THINK PINK!
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and there’s always plenty going on to highlight the resilience of those fighting this terrible disease and the remarkable research and support on offer. Get involved!
UPCOMING EVENTS
SWAP & STYLE
Tuesday 2 October, 5.30pm to 6.30pm start, approx 10pm finish, Oaklands Hotel, Norwich
This exciting evening of style, swapping and support is hosted by the ladies from I Want Your Dress and The Style Duo in support of Keeping Abreast. Got some stylish outfits at the back of your wardrobe that you never seem to wear? Bring them along and swap them for some other clothes that you can’t wait to slip into! If you love vintage fashion, then this is the event for you. For more information and tickets, contact Caitlin Quinn at caitlinquinn@keepingabreast.org.uk.
QEH WELL-BEING & HEALTHY LIVING EVENT
12-4pm, Friday 4 October
The Place, Vancouver Quarter, 23 Conduit Street, King’s Lynn, PE30 1DE
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust is behind this well-being event which is all about supporting people with cancer. There will be guest speakers from 12.30pm to 1.30pm including talks from QEH CEO Alice Webster, Lynnsport Alive Fitness, Ask Lily – Food For Thought and Active Norfolk. Plus, stalls focusing on the signs and symptoms of cancer, and health and well-being support services.
Keeping Abreast King’s Lynn Volunteers will be there with a stand too, to support those considering, facing or going through breast reconstruction after a breast cancer diagnosis or the discovery of a hereditary breast cancer gene. Pop in to find out more! Refreshments, everyone welcome, entry free.
KEEPING ABREAST ‘MORE THAN JUST FASHION’ SHOWS
Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 October
Norfolk Showground & Events Centre, Norwich
These fantastic fashion shows all are all about style, sparkles and support. Come and cheer on the amazing models – real women of all shapes and sizes – who will be strutting their stuff on the catwalk. Not only will they be showing off the latest seasonal styles from Scarlet, Elora, Lady B Loves, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, but they’ll also be demonstrating strength in adversity, as all these lovely ladies have been through breast cancer and are considering, facing or going through breast reconstruction.
It takes a lot of courage to step out in front of a live audience so come along and give them your support. Tickets are available from https://events.mhtickets.com/events/81426 and not only will there be a fabulous fashion show but these extraordinary evenings also feature a must-see mini marketplace, photo booth, bar, raffle and auction. It really is a great night out!
NNUH PLASTICS DEPARTMENT SKY DIVE
Saturday 12 October, Beccles
If you’ve ever been treated by the amazing Plastic Surgery Department at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital or if you just admire what they do then perhaps you’d like to sponsor their sky dive during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in aid of Keeping Abreast? To donate, simply visit givestar.io and search for Keeping Abreast. Thank you!
ORIGINAL CHARITY CHRISTMAS CARD SHOP
Tuesday 15 October to Saturday 14 December, Open daily except on Sundays
St. Peter Mancroft Church, Hay Hill, Norwich
There’s nothing quite like being organised, so if you’re someone who likes to get their ducks in a row, you’ll be pleased to know about this Christmas Card Shop which raises thousands of pounds for local charities every year. There are all sorts of Christmas cards on offer along with calendars, wrapping paper, gift tags, diaries, bookmarks and so on, and it’s great to know that your purchases are supporting worthy causes, from local cancer charities to the East Anglian Air Ambulance. Pop in when you’re in the city next and take a look; there really is something for everyone, from serious seasonal greetings cards to fun and frivolous festive offerings.
BREAST RECONSTRUCTION AWARENESS DAY (BRA DAY)
Wednesday 16 October, John Lewis Norwich
Join us in store to commemorate BRA Day; a chance to focus on all aspects of breast reconstruction during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Come and meet the friendly volunteers from Keeping Abreast who will be in Women’s Wear with their pink stall (believe us, you won’t miss it!). The volunteers will be there to share information about the breast cancer reconstruction support charity, and there’ll be a host of fun things to including a lucky dip and a raffle and some lovely merchandise to buy. Have a chat, have a browse and have a go! Looking forward to seeing you.
REAL SCARS
REAL RESULTS
REAL WOMEN
Wondering what it’s really like to have breast reconstruction surgery? Brave volunteers from Keeping Abreast have bared all in a series of real-life reconstruction videos in order to allay others’ fears.
If you want to know what it’s really like to go through breast cancer and breast reconstruction surgery, head to the Keeping Abreast website, www.keepingabreast.org.uk, where over a dozen videos are now available showing real-life breast reconstruction results.
Local charity Keeping Abreast exists to help those facing breast reconstruction after a breast cancer diagnosis or the discovery of a hereditary breast cancer gene and at its face-to-face support groups attendees have the opportunity to see real surgery results thanks to volunteers who are willing to show their reconstructed breasts to others.
This service is now also available online and a number of new videos were added earlier this year where the volunteers show off their reconstructed breasts while recounting their individual experience of breast cancer and breast reconstruction in their own words. The videos are extremely useful for breast reconstruction patients, many of whom are anxious about what is going to happen to them during surgery and worried about what they are going to look like afterwards, as the footage of the real reconstructed breasts and the first-hand accounts help them understand the process and ease their anxiety and concerns.
The newest real-life reconstruction videos cover techniques known as the IGAP, which sees new breasts created from the patient’s lower buttocks; the Lateral Thigh (LT) Flap, where the new breast mound is created from the outer thigh area; implant reconstruction; and a preventative double mastectomy and implant reconstruction surgery following the discovery of a hereditary breast cancer gene.
Kerry Kemp, business development manager for Keeping Abreast, said: “As far as we know, Keeping Abreast is the only charity offering real-life reconstruction videos. Not only do they benefit those who are facing breast reconstruction after a breast cancer diagnosis, but they are also useful for the patients’ partners, friends and family, as they can listen to what other people have been through and see their surgery results, and their scars, for themselves. Often, they don’t want to ask their loved one too many questions about what breast reconstruction will entail, so the videos are a really useful way of understanding what is going to happen to them, so that they can support them accordingly.”
During Covid, a number of real-life reconstruction videos were produced by Keeping Abreast, as at that time patients couldn’t get to the charity’s face-to-face Support Groups in person. However, as the original videos have already been viewed over 16,000 times, it was clear that there is a demand for these and so the charity decided to produce some more.
The new videos were produced by Norfolk-based creative communications agency Production Bureau and funded by Art For Cure as well as by Keeping Abreast volunteer Amelia Gammon who was supported by the breast cancer reconstruction charity herself and who raised funds to support others.
The videos show the results of different types of breast reconstruction surgery, with other methods including DIEP Flaps – using tissue from the tummy area to recreate a breast mound; a PAP Flap – using tissue from the inner thigh; a LAP Flap – using tissue from the lower back; and a LD Flap – using a muscle and tissue from the back. There is also a video of a Keeping Abreast volunteer who opted for a mastectomy-only and who may choose to have reconstruction surgery at a later date.
The patients don’t show their faces – just their chest areas and their donor sites, where applicable – and they recount their experiences in their own words. In a message to Production Bureau, Louise Harrison, from Wymondham in Norfolk, who took part in the project, and who had a Lateral Thigh Flap reconstruction, said: “Thanks so much to you and your team for making me feel relaxed and so comfortable during the filming. I know the videos are going to be such a great resource for those considering and going through breast reconstruction.”
In addition to the footage of breast reconstruction surgery results, there are also videos showing other breast reconstruction procedures such as nipple reconstruction, nipple tattooing, lipo-modelling and symmetry surgery.
All of these can be found on the Keeping Abreast website,
www.keepingabreast.org.uk, under the ‘Reconstruction Support’ tab and then ‘Reconstruction Support Videos’.