SU Sport clubs are coming together to fundraise for Breast Cancer Now. With many club members having been affected by the disease, the clubs are aiming to make a meaningful contribution while supporting people facing breast cancer and raising awareness across the Cardiff Met community.
SU Sport clubs are coming together to fundraise for Breast Cancer Now. With many club members having been affected by the disease, the clubs are aiming to make a meaningful contribution while supporting people facing breast cancer and raising awareness across the Cardiff Met community.
A Cause Close to the Heart
For Women’s Hockey, Lili and Nieve spoke about the impact breast cancer has had on members of the club, highlighting why supporting Breast Cancer Now is such a meaningful cause for their team.
“As a club, we decided to support breast cancer research because it is a devastating disease that has affected so many of our members on a personal level” explained Lili, who is Charity Secretary for the club. “57,000 people a year are diagnosed with breast cancer and by 2050, the charity hope that all people diagnosed with breast cancer will live. So, with us raising money, we’re also raising awareness for the charity.”
Emma from Women’s Cricket highlighted the aim of the club’s fundraising and the impact the cricket community hopes to make.
“It’s a big thing that affects so many people and we just want to raise as much money and awareness for it.”
Donate to Women’s Cricket here: Cricket Women's GoFundMe
Turning an Idea into Reality
One of the campaign’s biggest fundraising events is a charity ball being held on 24 October, with all ticket proceeds going towards the fundraiser. What started as a conversation between committee members has now grown into a large-scale collaborative event involving multiple sports clubs.
“It was just a bit of a lightbulb moment,” Lili highlighted.
After securing a venue, the initiative quickly gained momentum, leading to other clubs getting involved, including Cricket and Rugby.
“It is an opportunity for us to come together as a community, support a cause that is close to our hearts, and show that we are more than just a sports club. We want to use our platform to bring people together, raise awareness and funds, and hopefully make a meaningful difference to those affected by breast cancer.”
Support the cause and grab your ticket: Hockey x Cricket Charity Ball
Better Together
A key part of the campaign has been collaboration between clubs. Cardiff Met Cricket approached Cardiff Met Hockey with the aim of raising more money and awareness by working together. The partnership has since expanded, with more clubs launching their own initiatives to spread awareness and fundraise.
“We come together as a big community because we are one team. Collaborating with other societies allows us to reach a wider audience and raise greater awareness of a disease that affects so many people. By coming together, we can make a bigger impact and encourage more people to support this important cause.”
The Wear It Pink initiative, created by Breast Cancer Now, aims to spark conversations around breast cancer, create community and raise money to support vital research. Students can sign up to take part in Wear It Pink on 23 October.
Wear It Pink | Breast Cancer Now
More Than a Statistic
While fundraising totals remain an important focus, both clubs emphasised that their campaign is about people just as much as pounds raised.
“I’d say 57,000 of people are diagnosed with breast cancer a year, that’s not just a statistic, that’s a person,” said one Women’s Hockey member. “With each person diagnosed, there is a family, once you start to realise how many people are affected by this disease, it really opens your eyes. This whole campaign we’re doing on fundraising is not just to help people diagnosed, but also their families and friends that have gone through that awful experience with them.”
Cricket described the importance of recognising the personal impact behind every diagnosis.
“We hear stories about it; we feel empathy for the person but then we want to make sure that people don’t forget the actual impact that it does have on so many people’s lives.”
Check Your Breasts
Checking your breasts or chest only takes a few minutes. There’s no special technique and no training required.
Touch
Touch your whole breast area, including up to your collarbone and armpits. Feel for any lumps or swelling, puckered skin, or anything new or unusual.
Look
Look for any changes, such as a rash, dimpled skin, a change in colour, nipple changes, unusual discharge from the nipple, or a change in the size or shape of the breast.
Check
Check anything you notice with a GP. Most breast changes are not cancer, but the sooner breast cancer is found, the more successful treatment is likely to be.
Breasts can change for many reasons, including menopause, pregnancy, breastfeeding, puberty and the menstrual cycle. Getting into the habit of checking regularly can make it easier to spot any new or unusual changes.
For more information about Breast Cancer Awareness Month and how to get involved, visit: Breast Cancer Now Information