Derry woman is the face of new breast cancer awareness campaign

Members of a Derry cancer support charity will travel to Stormont today (Thursday) to have their say on the challenges facing breast cancer services, including the woman who is the face of a new awareness campaign which was unveiled yesterday.

Hive Cancer Support’s poignant and thought provoking new poster which is on display at the back of Free Derry Corner features Theresa Kelly and shows the results of surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from her breast.

It is hoped the image will capture the attention of local women and encourage them to find out more about spotting the signs of breast cancer.

Theresa is also part of a delegation from Hive Cancer Support who will meet with NI Health Minister Mike Nesbitt today to have their say on the provision of regional breast services across the North.

She has been lobbying for change in cancer services since she lost her sister Sarah to secondary breast cancer in August 2022 as is now living with secondary breast cancer herself and is currently stable.

Theresa’s campaign work took a new direction last year when she learnt about to ‘Seen to be Heard’ a photographic exhibition by Belfast based photographer Jennifer Willis featuring women living with secondary breast cancer showing the results of surgery and treatment on their minds and bodies.

Theresa agreed to be photographed for the exhibition which Hive Cancer Support brought to Derry last October as part of its Breast Cancer Awareness month programme of events.

“I became involved with Seen To Be Heard  to raise awareness of secondary breast cancer,” Theresa explained.

“Sadly the care, treatment and support offered by the NHS to women in Northern Ireland living with secondary breast cancer is sadly lacking and in many cases, non-existent.  We deserve and demand better.

“The decision for the photo to be used in this campaign was much harder than the time it was used in the exhibition, given that so many more people will see it. 

“But if it saves just one life, it will be worth it.  

“Always good to stress the importance of regular self-checks and that is the message of this campaign.

“The poster also tells you all the symptoms of breast cancer to looks out for when you are checking your breasts, including the lesser known ones such a thickening of the skin or discharge from the nipple.”

Other symptoms to look our include a lump the breast tissue, a puckering of the skin, a nipple that has drawn inwards or an inverted nipple that points outwards, changes in breast size, breast pain or dimpling on the breast.

Theresa was initially drawn to the ‘Seen to be Heard’ project because it highlights the need for better treatment and provision for women with a secondary breast cancer diagnosis.

“Both my sister Sarah and myself were diagnosed with breast cancer within 18 months of each other,” she explained.  

“At the time, we just thought breast cancer was breast cancer and that it could be cured.  

“We didn't know the difference between primary breast cancer and secondary breast cancer.

“In fact we had never heard those terms before, so when Sarah was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer and we realised it was incurable it was a complete shock.  

“Various sources told us that treatment could give her a couple of years but we lost her a few short months later, something which changed my life and lives of our family and friends forever.”

Maureen Collins, Project Manager at Hive Cancer Support said that when it came to designing a new poster to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month the image of Theresa was the first thing that came to mind.

“We are so proud of Theresa for taking part in the Seen to Be Heard exhibition and the strong and powerful image of her stayed with us all.

“We are a grass roots, community lead charity so when it came to designing a new poster we wanted to use an image of one of our members.

“Theresa’s photo is so powerful it will make people stop in their tracks and take note. It’s a testament to her commitment to advocating for change that one day she is the face of our new campaign and the next day she is joining us in Stormont to lobby the Health Minister.

“She’s some woman for one woman, as we say here in Derry!”

Hive Cancer Support is here for cancer thrivers, their family members and carers and provides vital services to enhance their quality of life and promote a vibrant and informed community.

For more information on Hive Cancer Support go to www.hivecancersupport.co.uk