Meet the Breast Cancer Charity Supporting Women Through Friendship
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we speak to HER Breast Friends
In 2005, Jan Jones and Liz Drury were undergoing breast cancer treatment together at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham, and soon realised they needed a service away from the hospital that offered support. They launched HER Breast Friends, a registered charity for the people of Hull and East Riding who are going through breast cancer. Sadly, both women have since passed, but ‘saw the charity go from strength to strength,’ says charity manager Jayne.
The list of services the charity offers is impressive, including a wig bank, bra measuring service and knitted prosthetics (which can be worn immediately after surgery), and swim versions which won’t drag in water. Buddleia Complementary Therapies offer mani-pedis, massages, reflexology and reiki, and a weekly craft group make knitted boobies, dammit dolls and heart-shaped seatbelt pillows for gift bags which are delivered free to hospitals for anyone undergoing surgery. ‘Its a little bag of nice things in what can be a horrible time, but it also lets them know the charity’s here and what we offer,’ says Jayne.
‘It gives them the information to come to us when they’re ready because not everyone’s ready for everything straight away,’ continues trustee Lynne.
A new service they offer is counselling; ‘When someone is diagnosed or they’re struggling through treatment, they need to talk to somebody now,’ Jayne says. ‘If you go through the NHS, sadly there’s a bit of a waiting list and you only get six sessions. Our counsellors can see you within a week or two and will work with you for as long as you need.’
Talking services are especially important to the charity’s Second Friends – a group set up to support those with secondary breast cancer (breast cancer that has recurred in another part of the body and is now incurable). ‘Unfortunately, we don’t have any specific services in our area for those with secondary,’ says Lynne. ‘So that’s why we felt it was really important to have a space where they feel safe and they can discuss whatever they need.’
The culmination of the charity’s services is their Pink Pamper Day – up to 100 people who’ve had breast cancer take over a local hotel for a free day of pampering and enjoy workshops ranging from tai chi to chocolate making. ‘In between all that is just time for people to be together,’ Lynne continues. ‘It’s a wonderful day and we all get a lot out of it. People come back year after year and to have so many in one space is really important.’
In June, the charity moved to a new premises which revolutionised the way they’re are able to deliver services. ‘The move has given us a lot more opportunity,’ says Lynne. ‘All our services have their own room so we can offer more appointments, as a lot of them have to be private. When people come in, I think they’re blown away by how nice it is.’
‘It’s not clinical, it’s more homely, and that’s what we pride ourselves on,’ Jayne adds. ‘We like it to be welcoming for anybody who walks through the door and we’ve done that here.’
The move wouldn’t have been possible without fundraising. Recently, Humber Ramblers conquered Hadrian’s Wall, trekking almost 100 miles coast-to-coast and raising £4,561 for the charity. Meanwhile, The Something Else team completed Tough Mudder and donated £1,370 to HER Breast Friends.
‘We’ve had people do all sorts of things,’ Lynne confesses. ‘Jayne herself did a swim in the North Sea. We’re so blessed to have all these people who volunteer and support us doing these amazing things.’ Raising awareness is top of the charity’s list. ‘We have a group of volunteers who go out and talk to the masses, whoever will listen to us really,’ says Jayne. ‘One of our main priorities is breast cancer in men. A lot of men don’t believe that they can get it, but they have breast tissue.’
Next year is the charity’s 20th anniversary, but Breast Friends doesn’t stop with them; many of the women form friendships that last. ‘The people in Second Friends have a very active WhatsApp group,’ says Lynne. ‘Everyone may well have plenty of support from friends and family but they don’t get it, and having that person who you know fully gets it because they’re going through it themselves is tremendously powerful.
‘The friendships that are made, there’s some wonderful ones. There’s a lot of people with a lot of friends here.’
To find out more, visit herbreastfriends.org.uk or pop in – their doors are always open to those in need.
