Do you know that breast cancer affects 1 in every 28 South African women? While this statistic may be alarming, it’s important to note that early detection was the main objective of the #GiveYourBraForBreastCancer campaign.
In addition, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October 2019, Roche partnered with breast cancer support programme, Reach for Recovery. Together they created a collection drive that not only educated and informed women about breast cancer, but also collected pre-loved bras for a greater cause.
The survivors and their pre-loved bras
Thousands of women got involved and dropped their pre-loved bras in collection boxes at healthcare providers and hospitals. Locally, the boxes were place at Albert Luthuli hospital in Durban and Greys Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.
A staggering 5 000 bras were collected and will be used to empower the lives of thousands of women fighting breast cancer. The plan is to continue the campaign into 2020, to communicate that breast cancer does not end in October and encourage woman to check their breasts every 30 days rather than only in October or when they remember to.
Breast prostheses to help women heal
Roche donated R10 for every bra collected to Reach for Recovery. These funds will go to supplying breast prostheses to the many women that have undergone a mastectomy but cannot afford to make this purchase.
Breast prostheses assist women in looking and feeling better, but also prevent the following after a mastectomy procedure
- spinal curvature as a result of imbalance
- muscle contracture in the neck
- back pains due to an imbalance.
Self-exams for everyone through education
The campaign educated thousands of women around South Africa being educated on how to conduct a breast self-exam, early diagnosis and treatment options. By checking the breasts #Every30Days, the chances of early diagnosis and effective treatment is increasing the number of breast cancer survivors.
For more information on how to do a breast self-exam, visit here
