This November, I’ll be taking part in an extraordinary, and admittedly challenging, 100km trek across the vast Sahara Desert. Over five days, I’ll hike through open desert plateaus, towering dunes, rocky mountains and dry riverbeds - all in the name of one very important mission: checking chests.

In case you haven’t heard of CoppaFeel!, they are a life-saving charity focused on raising breast cancer awareness, quite literally encouraging everyone to ‘cop-a-feel’ of their own chest.

Their mission is simple but powerful: to encourage everyone, especially young people, to regularly check their boobs, pecks, and chest. By raising awareness of early detection, CoppaFeel! aims to stamp out the late diagnosis of breast cancer and ultimately save more lives.

We all know cancer doesn’t discriminate. It can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or race. That is why the work that CoppaFeel! does is so important - educating people at a young age to be proactive about their health.

Why CoppaFeel! ?

CoppaFeel! is a cause close to my heart. In 2009, my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, and just two weeks later, my nan was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. We were told that year that the BRCA2 mutation runs in our family, and at 23 (9 years later), I tested positive as a BRCA2 carrier.

After four long years on a waiting list and many difficult decisions, I underwent a bilateral prophylactic (preventative) mastectomy in 2023. It was by no means an easy decision, but it was certainly the right one for me.

For a long time, medical professionals dismissed my concerns and wishes, telling me I was “too young” to worry about breast cancer and that it wasn’t something I would have to worry about until after I turned 30. But, I knew I couldn’t wait another 7 years and that they couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t receive a diagnosis before then.

I very much had the mentality of “knowledge is power, and early intervention is key”.

My mum has now endured three separate cancer diagnoses, each time fighting for accurate testing and reassurance. The first time, she was sent home with the advice that she had ‘lumpy breasts’, waiting a whole year before she returned for a second opinion. The second time, she was initially told the lump was scar tissue, formed from a previous mastectomy surgery. The third time, after going to doctors with a painful lump in the opposite side, she was told “cancer doesn’t hurt.”

I thank my lucky stars every day she is still here.

The work CoppaFeel! does is crucial. Focusing on early (and accurate) detection to help increase survival rates, they’re empowering people to advocate and take control of their health and reduce the risks of a late diagnosis.

What is BRCA2?

Everyone has the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (BRCA stands for BReast CAncer). They are important genes that help protect us against cancer by stopping the cells in our body from growing and dividing uncontrollably. Mutations in the BRCA gene means one of those genes are faulty, it can't repair the DNA damage caused by cancer, and the likelihood of cancer developing therefore increases.

Having a BRCA mutation doesn’t mean you HAVE cancer, but it does mean your risk of developing breast cancer is much higher than the general population (up to 90% lifetime risk). It also raises the risk of other cancers, including, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancer.

There are other gene mutations that can increase the risk of getting breast cancer, but the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are more common.

If you’re feeling generous and able to support my challenge in any way, I would be incredibly grateful. Whether it’s a donation, sharing this page with friends, or simply raising awareness yourself, your support will not only go a long way in supporting my fundraising target, but most importantly, help CoppaFeel! continue their life-saving work in early diagnosis.

Thanks so much for your support.

To find out more about CoppaFeel! and their mission, head to www.coppafeel.org.

If you have any questions or need support, whether yourself or a loved one, please feel free to message me. I’m always here to listen and share experiences.

Best wishes

Meg x