FIRST EVER GLOBAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS CAMPAIGN UNITES INDEPENDENT CHARITIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Stars from across the globe lend their support to ‘Redefining Hope and Beauty’
London, UK, 30th September 2004: Today sees the launch of the world’s first truly global breast cancer awareness campaign -‘Redefining Hope and Beauty’. This unprecedented initiative has brought together independent breast cancer charities from at least ten different countries, with the common aim of raising breast cancer awareness for women who may not otherwise have access to this vital health information. A host of international celebrities, including Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson, Sharon Osbourne, pop acts Westlife and Blue, ‘X-Factor’ judge Simon Cowell, actress Britt Ekland, and hat-designer Philip Treacy are also lending their support to the campaign, helping to extend its crucial messages across all borders.
Breast cancer is a terrifying disease that should not be ignored. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women (after lung cancer) and it is expected that 1.2 million people worldwide will be diagnosed with the disease this year alone. Raising awareness of the basic facts about the disease, such as its signs and symptoms, in women of all ages, can help the disease to be caught earlier, potentially saving thousands of lives across the world. Furthermore, by promoting the work of breast cancer charities, women and those who have been affected by the disease such as families and carers, can have greater access to the support services that they offer. The ‘Redefining Hope & Beauty’ campaign will make history by being the first health campaign to deliver this kind of breast cancer awareness information to women globally.
Speaking on behalf of all the charities involved in the ‘Redefining Hope & Beauty’ campaign, Ellen Verschuur from the Dutch Breast Cancer Charity, said: “In those countries that observe them, national breast cancer awareness campaigns have proven to be instrumental in the fight against this devastating disease. However, breast cancer remains the leading cause of death among women aged 35-55 years. Therefore, despite the success of campaigns such as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, more work is still needed - particularly in those countries where breast cancer awareness is viewed as an individual, rather than a national concern. The increasing availability of new treatment options and ongoing research, means that there is now growing hope for women who may one day be faced with a diagnosis of breast cancer. All of the charities involved in the ‘Redefining Hope & Beauty’ campaign are working together, for the first time, to ensure that women across the world are given access to the information they need to recognise the symptoms and so benefit from earlier diagnosis and to take care that, wherever possible, they can access the most appropriate treatments.”
Fundraising during Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM)
This year, the cornerstone of the ‘Redefining Hope & Beauty’ campaign is a global charity auction, which aims to raise awareness and funds for the campaign charities, which provide a range of services from public information to patient support and clinical research. Beautiful sculptures of the female form have been exclusively created for this campaign, and these statuettes have been ‘redesigned’ by a diversity of internationally renowned celebrities to represent their own ideals of ‘hope and beauty’. The statuettes, along with a number of personal items, donated by the stars, will be publicly auctioned during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. The items available for auction and a link to the auction site can be found at www.hopeandbeauty.org. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to the 11 charities involved in the campaign.
Speaking of her excitement at unveiling the statuettes at the launch of the campaign, BBC Breakfast News Presenter, Natasha Kaplinsky said: “I know first-hand of the devastation that breast cancer can cause in families that it affects and so I was honoured to be invited to participate in the launch of this fantastic initiative. It may seem that what we are trying to say here should be common-sense, but there are still many women who remain unaware of the symptoms and risks of breast cancer, or who do not have access to the vital support services which many charities provide. I hope that by being involved in this campaign, we can help more women to have a greater understanding of this widespread disease, and as a result, empower them to fight back against it.”
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Notes to editors
About the sponsors
The organisation of the ‘Redefining Hope & Beauty’ campaign is being managed by Shire Health International and supported by AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical company committed to raising breast cancer awareness.
· AstraZeneca were the core sponsors of the first ever National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) campaign which originated in the US, back in 1984. They have a long-standing heritage in oncology and are committed to providing women with more breast cancer treatment choices and therefore, more hope. As NBCAM celebrates it’s 20th anniversary this year, AstraZeneca are proud to be the sole sponsor of ‘Redefining Hope & Beauty’ - the ‘first of it’s kind’ global breast cancer awareness campaign.
About ‘Redefining Hope & Beauty’
The name, ‘Redefining Hope & Beauty’, was chosen for a variety of reasons but mainly to reflect the objectives and importance of the project.
· Hope is a core element in the fight against breast cancer for patients, their families, friends and health care professionals. When people first hear the word cancer they often hear death sentence. But today, increased awareness and improved technology and medical treatments offer real hope to anyone affected by breast cancer and is redefining people’s expectations and aspirations for their treatment outcomes now and into the future.
· Beauty is a very practical and psychological concern for all women. The physical and emotional impact of cancer can have devastating effects for women in terms of their levels of confidence, quality of relationships, physical mobility, etc. Even a decade ago, women with breast cancer had few choices and limited support but today, women are fighting and beating breast cancer with pride and confidence. In this way, they redefine what is beautiful and provide hope to other women in similar situations and for future generations.
· The statuettes being auctioned are themselves works of art and beauty. The celebrities will be redesigning the statuettes with an optimistic outlook towards breast cancer awareness and treatment. Hence they are redefining the very art itself with their own portrayal of hope and beauty.
About the charities
At the time of launch the ‘Redefining Hope & Beauty’ campaign has united 11 charities representing 10 countries - the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Venezuela, Sweden, Holland and Australia. To view further information about the campaign’s charities, please log onto www.hopeandbeauty.org
For further information
The ‘Redefining Hope & Beauty’ campaign launch press conference and all associated press materials are available at www.hopeandbeauty.org
Requests for further information or interviews should be directed to:
Rita Martins
Shire Health International
Tel: +44 (0) 207 471 1528
Email: