Fozia's story

It’s those values that have shaped who I am today – someone who never quite fits into one box, which I’m proud of. My friends and family would describe me as a giver, outspoken and never afraid to speak up for what’s right.

It’s so important that we challenge stigma around breast cancer

That means engaging men with awareness messaging. I know how important early detection, education and support are, especially in communities where breast cancer can still be misunderstood or spoken about too quietly.

I work in a sector that is dominated by males. And while breast cancer affects more women than men, I’m equally passionate that the message about breast cancer gets across to them as well. Whilst rare, the disease can and does affect men too. And it’s important that we spread awareness so they know what to do and can support their partners and themselves.

People came for the cake. But they stayed to learn more once we got chatting

Food always draws a crowd, so we brought in lots of pink cakes, and they didn’t disappoint! The minute the cake arrived, so did the people, and suddenly we had a room full of curious colleagues ready to talk, learn and donate.

We set up a table in the canteen using the decorations from the fundraising pack, so our kitchen area was very pink and loud. It was impossible to miss. Colleagues stopped by to read the literature, ask questions and donate whatever loose change they had. It was simple, eye-catching and effective.

Our pink hard hats offered more than just protection

They became a symbol and an important conversation starter. The best part was seeing male colleagues engaging without embarrassment. We purchased pink hard hats so our team could go out on site and talk about breast cancer openly.

The pink hard hat became a symbol. It represented our passion for the cause and opened the door to meaningful conversations.

The resources in the fundraising pack are very pink – in the best way possible – and the leaflet visuals make the message simple, clear and easy to understand. They really helped people learn without feeling overwhelmed.

My top tips for a successful Wear It Pink event

1. Get everyone involved by encouraging them to wear something pink! That could be socks, ties, hijabs, hair, nails or even face paint! You can tailor it to your workplace to bring people together – we bought pink hard hats for our construction team, which helped engage the men and remind us that cancer can affect us all.
2. Spread the word. Have fun and make donating as easy as possible. Take lots of photos and share them on social media. Use posters to build momentum and offer both a donation pot and an online fundraising page so everyone can get involved.
3. Use food and fun to draw a crowd. A pink bake sale, raffle, quiz or “best pink outfit” competition works brilliantly. And consider adding a small prize – everyone loves a freebie!

My biggest tip would be to make sure people feel included. The funding will follow

Start small. Don’t stress about hitting a particular target right away. Focus on getting the message out there first. Once people feel included and connected to the cause, they’ll naturally want to get involved.

Make sure to use the fundraising pack as well – it does a lot of the work for you and really helps spark conversations.