Derry woman Theresa Kelly is the face of new breast cancer awareness campaign

Hive Cancer Support’s poignant 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.

It is hoped the image will capture the attention of local women and raise breast cancer awareness.

Theresa 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.

“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.

“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: “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.”

She added: “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.”