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Jennifer Willis

Jennifer Willis is crowdfunding

0%
£5,776
raised of £8,000 target by 27 supporters

Weʼre raising £8,000 to continue the work of 'Seen to be Heard' Find out more about this project at www.seentobeheard.com

Belfast Northern Ireland

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Story

After my good friend Cheryl confided in me her diagnosis of Secondary Breast Cancer she asked if I would photograph her to the end of her cancer journey.

During one of my photo sessions with Cheryl I learned things about her cancer story that seemed almost unbelievable.

It was one of missed opportunities, denial of choice of which surgery she could have, a fight for gene testing, lack of support and empathy and the stark difference between care for Primary Breast Cancer patients and those living with the devasting Secondary diagnosis.

Every day is a battle against lack of awareness of what Secondary Breast Cancer even means.

Too much of what I heard about Cheryl’s care was quite simply unforgiveable.

When she told me that a small number of women in the same position had established a support group I offered to help them to raise awareness by taking their portraits and undertaking to do an exhibition.

As I photographed and spent time with each of these women, whilst their own cancer journeys are unique, tragically, I heard the some of the same stories repeated over and over again.

Their own words they describe their experience within the health care system from the time of their diagnosis with Secondary Breast Cancer as

“horrendous...brutal...unbelievable...shocking...no compassion...no empathy...nobody seems to care...no one even at the end of the phone”.

I knew that this project had to extend into advocacy…

Cheryl, my friend, became the face of the exhibition but I also have 15 other friends and utterly amazing women living with this diagnosis in Northern Ireland.

This photographic exhibition has become a conduit for advocacy and change.

We are raising the experiences of these women to medics, research groups, politicians that they can help these women and those coming along behind them. However, we also invite you to ask how you can help. Quite simply at this stage we need funds to cover the many expenses of putting on such an exhibition for example substantial cost of printing, touring the exhibition and advocacy.

We welcome donations of any amount whether these be from individuals or organisations or companies. It will be much appreciated, not least by these brave women who have bared their bodies in order to get people to sit up and listen.

The exhibition opens on 28th April first hosted by Belfast Exposed and runs until 28th May having been extended for an additional week due to demand.

The initial fundraiser brought in an incredible £12,295. A huge thank you to everyone who donated.

All of the expenses are yet to be taken from that total but we know we will need more help to take it on the road - all around the island of Ireland and beyond. Where ever the exhibition goes I will offer to photograph anyone living with Secondary Breast Cancer who wishes to become part of the project.

The initial exhibition had images of 16 women, but already there are 21 women in the project. If you would like to be part of the project please contact me through www.seentobeheard.com

The project supports the women in their advocacy and together we have already achieved tangible change. Read about it in the updates below

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Updates

4

  • Jennifer Willis9 months ago
    Jennifer Willis

    Jennifer Willis

    9 months ago

    With the sponsorship MCS Group Cheryl recently organised an event to raise awareness of Breast Cancer in Black Box Belfast. Over £5000 was raised to support Make2ndsCount and Seen to be Heard. This invoice was for the production of 4 roller banners that will be used multiple times at various seentobeheard events.

    Update from the Page owner

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  • Jennifer Willis10 months ago
    Jennifer Willis

    Jennifer Willis

    10 months ago

    £5052 now transferred into this account, as per previous update Jennifer

    Share this update to help us raise more

  • Jennifer Willis10 months ago
    Jennifer Willis

    Jennifer Willis

    10 months ago

    So in order to fund the first exhibition we set up a just giving page which automatically closed after 120 days. In that time we raised an amazing £12295 and after JustGiving fees we received £11,889.67. In total our expenses to date amount to £6838.71 which includes: All costs of printing the images Live Streaming of events Go Daddy Website fees - on year 4x roll up banners and extra flyers So we are left with £5052 to transfer into this new Just Giving page (with the same address) to take us on the road (plans announced shortly)

    Share this update to help us raise more

10 months ago

Jennifer Willis started crowdfunding

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Page last updated on: 4/27/2023 11.39

Supporters

27

  • Adam Thewlis

    Adam Thewlis

    Apr 27, 2023

    £50.00

  • Bill Ebage

    Bill Ebage

    Apr 3, 2023

    Donation given to Cheryl to continue the work of Seen to be Heard.

    £20.00

  • Vicky K

    Vicky K

    Mar 15, 2023

    Sorry I wasn't able to be at the event on IWD last week.

  • IWD

    IWD

    Mar 13, 2023

    £50.00

  • Lee-Anne Howell

    Lee-Anne Howell

    Mar 10, 2023

    £10.00

  • Melissa McAllister

    Melissa McAllister

    Mar 10, 2023

    £5.00

  • Áine McGuckin

    Áine McGuckin

    Mar 10, 2023

    Thank you for driving this forward.

    £30.00

Jennifer Willis

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Crowdfunding is a new type of fundraising where you can raise funds for your own personal cause, even if you're not a registered nonprofit.

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About the fundraiser
Jennifer Willis

Jennifer Willis

Belfast Northern Ireland

visit www.jenniferwillisphotography.com

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