Wear It Orange and take the Orange Peel Challenge this October for The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Network UK

IBC often has no lump.

Every October, the world turns pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We're asking you to be the orange in the pink.

Most of us were taught to check for a lump. But inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a rare and fast-moving form of breast cancer, often has no lump at all. That means the signs are easy to miss, easy to dismiss, and too often mistaken for an infection or a rash. By the time many people are diagnosed, the cancer is already at stage 3 or later.

This year, we want as many people as possible to know one simple fact: IBC often has no lump.

Why orange?

IBC often causes a symptom called peau d'orange, where the skin of the breast becomes dimpled and looks like orange peel. Orange is our colour because it points straight to a sign that too few people know about. When you wear orange, you start a conversation, and that conversation could help someone get diagnosed sooner.

Know the signs

IBC doesn't always look like the breast cancer people expect. Look out for:

- Redness, or a rash over the breast

- Swelling, or a sudden change in size

- Skin that looks dimpled, like orange peel

- Warmth to the touch

- A nipple that turns inward

- Aching, tenderness or pain

"Redness, swelling and orange-peel skin should never be ignored."

If you notice any of these, contact your GP and ask about IBC.

Take the Orange Peel Challenge (4–31 October)

It takes one orange and one minute:

- Peel an orange and film it

- Say the line: "IBC often has no lump"

- Tag three friends to do the same

- Chip in £3 on this page

Every £3 funds IBC support and research in the UK. Share your video with #OrangePeelChallenge and #IBCNetworkUK so we can find it and cheer you on.

Wear It Orange on 4 October

Inflammatory Breast Cancer Awareness Day is 4 October. Wear something orange, take a photo, and help people learn the signs. Share it with #wearitorange.

Wear Orange At Work: ask your workplace to hold an orange dress-down day, with everyone giving £2. It's a simple way to get a whole office talking about IBC.

Why your support matters

"Early diagnosis is essential for IBC because it progresses so rapidly & symptoms aren’t always those we think of first when it comes to breast cancer." – Gillian, diagnosed with IBC

The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Network UK has been supporting people affected by IBC since 2014. Your gift funds three things:

Support for people living with inflammatory breast cancer and their families.

Awareness so that more people, and more healthcare professionals, recognise the signs earlier.

Research into a cancer that is rare, aggressive and underfunded.

Since 2014, our supporters have raised over £500,000. Every conversation started, every orange peeled and every pound given makes an earlier diagnosis more likely.

Get involved

Find out more about IBC and our work: ibcnetworkuk.org

Join our Facebook fundraising group: IBC Network UK Fundraisers

Get your free Wear It Orange fundraising pack with key facts, the signs of IBC and a guide to running your own event: Sign up here https://forms.gle/RUgGB1xX29SUbm2i7

Questions? Email us at info@ibcnetworkuk.org

Thank you for helping us look closer. 🧡

#KnowIBC · #OrangePeelChallenge · #wearitorange · #IBCNetworkUK