Portstewart Action Cancer fundraiser Ann urges others to support Breast Friends campaign
A Portstewart woman who raised more than £3,000 for a breast cancer charity is urging others to host a fundraiser for International Women’s Day.
Last October, Action Cancer Supporter Ann Brown along with family and friends raised an incredible £3,260 with their annual coffee morning held in Portstewart Guide Hall for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Online car insurance company its4women has financially matched those donations, thanks to a partnership with Action Cancer.
Since the partnership began in 2019, £300,000 has been raised to date which equates to 2,725 potentially life-saving mammograms.
Portstewart’s Ann said: “I held the first coffee morning back in 2007 when my sister and a few close friends were diagnosed with breast cancer.
"Since then it has grown year-on-year and it’s brilliant that its4women have been matching our efforts every year since 2019. This means that our 2024 donation will be doubled to £6,520 and in October 2025 we intend to smash a cumulative target of £50,000!
“Breast screening is so vitally important. We all know someone who has been affected by this awful disease. I urge women of all ages to support this fundraising campaign and to spread the message to family and friends, particularly those in the 40-49 and 70+ age category. Together, we can make a significant difference in the fight against breast cancer."
The Breast Friends campaign encourages groups of friends to organise a catch-up and raise much needed funds at the same time. Hold a coffee morning, pamper day or spring garden party, at home, in your local salon, gym or anywhere of your choosing on International Women’s Day or during the month of March.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, Action Cancer has released 100 additional breast screening appointments and is encouraging women to book their screening slot online.
The theme for International Women's Day on Saturday, March 8 is ‘Accelerate Action’ and the charity will be opening its doors on this day to mark the occasion with a special breast screening clinic at Action Cancer House in Belfast with 25 appointments available.
Action Cancer offers 8,000 breast screening appointments per year to women aged 40-49 and over 70 — those who fall outside the NHS screening age range (50 – 70). The free life-saving service is available both at Action Cancer House in Belfast and on board the Big Bus mobile screening unit (kindly supported by SuperValu and Centra) which travels to over 200 locations each year. For every 1,000 screenings, Action Cancer detects six breast cancers.
Anna Kayes from its4women said: “With financial matching from its4women, we are thrilled that the Breast Friends campaign has now raised a phenomenal £300,000 since 2019 enabling 2,725 breast screenings to be provided to local women free of charge.
“Given Action Cancer detects six cancers for every 1,000 appointments, money raised from the campaign will have led to the detection of at least sixteen cancers.
"These women would not have been accessing a mammogram through another channel which is why this breast screening service is so important. It is also worth recognising the reassurance provided to the remaining 2,709 women who received clear results.”
For a Breast Friends fundraising pack, please call Lisa McClenaghan on 028 9080 3361 or email [email protected]