health professionals, the more we can share the pool of our resources and knowledge. So my next step is putting together a PhD proposal, looking at the impact of stress, diet and lifestyle on oestrogen-dependent breast cancer. Anecdotally, many women diagnosed with breast cancer have had some large stress or trauma in the year or two preceding their diagnosis. Now that I understand how the stress cycle intersects with the oestrogen detoxification cycle, I want to explore how these might be linked to hormone-dependent breast cancer and how we can help women reduce their risk.
TOR A L’S GOL DE N FOOD RULES Eat the rainbow... with a wide variety of seasonal vegetables and fruit. Fill half your plate with these. Eat a diverse mix of plant-based and fibre-rich foods... to optimise your gut and immune health. Good immune health can support cancer prevention by catching cancer cells as they start to grow out of control. Eat fruit and vegetables... fresh if you can but frozen and tinned can be just as nutritious. Eat seasonally... to make it cheaper. Bulk buy and cook if possible as this saves time and will mean that you have something healthy and tasty to eat when tired or stressed.
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SUPPORT AND ADVICE
5 TO new rules HELP YOU THR OUGH CHEMO
C ARLA FARIA WAS DREADING CHEMO, BUT SHE FOUND WAYS TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE AND LOOK TO THE FUTURE. HERE SHE SHARES THE RULES THAT GOT HER THROUGH...
Chemotherapy is full of surprises. There are the big, ugly ones, like hair doesn’t slowly thin, giving you time to say a wistful goodbye, but drops out in clumps, leaving your shower looking as though it’s been carpeted. And the smaller surprises, like there’s little point asking for anchovies on pizza because you won’t taste them anyway. It’s important to know this and, I’ve found, to be prepared...
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Chemo and its side effects are well documented, and I’d done my homework before starting my own treatment. I’d been diagnosed with grade 3, triple-negative cancer in my right breast. I’d had a mastectomy with implant reconstruction and knew that the type of cancer I had meant that I was looking at a hefty chemo regime. Four weeks post-surgery, I had healed well and was declared fit and ready to start my treatment. Like many women who’d walked the path before me, I embarked on this peculiar chemical journey with trepidation. I dreaded the nausea, the fatigue and the hair loss and I was resigned to the idea of the menopause turning up early. I wasn’t much looking forward to it though. I also knew that life would inevitably
slow down. As an established professional in the media industry and a mother to two teenaged girls, life was never slow, and I loved it that way. I was used to tearing through life at warp speed, coffee in one hand, phone in the other, making decisions on the hop and multitasking like a demon. I wasn’t quite sure how well I’d adapt to a new, slower pace. As soon as I started my treatment – a fierce four cycles of epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by another four of paclitaxel – it was clear that the hype was real. The anti-sickness medication staved off the worst of the nausea, but the fatigue was crippling. Keeping up my pre-chemo pace was not even on the table – there were days I would struggle to leave the sofa. That first cycle though, served as a test bed that allowed me to understand how chemo affected me. It let me try out a few ideas that had been ticking away at the back of my mind. What I discovered in the process wasn’t only surprising, it changed the game for me. Here’s what I learned...
1
MAKE UP MAKES A DIFFERENCE One morning, a few weeks after my first treatment, I caught sight of myself in a mirror. I was aghast at the sick person looking back at me. We steel ourselves for hair loss, but we don’t always realise how much a grey pallor and, in my case, thinning eye brows can contribute to a look that screams ‘invalid’. I grabbed my make up bag, added some volume and shape to my brows, slicked on a little eyeliner and a touch of blush and – boom! – I was back. From that day on, I did something that my pre-chemo self would probably have balked at. I put on make up every day. I didn’t go full Kardashian but wore just enough to give my face colour and definition. I looked like myself and because of that I felt more like myself.
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2
EXERCISE REDUCES THE INTENSITY OF SIDE EFFECTS The depth of fatigue I felt in the days after treatment was bewildering. I’d never known anything like it. Tiredness was always something I’d either pushed through or solved with an early night and a long sleep. I quickly learned that tiredness and chemo-driven fatigue are different beasts. A friend who had been through chemo said that there were days she’d been too exhausted even to smile. I’d read that chemo patients who regularly exercised experienced less fatigue and, often, less nausea too. I checked with my oncologist and he assured me that I was fit enough to resume exercise. He also said research had shown exercise could lessen the intensity of chemo side effects and reduce the risk of cancer recurring. I was sold. The next morning, my trainers went on and out I went. I walked for 10 minutes. The following day I walked for 15 minutes and included a small hill on my route. The day after, I added on an extra couple of minutes. By the end of my first week I was walking for 20 minutes and had added some yoga stretches at the end. I kept it up and was astonished. My second chemo cycle, though not a breeze, felt much more manageable. The fatigue was there but not overwhelming and the nausea was all but gone. Most importantly, I felt emotionally stronger. Putting one foot in front of the other day after day reminded me that I was strong and that in spite of the treatment, my body still worked.
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3
FIND A PROJECT (OR THREE)
In the days before starting chemo, my mind would flick back to my oncologist’s words: ‘People experience chemotherapy differently. Some feel almost no ill-effects and continue working as normal, while others really struggle. The vast majority fall somewhere in between.’ I didn’t know where on that spectrum I would fall, but I assumed it would be somewhere in the middle (and I secretly hoped for a little nudge towards ‘no ill-effects’). What I did know, was that regardless of how I might feel, I didn’t want chemo to be my sole project. I contacted a handful of my closest work contacts and explained that I didn’t know how well I would be and how this might affect what I would be able to do, but that I would love to be able to help with any small projects they might be working on. All of them responded quickly with some ideas of projects that would help them out but were not subject to a deadline. I felt like punching the air. I knew there would be days I wouldn’t be able to even think about work, but simply having a purpose beyond chemo made me feel great. The projects need not have been work-related, of course. One friend knitted her way through chemo, determined to make cute berets for her daughter and her daughter’s friends. Another started a beauty blog. Another grew windowsill herbs. In each instance, those projects reminded the person that there were focuses beyond chemo that were deserving of their time.
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4
BUILD YOUR DREAM TEAM I remember reading somewhere, that everyone should have their own personal board of directors. The article in question was probably referring to professional life, but I’ve always rather liked the idea of having a team of wonderful humans around me, each of whom has a special role. I found myself reworking this concept for my chemo experience and it ended up being a lifesaver. I assembled my own board of directors and I knew exactly when to call on them. I had my Director of Deep Discussions, my Head of Beauty and Wellbeing, my Director for Distraction and, of course, my Chief Comedy Officer. Each of them knew the small but crucial part they were playing and was eager to support. Of course, the reality is that they were just being their wonderful selves, but at a time when my energy levels were swinging from ‘conquer the world’ to ‘sit and stare’, it was useful to know which board member to call on. You might be interested to learn that my 14-year-old daughter still holds her post of Breakfast Briefing Chief. Every morning, she makes tea and toast and gives me the latest gossip. Our briefing session is never dull and is done and dusted in 20 minutes!
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HAVE AN EYE ON THE FUTURE
A big part of my own personal chemo fightback was thinking beyond chemo to the future. I wanted to think beyond what I was dealing with and picture myself busy and active and back to full strength. I realised it would be easier to do that if I could start to make arrangements for specific things I wanted to do or be part of. And so I started to plan. I planned holidays and DIY projects. I even planned potential career moves. I researched, laid down some detail and got excited. I ran ideas past friends, adjusted them and started laying the groundwork. I was effectively telling myself, ‘This is just a temporary hiatus; it won’t be long before I can achieve this goal.’ I didn’t impose timelines on myself because, just like the degree of severity of side effects, the pace of recovery from chemo varies from person to person. What I was doing though, was visualising a more energetic, active time and assuring myself that it would come. That process of visualisation was incredibly powerful. It gave me a jump start on low-energy days and something to focus on when I was feeling great. Chemotherapy is undeniably an onslaught. It’s an onslaught on mind, body and spirit and everyone who finds themselves on this journey needs to know that they are achieving something amazing simply by getting through it. What I discovered on my journey though, was that it was possible to do more than get through it. With the addition of some clever tactics and an adjustment of mindset, it was completely possible to thrive.
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A DV E R TO R I A L
Ke e p i n g ou r c o o l Cancer care has been hit par ticularly hard by the lockdown, with patients having their treatment delayed or even cancelled. With social distancing and other precautionar y measures in place, this inevitably had an impact on scalp cooling. Claire Paxman, director of strategic initiatives at Paxman scalp cooling (left), discusses how the company has had to adapt and evolve...
How do you think patients’ quality of care has been affected by Covid-19? Hospitals and cancer units were making the best decisions they could, but a large number of patients were told that scalp cooling would not be an option. This added a lot of stress for those committed to retaining their hair during chemotherapy, in a situation that was already challenging.
sessions. We were determined to provide support and advice remotely to those people in this horrible situation.
Some of the saddest situations were for patients who reached out to us as they were coming to the end of many rounds of chemo, but were told they couldn’t continue to scalp cool, meaning hair loss was unavoidable after all that hard wor k. Luckily it became clear, with the suppor t of UK Oncology Nursing Society, that scalp cooling was still a safe addition to chemo. Since ear ly summer, things seem to have settled down again. We’re all aware of the impact that medical distancing is likely to make with an increase in cancer diagnosis in the foreseeable future, but for now scalp cooling is ver y much still an available option.
Through digital technology we could help to ensure that patients felt as prepared as possible while reducing the amount of contact time required from clinical staff. We were able to explain scalp cooling, and the team was available for video calls. Now we have a selection of guidance materials, including our new website, coldcap.com, which has lots of information, including hair care advice, a decision-making guide to give an indication of the hair retention you can expect from your regime, guidance on what to expect from your treatment, as well as tutorial videos. These videos are a step-by-step guide on cap fitting and hair preparation, which has always been handled by nursing staff. Now patients have been able to take on this responsibility. This has made social distancing easier and given the patient a further feeling of being invested in the process – nobody cares more about achieving a good cap fit!
How has Paxman adapted to this? One of the biggest changes for patients through the pandemic has been that they were unable to take a loved one with them to their chemo
In many ways we have been able to provide more support to patients and medical teams during this year than ever before. We are continuing to adapt as the situation changes, but
it has been a real pleasure to provide help in such uncertain situations. What effect has it had on the company? We have been lucky in many ways to not see a huge disruption to our day-to-day working. We understand the impact that hair loss can have on a patient and so we were determined to do everything we could to ensure that scalp cooling was going to be an option for those going through chemotherapy. Covid-19 has tested us, but we are so proud that we have pulled together to ensure that patients remain our focus. Our determination to ensure that anyone who wants to scalp cool can has not changed. A cancer diagnosis plunges a person into complete uncertainty. To have to go through that with the added uncertainty of a global pandemic is unimaginable. It has been great to see how many people are engaging with us on social media and finding support from our private Facebook group (facebook.com/groups/PaxmanScalpCooling). It’s a really positive global community of people who
have been or are scalp cooling. It’s somewhere that patients can speak to those who know exactly how it feels and find encouragement that can make a huge difference. It has been an honour to be able to have more to interactions than before. How do you think they’ll change going forward? Patients are our complete focus, so we hope that this increased level of contact will continue. I have also begun a series of Facebook Lives (bit.ly/ ClaireandGuestsUK) where we have been focusing on the work of charities and organisations that we have the pleasure of working with, including You, Me and the Big C, the Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust, and of course Future Dreams. We hope this has shone a light on the wonderful work that is being done by incredible charities, but also the support that is out there for patients. The one certainty at the moment for all of us is uncertainty. But we will continue to embrace the challenge, keep a positive and open-minded approach and continue to work hard.
SUPPORT AND ADVICE
YOUR H O SPITAL
checklist
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE ON YOUR BREAST CANCER JOURNEY, YOU MAY BE PANICKING ABOUT WHAT TO TAKE FOR YOUR CHEMOTHERAPY OUTPATIENT APPOINTMENTS AND HOSPITAL INPATIENT STAY. FUTURE DREAMS’ AMANDA HANISON SHARES SOME PRACTICAL ADVICE
A sudden breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment and surgery plan is not something any woman is ever prepared for.Your head is spinning with stuff you feel you need to do and things that have to be organised. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago, it was a shock to both myself and everyone around me.
exchange and buy what I would really need while in hospital and having treatment. I know I was lucky having her to help me. Since my recovery, I have supported other women on a similar journey, answering their questions and offering what practical advice I can, based on my own experiences.
It wasn’t just the emotional bombshell that knocked us all for six but all the day-to-day practicalities of looking after two young children, running a home and working.
One of the questions I’m often asked is, ‘What will I need in hospital?’ So I have created the following lists for patients, carers, friends and family.
I remember saying, ‘I can’t be ill, I can’t do this – I’m everything to everyone.’ But like some of you reading this, I had no choice! I also had no idea what I would need and made mistakes, often sending my mum back to the shops to
‘YOUR HEAD IS SPINNING WITH STUFF YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO DO AND THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE ORGANISED’
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If you are a chemotherapy day patient Wear soft, comfortable clothing, loose-fitting bottoms and front-fastening top with short, wide sleeves as you will be sitting in the chair for a few hours. It also means you and your medical staff can have easy access to your port or when they need to take blood.
Due to the recent Co vid-19 pandemic you may also want to include: Disposable gloves Face mask Hand sanitiser Antibacterial surface wip
Pack a chemo
day bag
Your medicatio n/list of current medication – take a photo and save onto your ph one
Mobile phone/ headphones/cha rger (extra-long cable in case you are far from a sock et point)
Electronic table t/headphones/ char ger (again, ta ke the longest cable that you ha ve)
Kindle/books/m
agazines/puzzles Contact lense s/solution/glasses / sunglasses
es
Handheld fan for hot flushes, pl us extra batteries
Flip-flops/disp osable slipper s to visit the bathroom
Ear plugs/eye mask in case you want to sleep
Sanitary wear Pocket tissues
Lip balm, as lips can get very dry Hand cream
to Water bottle – it’s important d rate stay hyd Boiled sweets to suck to ease dryness or funny tastes
e Dried snacks, such as crisps. Mak ents pati them nut free in case other have aller gies Warm, cosy blanket
e Hot water bottle/hot pad – thes cap cold are great if you are using a as it can get very chilly Woolly hat, even in summer, to wear after cold cap if you are
using one
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Pack a hospital sta
y bag Your medication/lis t of current medication – tak e a photo and save onto your ph one
Contact lenses/solution/glasses/ sunglasses
Front-fastening, po st-op support bra and post-op suppo rt knickers. You’ll be guided on wh at you’ll need by your breast cancer care nurse , depending on the type of sur gery you are ha ving Front-fastening nig htdress so the nurse can open it with ease to check the site an d dressings
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Toiletries/sanitary wear Sponge/flannel/towel Dry shampoo/hairbrush Tissues/cotton wool Face wipes Handheld mirror
Dressing gown
Makeup
Bed socks in case yo ur fee
Lip salve for dry lips
t get cold Flip-flops/disposab le slippers to walk/visit the ba throom
Ear plugs and eye mask if you want to rest or sleep – hospitals are noisy places!
Mobile phone/hea dphones/charger. Take the longest cable you have in case you are far from a socket point and canno t stretch or get out of bed following sur gery Electronic tablet/he adphones/ charger (again, rem ember to pack an extra-long cab le) Kindle/books/maga
zines/puzzles
Handheld fan for hot flushes, plus extra batteries
Hand cream
Dried snacks, such as crisps. Make them nut free in case other patients have allergies
For when you go home: Pack a comfortable, soft, front-fastening top that is easy to pull up and down. You’ll also need loose-fitting bottoms and comfy slip-on shoes
ASK AMANDA I am happy to answer questions about my recovery following surgery. If you would like to chat about this or anything else, please contact me at Amanda@futuredreams.org.uk
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F U T U R E DR E A M S BRO W PA L E T TE Difficulty filling and shaping your brows? When brow hairs are sparse to none, it can be hard to get the right length and volume. Our Dream Brow palette comes with a combination of colours to blend and a stencil to find your shape, ensuring that drawing eyebrows is kept simple and effortless. At BBB London, we understand the importance that brows can have in building selfconfidence. 50% of all proceeds from The Dream Brow palette will be donated to Future Dreams, a charity dedicated to helping those who have been touched by breast cancer. Available online at www.bbb-london.com and in selected stores. RRP: ÂŁ25
Digital Cancer Care
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SUPPORT AND ADVICE
MANAGING YOUR MONEY
during breast cancer THE LAST THING YOU NEED AFTER A BREAST C ANCER DIAGNOSIS IS TO WORRY ABOUT PAYING YOUR BILLS. BUT THERE IS HELP AVAILABLE...
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When you’re facing all the other fears that come with being told you have breast cancer, you shouldn’t need to worry about how you’re going to pay your bills. We looked at the website of cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support and found some really useful financial advice. Topics range from insurance, pensions and benefits eligibility to employment worries, how to manage energy costs and grants availability. Macmillan can also provide a specialist advisor to help guide you through the maze...
How can Macmillan welfare rights advisors help? Living with cancer can affect your money, whether you are working, unemployed or retired. You may earn less if you stop working or reduce your hours. You may spend more on everyday costs, like heating or travelling to hospital. If you are affected by cancer there are a range of benefits you may be entitled to that could help you with your ever yday living costs. Macmillan’s specialist advisor s can help you to find out what benefits you might be entitled to, such as:
• • •
Univer sal Credit Per sonal Independence Payment (PIP) Employment and Suppor t Allowance (ESA)
They can also help you find out about other types of suppor t available, such as accessing your pensions ear ly and pension credit, income maximisation and Macmillan Grants.
What are Macmillan Grants? Macmillan Grants are small, one-off discretionary payments to help with the extra costs that living with cancer can bring. They can be used to help with things such as energy bills, home adaptions, costs of travel to and from hospital or any extra costs you might have because of cancer. You can apply for a Macmillan Grant if you have cancer, or if you are still seriously affected by your illness or treatment. You can also apply if you have a par ticular need related to the cancer or treatment.
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What kind of issues can they help with? Macmillan can help with all aspects of your finances, and give you personalised support and guidance to help you plan your budget, manage your money and understand your personal finance options. They can speak about mor tgages, pensions, insurance and other financial products to helping you with budgeting and savings or writing your will. Their financial guides understand how cancer can affect your finances. When it comes to things like mor tgage repayments, insurance and pension policies and financial planning they’ll tr y to help reduce the impact cancer can have. Their financial guides help you with financial suppor t if you are not sure what might be best in your situation.
How do I speak to someone for advice? You can phone Macmillan on 0808 8080000 seven days a week, 8am to 8pm, or register for email support by going to: macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/ financial-help There are also local information and suppor t centres and buses that travel the countr y with exper ts who can help. Due to Covid-19, these ser vices have been affected and may wor k differently but the Macmillan website will have all the latest information.
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Future Dreams asked NatWest to answer the questions breast cancer patients might ask. The advice should generally apply to all banks. Should you tell your bank if you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer?
How do you find the right person to speak to?
It’s important to get in touch with your bank if you need support with your finances. Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is understandably very traumatic. Your bank can help you to ensure that money doesn’t become an added worry at a difficult time.
There are so many ways to contact your bank – for example mobile banking, visiting the bank’s website, web chat, telephone banking or going into a branch. With many banks you can now do video banking from the comfort of your own home, which might be a better way to have a more detailed face-to-face chat with an expert if you’re not feeling up to getting out and about.
The sooner you let your bank know, the sooner they can help. Often seeking help can be left too late; remember that it could be a lot easier to sor t out your finances to prepare for a reduction in income (for instance) than it might be to deal with multiple missed mor tgage or bill payments. Your conver sation with your bank can cover a range of things. You might just speak to someone about where you can save money by cancelling direct debits, switching deals or consolidating debts. Or, if you need more help than that, then you may speak to a debt specialist about what temporar y relief you can arrange from mor tgage or debt payments. Whatever your situation, know that there are options, your bank will help you wor k out what’s right for you and the best way to sor t things out is to get in touch ear ly. Most banks will offer a financial health check to help you under stand your finances and your priorities.
You can be directed to specialists trained to suppor t customer s in vulnerable situations, customer s in debt or customers who just need suppor t understanding and managing their money. Will it be held against you if at a later date you want a mortgage or loan? There are a number of factors your lender will consider when you apply for a mortgage or loan, including your ability to afford credit and your credit history/rating. Lenders are interested in offering products that are affordable in the long-term, which means understanding a customer’s circumstances in detail. Ear ly engagement with your bank can help to manage your affordability. It is also wor th knowing and managing your credit score. Some banks offer a ser vice to help you do that, alongside hints and tips to improve your score.
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A DV E R TO R I A L W HAT I S A F I N AN C I AL HEA LTH CHECK ? During Covid-19, NatWest promoted its ser vice offering a review of customer finances that could also be helpful for those diagnosed with breast cancer...
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What is a Financial Health Check? It’s a telephone or video call with one of our Senior Personal Bankers that will focus on your needs, goals and all areas of your finances. A Financial Health Check could help you save or make money and protect the things impor tant to you. You don’t even have to be a NatWest customer.
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How long will it take? As little as 20 minutes but it depends on each customer’s individual circumstances.
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What if I’m not confident making a video call, can I do it over the phone? Absolutely – our website gives details of all the options.
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Is this just for someone facing financial problems? No. Our discussion will focus on what’s impor tant to you.
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Will I have to give lots of personal details? We need your name, email, postcode and mobile number to contact you prior to your appointment and advise what documentation you may need to have with you.
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Once I have done it, will the information stay on record? The information is held by NatWest Group for the lifetime of your relationship with us and to comply with the law would be deleted after 10 years should this relationship end. The information of the Financial Health Check (FHC) is also kept within the FHC digital tool, which is owned by a 3rd par ty but adheres to Natwest Group guidelines.
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Will my information be shared? The information you provide as a par t of a Financial Health Check is shared with a 3rd par ty who own the digital tool (see point 6). The information we collect will be used to provide you with the information you need, to determine whether our products and/or services meet your needs. If you take out a product with us sometimes we need to share information within the NatWest Group and we may need to share your information with other businesses that help us to help you. For example, credit reference agencies, fraud prevention agencies and banking industry regulators. If you want more information on how we use your information you can find our full Privacy Notice on the privacy page on our website at natwest.com/privacy. We never sell your information to others for marketing purposes.
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How will it help me and my family? By helping you to make, save and protect your money, and realising your goals and dreams. Book in via our website at natwest.com/healthcheck
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Can faith H EL P YOU ?
For some people a diagnosis with breast cancer leaves them struggling with the concept of religion, finding it impossible to believe. For others, like Zaheen Qaiser, it deepens their faith. Here she explains why...
Zaheen (left) was diagnosed with breast cancer in April during lockdown. Had the pandemic not happened, she would have been boarding a flight for a family holiday to Canada and celebrating her 20-year work anniversary at the National Portrait Gallery. Here, Zaheen shares her personal thoughts on how her faith as a Muslim anchored her in uncertain times. In many religions, including Islam, illness is seen as a mercy from God. As a Muslim I believe that life is a test and that we are tested in many ways, including with illness and affliction. It is often said that if God wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts them with trials. One thing I’ve learned is that many things happen along life’s journey, but it’s often how we deal with them that is important. My faith teaches patience in times of difficulty because of the belief that God is with the patient. I accepted the will of God so I never asked, ‘Why me?’ In fact I thought, ‘Why not me?’ because cancer is very common. My faith also teaches that in times that require us to be patient, we should also be grateful. It
was important for me to remember that my cancer had not negated all the other blessings in my life – it had actually amplified them. Everything – from having a roof over my head, food to eat, a loving family and good friends – made me feel even more grateful. I expect the lockdown helped a lot of us to refocus on what is truly important in life. It did for me, and my cancer did the same. I see my cancer as a guest, albeit one that is neither welcome nor unwelcome. In Islam, guests are honoured. I therefore see my cancer as something that should be given respect and treated well until it is ready to leave. Taking the time to get to know my cancer and living with it may even help me understand its purpose and how this experience is to shape the rest of my life. It has certainly slowed my life down, given me time to focus on myself for a change and appreciate each new day as the gift that it is. In this way, my cancer has given me the opportunity to make a stronger connection with God, to re-establish my faith and trust in Him. At the moment I am halfway through chemo (and its side effects), which can be tough. But I view it as a means to an end. I constantly remind myself that ease always follows any difficulty, that it is just a temporary phase and that Insha’Allah (God willing) ‘this too shall pass’.
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We are delighted to sponsor The Future Dreams Virtual Art Event
Masters in the art of selling and renting residential property in and around Hampstead
F UTU RE D R E AMS
art auction
Future Dreams will host its first-ever online art auction and exhibition this November to raise much-needed funds. With photographs and artworks from renowned artists, including Simon Emmett, The Connor Brothers, Sally Hewett, Gideon Rubin, CĂŠline Boden, Rob Unett and Adebayo Bolaji, the exhibition is being held in partnership with Moyosa Media, The Arts Club, Sky Arts and estate agent TK International. We are excited to present the stunning virtual exhibition, which has come about thanks to the generosity of the artistic community. Many of the artists and photographers who have donated work have a strong, personal connection to the work of Future Dreams or with breast cancer. Some are survivors themselves, while others have been affected by the breast cancer journeys of loved ones.
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One Foot On The Ground, photographer David Yarrow
‘Having witnessed the effects of breast cancer first hand, I did not hesitate to contribute to a charity as committed as Future Dreams, it seems like the least one could do to help. This donation is dedicated to the memory of a close relation that lost her battle to cancer.’ Artist Céline Boden
Mother and Daughter 2016, artist Gideon Rubin
‘As a husband and the father of three beautiful girls, the cause of Future Dreams is naturally close to my heart. Helping them through the current crisis becomes our obligation.’ Artist Gideon Rubin Cranach V from Light of Grace series, artist Céline Boden
Art has the power to communicate so much. It can transport you back to somewhere in the past or into an unknown, dreamed future. It can be a souvenir or memory of a particular time in your life, or an inspirational image that brings you hope and joy. You live with art, growing together, journeying from the present into the future. Art is both personal and universal, and all art has the power to inspire creativity, hope and dreams of the future. Curated by Pernilla Holmes and Amelie von Wedel of The Arts Club – the historic members’ club based in Mayfair, London – the exhibition will include a selection of photographs, paintings and prints that have been so generously donated. The online exhibition will be hosted by
Moyosa, who have built a state-of-the-art virtual gallery space that can be viewed on a computer, tablet or smart phone from anywhere in the world. The ultra-contemporary virtual gallery space is sleek and modern – the perfect place to display the beautiful artwork before it is auctioned off to the highest bidder. For more details about exploring and joining the online only exhibition please visit futuredreams.org.uk/events. The online auction with take place on November 16. The auction is a chance to raise funds during this uncertain moment in time, and will enable Future Dreams to continue to offer practical and emotional support to people whose lives have been touched by breast cancer.
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POP ART IN THE MAKING Ever wondered how iconic images of the Pop Art movement came into being? You are cordially invited to explore the unique collection of recently published photographs that offer a peek into the lives and work of Andy Warhol and Robert Indiana at the rise of the Pop Art Mo vement. Shot in the early 1960s by fine art photographer William John Kennedy, these extraordinary images — which lay in storage for nearly 50 years — reveal a story of the pivotal moments and players who shaped the course of American art in the second half of the 20th century. The exhibition is displayed in The Art Flat in the heart of London. To arrange your visit, please contact the host.
Neil BookaQ 07956 886 416 nbookaQ@aol.co m
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Puzzles on page 188 230 | FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK
Proud supporters of Future Dreams Avison Young ‘s project management team has worked on iconic & award winning developments across the UK.
Credit Suisse Asset Management & Dukelease Properties 156 – 164 Gray’s Inn Road & Panther House
avisonyoung.co.uk
SRLV ACCOUNTANTS
Proud to support the brilliant work of Future Dreams Whether advising individuals, owner-managed businesses, listed companies, or international entities, we work closely with our clients, as partners, with the same aim: to help them achieve their goals.
+44 (0)20 7079 8888 hello@srlv.co.uk srlv.co.uk
SRLV 4th Floor Elsley Court 20-22 Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 8BE
Proud Supporters of: FUTURE DREAMS
WE OFFER OUR CLIENTS: • Extensive experience acting on behalf of investors, both in the UK and Overseas.
• An innovative market-leading consultancy with a modern, boutique approach.
• An enviable reputation built on an excellent track record of 90% repeat business.
• Access to market data and the latest off market deals.
For enquiries, please call:
+44 (0)20 7266 8500 info@estate-office.com
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Ideals not just deals Integrity is the law of tomorrow
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Visit the Opulize store at www.amazon.co.uk Opulize are proud to support Future Dreams and the wonderful work they do to help those touched by breast cancer. FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK | 237
PROUDLY SUPPORTING
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FUTURE DREAMS FOR THOSE TOUCHED BY BREAST CANCER
The Directors of Corob Group are pleased to support Future Dreams and wish them every success
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We are delighted to support the fundraising work of the Future Dreams Trust
119 High Road Loughton, Essex IG10 4LT
T/ 020 8508 5048 E/ info@vfund.co.uk W/ vfund.co.uk
From the beginning of Breast Awareness Month in October, Walnut Tree will make a donation to Future Dreams for every purchase made through our website www.walnut.gifts So this Christmas, when you give gifts to your family and friends, you can also help this incredible charity and let everyone be a winner. Thank you for helping us support Future Dreams.
we are proud to work with, and support, future dreams 020 3815 3688 . hello@twoboys.co.uk 9 Noel St, Soho, London, W1F 8GQ twoboys.co.uk
Proud supporters Assael Architecture is proud to support Future Dreams and all women through their breast cancer journey. www.assael.co.uk
We are extremely proud to support the wonderful work of Future Dreams
Specialist recruiters of CFOs, Finance Directors and senior finance resources to Private equity-backed businesses
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Venture House 27-29 Glasshouse Street 020 7467 2550 London W1B 5DF
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BROTHERTON REAL ESTATE IS DELIGHTED TO SUPPORT THE FANTASTIC WORK OF FUTURE DREAMS
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Galliard wishesGalliard this event Galliard is delighted to be associated every success wishes this event with this great cause.
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London’s independent construction cost advisors 5-23 Old Street | London | EC1V 9HL www.exigere.co.uk | 0207 920 3400
We are delighted to support this fantastic We are delighted to and worthwhile cause support this fantastic and worthwhile cause
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LEXUS TWICKENHAM 161 Chertsey Road, Twickenham, TW1 1ER 020 8892 2523 www.lexus.co.uk/twickenham
TWICKENHAM
Model shown is UX F SPORT (£33,950) with Premium Plus Pack and Lexus Driver Assist at £2,600 including optional special metallic paint at £820 (£37,370). Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km): combined 47.0 (6.0) – 53.2 (5.3). Combined CO2 137 - 120g/km.* *Figures are provided for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results. Fuel consumption and CO2 produced varies significantly depending on a number of factors, including the accessories fitted (post-registration), driving style, conditions, speed and vehicle load. All models and grades are certified according to the World Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). All mpg and CO2 figures quoted are full WLTP figures. The official CO2 figures for vehicles have changed, due to a change in the official method of calculation. CO2 figures are used in the calculation of Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax) for new cars during their first year of registration. As a result, all CO2 figures, car tax and ‘on the road’ prices for new vehicles, which were provided or displayed prior to 1 April 2020, may now have changed for vehicles which were not registered before that date. These dates may change, please visit www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/fcb/wltp.asp for the latest information. Choice of options and accessories fitted (pre-registration) may affect the official CO2 figures, car tax and ‘on the road’ price. For details of your preferred model and grade derivative, please contact your local Lexus Centre.
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BRINGING DREAMS TO LIFE Spring Studios is proud to support Future Dreams with the donation of our studio space and creative agency support.
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Our Property Relationship Management team provide exceptional customer service and offer bespoke solutions to your banking needs including residential and mixed-use development finance UMTB London Branch, 30 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1HQ Matthew Plax T: 020 7448 0659 E: matthew.p@umtb.co.uk W: www.umtb.co.uk Authorised and regulated by the Bank of Israel. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority are available from us on request
With best wishes from Family Goldberg of Northern and Midland Holdings Ltd
We congratulate Future Dreams onProud reaching its 10 year anniversary to support Future Dreams and wish this event every success and the fantasticFuture work they do We congratulate Dreams forreaching those touched breast cancer on its 10 by year anniversary and wish this event every success Grant and Bowman Limited WWW.CLAIRE-RANDALL.CO.UK Bowman House, 20-22 Market Place, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 8EQ, UK +44 (0)20 8326 2626 • destrin@bowmangroup.com
Grant and Bowman Limited WWW.CLAIRE-RANDALL.CO.UK Bowman House, 20-22 Market Place, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 8EQ, UK +44 (0)20 8326 2626 • destrin@bowmangroup.com
Preston Bennett is proud to support the important work of Future Dreams. Preston Bennett 37/41 Church Road, Stanmore, HA7 4AA 020 3754 7344 | www.prestonbennett.co.uk Supporting good causes.
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breast Cancer Haven YOUR HELP THROUGH THE TOUGHEST TIMES COULD YOU BENEFIT FROM FREE, WEEKLY SUPPORT SESSIONS IN LONDON? Helped by the funding it receives from Future Dreams, Breast Cancer Haven is able to provide free one-to-one weekly support at The Whittington Hospital, Archway, in north London. Breast Cancer Haven healthcare professionals can offer an initial consultation and personalised support packages that include counselling, nutritional advice and therapies, such as massage, reflexology and acupuncture. A referral isn’t necessary – just call to make an appointment.
Telephone 0300 012 0112 or visit breastcancerhaven.org.uk Anyone affected by breast cancer can attend. You do not need to be a patient at the hospital and don’t need a doctor’s referral.
'This service and support has helped me accept what has happened. Breast cancer is hard enough, the aftermath is a struggle, you feel so lonely and lost. The service has been a lifeline to me.' Jodi, 29
'The sessions were lovely. I had three lovely massages that went to the right spot – exactly where I needed. After chemo, my legs were very weak and the massage really has helped me.' Gisele, 48
Help is also available remotely, wherever you are. One-to-one therapies, classes and support groups are available live online and over the phone. Speak to one of the team on 0300 012 0112
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FUTURE DREAMS’ PIONEERING PROJECT IS CELEBRATING ITS FIRST BIRTHDAY. WE LOOK AT HOW LUNCH & LEARN IS WORKING – AND THE LIVES IT HAS CHANGED... This time last year, Future Dreams launched an exciting scheme to send experts into corporate offices to raise awareness about breast cancer. Former breast cancer patient Amanda Hanison has been spearheading the project, along with FD colleagues, using lunchtime sessions to talk about the importance of self-checking and the work of our charity. Diagnosed with breast cancer at 42, Amanda is now seven years cancer free. She wants to use her experience to give women – and men – the knowledge to spot any changes in their breasts, and the confidence to take action. We hear from her grateful clients and take a look at Amanda’s day.
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Thank you so much for coming in, I’ve heard lots of positive messages from staff and I think it was a very useful and educational message. Please do keep in touch, we’d love to work further with you in the future. RANDA HARWOOD Head of Committees, People Operations at Brainlabs
Thanks for coming in today…the ladies (and gents) that attended found it extremely informative and touching! You are both doing some amazing work. MEGAN FUGE HR Administrator, Time Out Group
I just wanted to say a big thank you to you both for coming in today and hosting a Time Out Lunch & Learn session on breast cancer awareness. You both made what could have been a very heavy and dark session into something highly engaging, action oriented and very hopeful. The attention in the room was absolute and your story and storytelling I am sure convinced everyone of the necessity for regular and informed self-checking and awareness. NICKY COSTA Interim HR Director, Time Out Group
I believe we (everyone who attended today’s seminar) found your story enlightening and informative. Yes, it’s always great to listen to the professionals giving advice and examples of other people’s stories but nothing beats a story from the heart, one filled with emotion and positivity. You were easy to talk to and constantly reminded us that you aren’t an expert but that this was your story and experience. It is one I am very grateful you were willing to share. I wish you well in your quest to enlighten and enrich the lives of others by opening up your experience to a room filled with individuals you don’t know but are generous enough to want to help. I’ve been so inspired by you being willing to share your story on behalf of Future Dreams it made me remember a friend of an acquaintance was recently diagnosed with breast cancer so I’ve sent details of Future Dreams website to her to pass on. JENNIFER TINGLING Professional Business Support, FCA
Thank you for the Lunch & Learn session. It initiated many worthwhile discussions among staff, both about breast cancer and also about the importance of wellbeing generally and what more the firm can do to support its staff in this area. HELEN RIPLEY Associate, DMH Stallard
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Amanda Hanison
I’m always up bright and early, even on the days I don’t officially go to work. My husband’s alarm goes off at 6am and he snoozes and snoozes and I can’t get back to sleep. But I don’t mind – my job as a Future Dreams spokeswoman isn’t a nine-to-five and there is always something to do or someone who wants to talk. I usually start my day with celery juice, then porridge with oat milk or a slice of toast from one of my homemade loaves. I made the decision to switch from normal milk to dairyfree after my breast cancer diagnosis seven years ago. There is no right or wrong, it was just something that felt right for me. My story isn’t the usual one: there was no ‘pea’ under the skin. I noticed a large bump just above my left breast, in my chest area, and assumed it was just fat or muscle. But, when I was lying down by the pool on holiday that summer, it became more prominent. When I got home, I mentioned it in passing to my GP at a routine appointment for my son. She had
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a quick look and referred me for immediate investigation. Two days later, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I got involved with Future Dreams very soon after my diagnosis. I bumped into an old school friend while out shopping and she told me she was an active member of the committee. She offered to take me to the then Future Dreams-funded support centre, which offered emotional, physical and financial advice. This helped me immensely through my own journey. I am not here to scare people. My story is a positive one. At the time of my diagnosis, I was newly dating a lovely man. Five years later, we were married. David could have walked away. Instead, he chose to stay by my side, hold my hand, and care for me throughout my treatment and beyond. He has never missed an appointment. When the time was right, he proposed. I am now an official Future Dreams spokeswoman. Before Covid-19 hit, I was going out with my team to deliver an exciting new service called Lunch &
Learn to educate corporate staff about breast cancer – on their lunch breaks. I have worked a lot on my public speaking and I usually just talk from the heart. I follow the writer and speaker Viv Groskop on Instagram and she has helped and inspired me so much with my confidence. She even got in touch to congratulate me on what I am doing, which means so much. During the lunchtime sessions, I talk about my own journey then demonstrate self-checking, before opening up the floor for questions. Sometimes people are shy and prefer to hang back at the end, other times a whole hour can fly by with people chatting and sharing their own stories and concerns. It’s always a really meaningful experience for everyone involved.
David. I also used some of the online meditation apps for breathing exercises. While I couldn’t go about my normal Lunch & Learn schedule, which involved jumping on and off the tube all over London, Future Dreams offered a new service called Ask Amanda. It sounds fancy, but sometimes the simplest ideas can have the biggest impact.
‘I’M NOT HERE TO SCARE PEOPLE, MY STORY IS A POSITIVE ONE... FIVE YEARS AFTER MY DIAGNOSIS I GOT MARRIED’
Lunch & Learn provides a great opportunity for companies to show they care. The sessions are intimate, informative and, believe it or not, sometimes very entertaining. Especially when fellow supporter Helen Addis also pops in. We’ve also teamed up with some high-quality beauty therapists, offering staff manicures on the day of the talk. Who could say no? When Covid-19 hit, obviously everything changed. I couldn’t go gallivanting around London to do my talks anymore. I was also reacquainted with some of my own old health anxieties. Like many people, I suddenly didn’t have the luxury of care that I’d experienced for the last seven years. To combat these worries, I went for two-hour walks every day with
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I made myself available for patients going through a breast cancer diagnosis, surgery or treatment during Covid-19. I am not a therapist: I just help by listening and understanding. Sometimes we use Zoom but I’m a bit Zoomed out! And at least if it’s over the phone I don’t need to ‘put my face on’. Nobody sees me without my make-up: my motto is look good, feel good, do good. I am also taking part in two NHS studies. One is a medical study and as the patient advisor I have to read paperwork and give my feedback. That keeps me busy and is an ongoing project. The other is a 10-year lifestyle study on breast cancer patients, which hopes to improve lifestyle advice for those diagnosed in the future. I also participate in Show & Tell sessions: information and support groups on breast reconstruction, which are held at the Royal Free Hospital. Covid-19 threw us all a curveball, but I’d like to think I have mastered the art of adapting and thriving in the face of adversity.
‘I AM NOT A THERAPIST. I JUST HELP BY LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING AND SHARING THE THINGS I WISH I HAD KNOWN’ We are hoping to pick up where we left off with our new Lunch & Learn service, which had really gained some momentum. But just in case we cannot get into offices, we are working on some virtual and interactive alternatives. Something I always say in my Lunch & Learn talk is that I’m not a medical health professional. I’m just a patient sharing what I have learned and wish I’d known prior to diagnosis. Knowledge is power. Covid-19 or not, I have something to say that could potentially save a life. And I can’t wait to get back out there.
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Interested in inviting the Lunch & Learn team to visit your office, either virtually or in person? Contact us at kari@futuredreams.org.uk
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SUPPORT FOR TODAY
hope for the future WE ARE BREAST C ANCER NOW – THE CHARITY THAT’S STEERED BY WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH AND POWERED BY LIFE-CHANGING C ARE
We’re here for anyone affected by breast cancer, the whole way through, providing support for today and hope for the future. We’re that trusted friend that you turn to for caring support when you need it most. The expert authority on breast cancer research that is making breakthroughs and driving forward progress. And a vehicle for change, acting now to make sure anyone affected by breast cancer gets the best possible treatment and care. We believe that we can change the future of breast cancer and make sure that, by 2050, everyone diagnosed with the disease lives – and is supported to live well. Here’s how we can help...
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Fro m res ea rc h t o c are , w e h a v e p e op l e af f ected b y b rea st ca ncer a t o u r h ea r t . W h e t h e r y ou’ v e j u s t b e e n dia gn o sed, m a n a ging th e s i de ef f ec ts of t re at m e n t s , w a n t t o meet o th ers in a sim ila r s i t u a t i o n o r s e e h ow re s e a rc h i s d r i v i ng f o rwa rd pro gress in b re a s t c an c e r, w e’ re h e re f o r yo u.
TA L K TO O U R B R EA ST C A R E N URS ES Whether you have breast cancer yourself or have questions about a loved one, the breast care nurses and highly-trained staff on our free and confidential Helpline are here for you. Call 0808 800 6000 or email nurse@breastcancernow.org
LI F E - CH A N G IN G C A R E A N D SU P P ORT S ERVI C ES Our award-winning information and publications, online Forum, Becca app and specialist services are all here to make sure anyone diagnosed with breast cancer gets the support they need to help them deal with the physical and emotional impacts of the disease. Find out more at breastcancernow.org/oursupport
WO R L D -C L A SS R ESEARC H By funding almost 340 of the brightest minds in breast cancer research, we’re discovering how we can prevent, save lives and live well with breast cancer. Giving us the power to drive forward progress on a global stage. Find out more at breastcancernow.org/ourresearch
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Flat Friends www.flatfriends.org.uk
Hello
I’m Sarah Coombes. I’m 40 years old and live near King’s Lynn, Norfolk. I work full-time as a social worker having retrained after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 35. In my spare time, I’m a trustee of the charity Flat Friends UK and founder of flatterfashion.co.uk Since my mastectomy without reconstruction, I’ve put all my energy into developing tips for dressing flat after single or double mastectomy. You can find them on my website or in Flat Friends’ patient booklet Living without reconstruction. Right now, I’m part-way through my Outflat fundraising campaign, sharing a daily selfie of what I’m wearing to raise awareness of day-to-day living and dressing without two breasts.
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My st o ry It’s been said that being diagnosed with cancer is like sitting an exam in a foreign language that you haven’t had time to learn. We have to rely on our healthcare team to translate for us and we go online in search of exam tips. In December 2014, after finding a small lump behind my right nipple, I was diagnosed with a fast-growing invasive breast cancer. I instantly declined the idea of reconstruction – even though my breast care team warned me I would be ‘very flat’ and wouldn’t be able to find nice clothes. The Breast Cancer Care patient booklet on clothes told me that women living without reconstruction who don’t wear prostheses could ‘disguise’ their chest by wearing scarves and loose fitting tops. I searched online: clothes that suit a flat chest; postmastectomy fashion; clothes without reconstruction; living and dressing flat and every configuration of those words you can imagine. A website about living flat had one page about clothing but frustratingly gave the same advice of baggy tops and scarves. I was 35 and being told that if I didn’t reconstruct then I would need to spend the rest of my life concealing my body – as if the public shouldn’t be confronted by a woman without two breasts. Another thing that struck me was that there were only two varieties of living flat portrayed online, either needing to cover up or wanting to appear androgynous. A few months later I discovered the charity Flat Friends and realised that’s far from the truth. ‘Flat’ is the space where a breast once was, it’s not the whole of your chest or how you choose to present your chest to the world. All women living without reconstruction after a single or double mastectomy – whether they choose to wear prostheses always, sometimes or never – are ‘Living Flat’. After many days and weeks scouring social media, I found two women in the UK and one in the US who were open about living flat and sharing photos of their daily lives without a strategically-placed scarf in sight. I genuinely thought we must be the only ones, that everyone else was hiding in plain sight or having reconstruction. I imagined I wasn’t the first woman to be in this position – doubting her gut instinct because of how we’re expected to look. I became concerned that some may agree to have reconstruction based on their team, cancer charities, or the internet telling them that the alternative will be unrecognisable and uninhabitable. The thought that there may be women getting dressed each day in a cloak of secrecy, fearing that if they did not obscure their chest they risked offending society, inflamed an idea to create the resource I had been looking for. Within a couple of weeks of having my mastectomy I had worked out how to build a website and uploaded my first post: The One Where I Tried On Everything In My
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34DD Wardrobe. I was having to start from scratch, working out which fabrics, styles, shapes, designs, seams and darts would flatter my new body shape. The day before each chemo, I would use my short-lived energy to go to a high street store and try on clothes. I photographed and documented each discovery for my website and social media, while picking out themes and criteria that eventually became my list of fashion tips for dressing single or double flat chests. Just as ‘Living Flat’ is an inclusive term, so is ‘Dressing Flat’. Dressing Flat is not the preserve of those who have no breasts, and is not describing an attempt to appear flat. It’s what each of us does every day when we pick out which top or bra to wear.
‘I JUST WANT TO CREATE PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR WOMEN TO USE WHEN THEY’RE WONDERING IF THEY’LL BE ABLE TO WEAR A BIKINI, A SMART WORK OUTFIT, OR AN EVENING DRESS IF THEY DON’T HAVE RECONSTRUCTION’ After five years of mastectomy fashion blogging, I have compiled a wardrobe of clothes I feel comfortable and confident in. A huge variety of colours and prints, frills and ruffles, floaty and fitted. Everything from work wear, sportswear and evening gowns to swimming costumes and bikinis. Plus a padded crop top and a pair of Knitted Knockers! That doesn’t mean I don’t have days when I think nothing looks right and declare ‘I have nothing to wear!’ – that’s something that happens whether you have two breasts, one, or none Most days I’m oblivious to my chest’s appearance – it’s my ‘normal’ and I’m comfortable in my body. Some days I’m acutely aware I don’t have two breasts and I’m sure everyone is looking at me, trying to work out what’s missing. But I don’t think you can tell that from my posts because online we are encouraged to share only our best moments – the enviable events, the picturesque location, an emotive attention-grabbing post or the perfect outfit – because they’re what get the most likes and comments. I’ve never been your typical fashion blogger or Instagrammer. Rather than wanting to be an influencer, I just want to create practical content for women to use when they’re wondering if they’ll be able to wear a bikini, a smart work outfit or an evening dress if they don’t have reconstruction. The aim is to spare the next woman the initial groundwork and trepidation when navigating clothes shopping without two breasts by sharing the basic principles. The rest
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– finding our own style and experimenting through trial and error – is something we each have to do as individuals, just as we did the first time round as young women working out what suited us and reflected our personalities. Over the past couple of years, it’s been exciting to see more women sharing their own flat style, either in the Flat Friends seasonal fashion blogs on my website or by starting their own personal Instagram accounts. For five years I have shared my latest shopping trips, focused posts about swimwear or evening wear, or the occasional noteworthy outing or outfit. I don’t usually post on a daily basis but at the start of this year I set myself the challenge of sharing an unfiltered selfie every day – my ‘outflat’ outfits. I hope that by sharing 366 days of dressing without two breasts, others who are feeling self conscious will see that Dressing Flat isn’t about perfectly staged photos or needing to validate yourself to others. It’s the reality of picking out something to wear day-in, day-out Finding clothes that you feel comfortable in, and looking at your reflection and recognising yourself looking back are the only things that matter. Don’t let your team, the internet or social media trick you into believing you need to completely re-imagine who you are or be taught how to dress yourself. Find inspiration from others, feel empowered to try different styles, and why not share what you discover to hearten the next woman searching for ideas? As well as creating useful content I hope my #Outflat campaign will also raise money to support the work of Flat Friends UK, a charity that is dedicated to supporting women who have had single or double mastectomy surgery without breast reconstruction, including those who may face such decisions now or in the future. I am very proud to be a trustee of Flat Friends UK. We believe living without reconstruction is a positive outcome and work to normalise living without two breasts and providing support to women living flat, including those waiting for delayed reconstruction. Find out more at flatfriends.org.uk Sponsor my #Outflat campaign at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SarahCoombes3
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Girl vs Cancer HOW ONE YOUNG WOMAN’S DIAGNOSIS LED TO A FEISTY ONLINE COMMUNITY HELPING OTHERS
But Lauren did have breast cancer. An aggressive 2.8cm grade-3 cancerous lump had set up residence in her right chesticle, without consent, and sent her life as she knew it into a tailspin.
Lauren Mahon has never been a big fan of her boobs. As she says, they’re more of a nod to a boob, a goodwill gesture. So on the August 31, 2016, when a doctor uttered the words, ‘I’m sorry, it’s not good news, it’s cancer,’ she was sure they were having a laugh. Surely this must be the universe’s idea of a cruel joke. Right? Firstly, Lauren was 31 – far too young and full of fun to be dealing with this kind of crap, she thought. Secondly, she asked herself, how could she have breast cancer when she DIDN’T HAVE ANY B*STARD TITS?!?!
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Desperate for some reassurance and carcinoma companionship, Lauren went looking for advice and encouragement from like-minded women who had faced the C-bomb. What she found were doom saying online communities and clinical materials aimed at women in a more advanced life stage. It didn’t speak to her. Not at all. Fed up with the perception that cancer is a disease for the over fifties, Lauren decided to grab her breast cancer diagnosis by the boobs and began sharing the nuances of her cancer-beating crusade on her blog and Instagram under the hashtag #GIRLvsCANCER. Her aim was to share the tales of her treatment in an authentic and
accessible way in an attempt to tackle the cancer taboo and create a better understanding of the challenges facing those diagnosed with cancer today. Since then, GIRLvsCANCER has grown from an emotional outlet to an established community. In October 2017, Lauren launched it as a hub
a poster girl for the disease. Not by any means. Her experience of one type of cancer will vary massively from others’, she says. Lauren doesn’t know how it feels to lose both breasts, how she’d tell her kids that she’s poorly sick, what it must be like to style up a stoma bag or how to handle the news that the disease is
‘LAUREN DECIDED TO GRAB HER DIAGNOSIS BY THE BOOBS AND SHARE HER CRUSADE’ of information and encouragement, a place where young women could be signposted to the appropriate charities and support services and find insider tips on how to ‘do’ cancer. GIRLvsCANCER began as a place to talk about the cancer experience in away that was accessible, authentic and honest. Lauren wanted to provide a safe place for women, should the cancer hit the fan, to feel supported and spoken to in their language. No stuffy clinical convos. There are over 200 different types of cancer, and Lauren is keen to emphasise she is not
back with a vengeance. But what you will find at GIRLvsCANCER, both on social media and online, is a bevy of bad-ass babes discussing various aspects of the cancer experience and answering any questions that you may have. Whether a person is about to embark on the crazy crazy ride, have a loved one who is or simply wants to suss this whole cancer thing out, GIRLvsCANCER’s community ensures nobody affected by cancer is ever alone.
Follow Lauren on social media @IAmLaurenMahon and @GIRLvsCANCER. Her website is at girlvscancer.co.uk FUTUREDREAMS.ORG.UK | 275
MY DARLING SYLVIE & DANIELLE I WILL LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU FOR EVER YOUR DREAM LIVES ON LOVE ALWAYS EDDIE XXX
HUSBAND AND FATHER TO OUR TWO INSPIRATIONAL CO-FOUNDERS
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Dressing your dreams. Caring for your future Because Pronovias cares about the health and wellbeing of women everywhere, during Pink October all proceeds from the sale of our Lansbury dress will be donated to Future Dreams. Follow your dream. Help fight breast cancer.
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