Best wishes for 2013 from Breast Cancer Care Cymru and thanks to all staff volunteers supporters and donors for their hard work and support in 2012.
Best wishes for 2013 from Breast Cancer Care Cymru and thanks to all staff volunteers supporters and donors for their hard work and support in 2012. And what a year it proved to be.
The Wales fundraising team was kept busy as 20 inspirational models affected by breast cancer were joined on the catwalk by the Welsh Rugby Team for The Show at City Hall Cardiff. The wonderful actress Ruth Jones also put in an appearance at our fundraising fashion show which brought in £78000.
We turned the town of Cowbridge pink hosting the first Cowbridge Strawberry Tea where we were entertained by the world record-holding Rock Choir (for its more than 16000 members rehearsing in 200 towns nationwide).
The pinkness then took over the Principality with both Pink Friday and Breast Cancer Awareness Month events; even the local policemen were willing to get involved in promoting breast awareness encouraged by the giant ‘BarBra’.
Cake was eaten and a Zumba fundraising extravaganza helped burn away all those calories.
More still to do
Many other events were held throughout Wales raising much-needed funds for our services but together we need to do more.
In Wales 2600 people a year are diagnosed with breast cancer; that’s 50 people a week. Very many of them get information and support from Breast Cancer Care Cymru be it through our information sessions and courses our Helpline the one to one peer support service our free publications or the online Discussion Forum.
Thankfully survival rates for breast cancer are increasing but this means we need to reach many more people to support them as they live with and beyond their diagnosis. So we must not be complacent.
Influencing policy-makers
Thanks in part to our campaigning the needs of people with secondary breast cancer* have been recognised in the Government’s Together for Health – Cancer Delivery Plan. We look forward to seeing improved standards of care for this group of patients.
It’s been a tough year for many and 2013 may be another tough year for the people who will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast Cancer Care Cymru is here for each and every one of you in Wales in 2013.
* Secondary breast cancer is when the disease spreads to other parts of a person's body. It is incurable but can often be controlled sometimes for years.