Action Cancer is a charity that is incredibly close to my heart.

My sister’s life was saved because she had chosen to attend Action Cancer’s breast screening clinic every couple of years, before she had reached the age when routine screening would normally have been offered to her. Because she went for those checks, her cancer was detected early, and that quite simply changed everything for our family.

What followed was not easy. She had to go through invasive and difficult treatment, and there were some very challenging times along the way, but thankfully she came out the other side. We know how different things could have been if her cancer had not been picked up when it was.

It is very hard to put into words what that means to us. Knowing that a screening appointment played such an important part in saving my sister’s life makes me incredibly grateful for the work Action Cancer does every single day.

What is also so important is that Action Cancer is about much more than breast screening. The charity provides a range of health checks and support services that can help identify problems early, offer reassurance and, in some cases, quite literally save lives.

That is why I wanted to hold this fundraiser in school. As well as raising much-needed money, I hope it will help make our pupils, staff and parents more aware of the services Action Cancer provides. If this fundraiser encourages even one person to find out more, book a health check or start a conversation with a family member about early detection, then it will have achieved something really worthwhile.

I also think it is important for our young people to see that fundraising is about more than collecting money. It is about supporting our community, raising awareness and understanding that small actions can make a very real difference to someone else’s life.

Every penny donated through this fundraiser will go directly towards supporting Action Cancer and helping them continue the vital work they do.

Behind every appointment is a person, a family and a group of people who love them. I know first-hand the difference early detection can make, and I will always be thankful that my sister made that appointment.

Thank you so much for supporting a charity that means more to me than I can ever fully explain. 💗

The Breast Friends fundraising campaign seeks to raise £30,000 a year towards our life-saving breast screening service.

It costs Action Cancer £120 to deliver a free breast screening to a local woman either at Action Cancer House or on board the Big Bus. The charity screen approximately 8,000 women a year for breast cancer. As the breast screening service receives no government funding, Action Cancer heavily relies on the generosity of local people to keep this service going.