Fashion Targets Breast Cancer #fashionfriday

by Retro Chick
April 15, 2011
12 Comments
1 minute read
93 Views
14 years ago

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer have declared today #fashionfriday

Back at the beginning of March I got an email asking me to be part of the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign by popping into their studios to film a piece to camera about what fashion means to me, or filming my own. Now, living in Norwich means I can’t really “pop” anywhere in London, but I did film my own. They sent me the questions for a video interview and I put this together for them.

You might also notice I have turned the blog black and white!

I really was astonished to read some of the stats about breast cancer. You’re always told how important it is to check for lumps, but to find out that 1000 women die every month is astonishing. That’s more than one an hour, every hour, every day.

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer is now in it’s 15th year after Ralph Lauren set it up when a close friend died of Breast Cancer. It’s an awareness raising campaign that supports Breakthrough and has raised £11.5 million in the last 15 years.

Like I say in my video, fashion and taking care of your appearance is so often dismissed as frivolous and unimportant but when the collective might of the fashion world gets behind something like this it can really make a significant difference.

How can YOU help?

There’s lots of ways to help, and some of them don’t cost you a single penny.

Bottle Green are donating 25p for every “like” on their Facebook page
Donate directly to Breakthrough.
If you’re in London you can visit Lucy in Disguise (yes, that’s Lily Allens vintage shop) where they will be hosting a Fashion Targets Breast Cancer photo booth
Blog about Fashion Targets Breast Cancer or turn your own blog black and white for the day.
You can even just retweet this post, put the link on Facebook or reblog it so that other people will read it and do some of the things that cost money!
Lastly, you can SHOP!

You can buy pretty things from Fashion Targets Breast Cancers partners and 30% of the retail price goes to Breakthrough. Here are some of my favourites!

Capture — This dress from Laura Ashley would donate £30

2213143289_a — This dress from Coast would donate £45

601949_main — This top from River Island donates £6

Visit the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer website or Facebook Page
for more information.

12 Comments

Perdita April 15, 2011

Breast cancer is a killer of both men and women. Thankfully, more and more are surviving and the treatments are becoming less invasive (one of the tragedies, is that in the past survivors endured a changed and scarred body- now the NHS is becoming more involved in reconstructive surgery too… don’t let the ‘taxpayers allience’ ban NHS plastic surgery!… gets off soapbox). This higher survival rate and improved treatment is funded by campaigns like this – every woman should show solidarity in her support for them.

In terms of shopping for the cause… I really covet that M&S hearts blouse, just perfect with some cute 50s cropped trousers. I’ve also seen a vintage style (although it just seems ‘nice, not wacky’ to my eye- no bad thing!) pink handbag in river island.
- Retro Chick April 15, 2011
  
  Absolutely, though to be fair with it affecting 48,000 women a year and 300 men the campaign does focus more on women than men!
  
  I love the Laura Ashley Dress!
  - Perdita April 18, 2011
    
    Yes absolutely. It’s marvellous the work they are doing!
Fiona - Straight Talking Mama April 15, 2011

Cute video, great cause.

What worries me most about breast cancer is that those with a family history get early screening (quite rightly I may add!!) but those like me – adopted – who have no family medical history, we have no idea whether we’re prone to it or not, and I do think people with no family medical history should be included in early screening programmes to.

Also I have always had large breasts and when I asked the doctor about checking for lumps, he said oh yes it’s even hard for us to do that in larger breasts, slightly worrying but I just wanted to inform others out there with larger breasts that this is indeed the case :o( Doesn’t help much….
Gemma April 15, 2011

Great post Gem… lovely to hear a little bit about you, it and a good cause all rolled into one… plus the frocks are pretty special too 😀 x
Fi Phillips April 15, 2011

Great post. I have several friends who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Luckily all of them have survived but it just goes to show that this is a disease that touches most of our lives.
Hannah April 15, 2011

I will always, always, always support breast cancer charities. I don’t know of a person that hasn’t had their life affected by breast cancer. Anything that helps fight the deadly illness gets my support!
Becca Sibley April 15, 2011

This is a cause so desperately close to my heart. A few years ago we lost my gran to (among other things) breast cancer and I miss her every day. And the fact that an industry like the fashion industry can help make a difference makes me feel so grateful.

Thanks for the blog and very cool video
x
For Those About To Shop April 15, 2011

Lovely cause, Gemma! I hadn’t heard you speak before and you do a wonderful job. I can tell you have experience. It’s cool the way the video goes from black and white to colour at the end. I liked the the Bottle Green page and re-tweeted your post. I also mentioned you today in my Friend Friday gratitude post.
Steph (@mrs_sock) April 15, 2011

Great post – awareness and support is vital in making women aware & finding a cure. I’ve nursed women with breast cancer through all stages of diagnosis, and had an aunt who was affected, and is fine now. Survival rates are better now as women know to check themselves and screening has improved.
I too covet the Laura Ashley dress – I wish the shops would give all of the profit up though!!
Lottie April 16, 2011

I LOVE this post. Your video is fantastic (you’re so clever!) and the topic so important and always worthy of support. You’re a TV star in the making! Xx
Harry Hilders May 9, 2011

Great post. Beautiful wear.