Breast Cancer UK Launch Limited Edition Apparel Ahead of Breast Cancer Prevention Week

Working in collaboration with a northern designer, Rhona Breeze-Lawlor, Breast Cancer UK has produced limited-edition t-shirts with a meaningful message.

Rhona said: “I'm really excited about the launch of Birds and Boobs, and the potential of the range to help start conversations about breast cancer prevention. It’s been fantastic to help develop the strategy and design behind the t-shirts, particularly as a creative passionate about using my skills for good. This has been a dream project.

“I started this process with plenty of conversations – with a senior breast care nurse and friends going through treatment – to enable me to get the best possible understanding of the tone of voice we needed.

“The final apparel designs feature two birds — the Great Tit and the Great Horned Owl. These have been chosen for their playful nicknames (Tits and Hooters), the positivity of their common adjective (Great), and their symbolic meanings.”

It is said that Great Tits are known for their unique personalities, their strength and boldness, and for being sociable. They are also thought of as healing according to Welsh mythology and are believed to bring good luck and happiness in Estonian folklore.

Great Horned Owls are also known for their strength, ferocity, courage, and beauty, and according to Indian mythology, they symbolise good luck and love.

“These attributes fit with our target audience of strong, fierce, brave, beautiful, empowered individuals, who together could join the Birds and Boobs flock and help raise awareness around Breast Cancer Prevention,” Rhona added.

All proceeds from the t-shirts, which are on sale now, will go towards the work Breast Cancer UK does. The charity is dedicated to the prevention of breast cancer by tackling the environmental and lifestyle causes of the disease.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. Every year, 56,000 women and around 400 men hear the words 'you have breast cancer'. Yet at least 30% of breast cancer cases (at least 16,800 cases) could be prevented, avoiding the devastating impacts of a diagnosis.

Making small changes in your everyday life can reduce your risk of breast cancer. Breast Cancer UK believes that all risk factors are important. This includes raising awareness of those risk factors that are less well established, provided there is scientific evidence to support them.

Their approach has three areas: they provide practical information and advice to help people reduce their risk of breast cancer, they fund animal-free research to understand the environmental and chemical causes of breast cancer, and they campaign to strengthen public health and environmental protections to prevent breast cancer.

Thalie Martini, CEO of Breast Cancer UK, said: “This year's prevention week is our most important yet. We are calling on people to join us and help our growing breast cancer prevention movement to change lives positively.

“Big things always start small. To reduce our risk of breast cancer, it's the small changes that count, and it's the conversations with our friends and family that have the most powerful impact.

“We hope our Birds and Boobs campaign will get the conversation started as our packed programme of activities this year is all about supporting as many people as possible to start their own prevention journey. I'm excited to be a part of it.”

Nazia Tingay, Trustee at Breast Cancer UK, said: “As someone who has undergone cancer treatment for triple-positive breast cancer, and as a trustee of Breast Cancer UK, I am thrilled by our brand-new Birds and Boobs campaign ahead of this year’s Prevention Week.

“It’s important that we have the conversation about prevention now. Not only to ensure we reduce the incidence of breast cancer but to prevent as many people as possible going through diagnosis and its impacts.”

Breast Cancer Prevention Week takes place 20 – 26 May and will be supported by Breast Cancer UK’s ambassador, and TV’s Interior designer, Michelle Ogundehin.

Purchase your #BirdsAndBoobs t-shirt here: https://birdsandboobs.com/ and find out more about Breast Cancer Prevention Week here: https://bit.ly/breastcancerpreventionweek