Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

Wednesday, 30 September 2015: The Marie Keating Foundation was joined by Panti Bliss to call on women across Ireland to “Give your Bra for Breast Cancer.” The cancer charity has today launched its second annual campaign asking women to donate an unwanted bra in any size, any colour, any style and any condition to the Marie Keating Foundation during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The campaign, which is proudly supported by Roche, will see the Marie Keating Foundation receive €1 for every bra donated throughout the month. There are drop off points around the country, including Marks & Spencer stores, Harvey Norman stores, Sam McCauley Chemists, and others. The full list of drop off points is available at www.mariekeating.ie. This year, the cancer foundation is also calling on people to celebrate breast cancer survivors and women currently going through the disease by uploading a photo of a bra to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #SayBravo and texting BRAVO to 50300 to donate €2 to the Marie Keating Foundation.

100% of your donation goes to the Marie Keating Foundation across most network operators. Some operators apply VAT which means that a minimum of €1.63 will go to Marie Keating Foundation. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 076 680 5278

Speaking at the launch, Liz Yeates, Chief Executive Officer, Marie Keating Foundation, said, “Last year, women across Ireland donated over 40,000 bras, which was a truly incredible response but this year, we are hoping for even more. The Bras for Breast Cancer campaign is an ideal way for women to support the fight against breast cancer. Almost all of us have bras at home that we don’t wear anymore so please, donate them to the Marie Keating Foundation and help us raise funds for our vital breast cancer services, all of which we offer free of charge. This year, with our #SayBravo selfie campaign, you can also help us raise funds and awareness just using your smart phone. Breast cancer touches all of us so spare a moment and send us a selfie to say ‘Bravo’ to all the women who have been affected by this disease .”

Also speaking at the launch was Helen Forristal, Director of Nursing Services, Marie Keating Foundation, who added, “Every year, around 2,900 women in Ireland will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Early detection is key to survival. It is vital that we all check our breasts each month so the Marie Keating Foundation has developed a short video and infographic, available on our website, to show you how. We are also running free breast cancer seminars during October for women affected by breast cancer in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Letterkenny. You can register for these on our website.” 

Besides Marks & Spencer and Harvey Norman stores, multiple retail outlets, shopping centres, cafes and businesses around the country, such as Galway Shopping Centre, Parkway Shopping Centre, and Longwalk Shopping Centre are acting as bra drop off points. For a full list of bra drop off locations, please see www.mariekeating.ie. Women are also invited to post their bra to the Marie Keating Foundation, Unit 9, Millbank Business Park, Lucan, Co, Dublin.

Some of the donated bras will be sent to NCAD students and the Rediscovery Centre in Ballymun to be recycled as fashion garments or works of art as part of an art and design competition. The remaining bras will be recycled to support people affected by severe poverty and will be sent to Africa to support local women’s groups.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign Sheri Morin, General Manager, Roche Products (Ireland) Limited, said, “Roche are delighted to be able to support the Bras for Breast Cancer campaign for the second successive year. The campaign seeks to raise awareness of breast cancer, as well as enabling the Marie Keating Foundation to continue the excellent work they do in educating women about how to self-examine for breast cancer and supporting people with breast cancer and their families and carers.”

For more information, images and interviews, please contact:

Caitriona Hennessy, Communications Manager, Marie Keating Foundation

Tel: 01 628 3728, Mob: 087 933 5686, Email: Chennessy@mariekeating.ie

Following their mother Marie’s death in 1998, the Keating family promised that they would do everything they could to bring an end to cancer. They committed to provide all families with the necessary information to prevent cancer or detect it at its earliest stages.

Through its community information service, the Foundation’s dedicated nurses have enlightened over 190,000 people of the causes and risk factors of cancer. The Foundation is continuing to expand its awareness campaigns on each of the most common cancers affecting both men and women in Ireland, at local level through its community outreach approach as well as through national campaigns.

Through its Comfort Fund, the Marie Keating Foundation provides financial assistance to people who are currently receiving treatment for any kind of cancer and who, as a result, find themselves in financial difficulty. In 2014 alone, over 200 families received assistance from the Comfort Fund.

Increasingly, the Foundation is providing support to cancer survivors and those who have completed their treatment through its Survive & Thrive programmes. The Foundation holds wellness days and workshop programmes for both men and women throughout the country.