Topic People
Date 14 Oct 2022
Galliford Try’s Keeley Russell has become the face of Breast Cancer Now’s ‘Wear it Pink’ campaign, one of the biggest fundraising events in the UK.
In 2018, Keeley was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 41 and had to undergo surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy as part of her treatment. She began to champion breast cancer awareness to highlight the disease, and to also spread awareness of the misconception that only older women can be diagnosed with this type of cancer.
Breast Cancer Now is a charity close to Keeley’s heart. She travelled down to London in February to take part in a photo shoot in preparation for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, in October, and her pictures have been chosen to represent the ‘Wear it Pink’ campaign online, and in the national fundraising pack. The day will see thousands of people wearing pink in their communities, schools, and workplaces on 21 October, to support life-changing breast cancer research.
In the UK, 2 out 5 of women fail to regularly check their breasts for signs of cancer, Keeley, who is the Stakeholder Manager on Galliford Try’s A47 project explained: "So many of the women I knew did not regularly check themselves; it wasn't on our radars, and I wasn’t a checker, that was until I received my diagnosis. So, every month I bang the drum about knowing your body, not just about breast cancer but all cancers. The only person that knows you is you!”
She added: “Fast forward two years post-treatment and four years since diagnosis and I would like to think my story is a positive one. I know it is not that way for everyone, so I’m grateful. If you have taken the time to read this, then this message is for you. If you notice a change in your body, get it checked. Anything out of the ordinary…get it checked. Feeling not great…get it checked and a final message…go and get it checked.”
Breast Cancer Now is a charity in the UK which was formed in 2015 by the merger of Breast Cancer Campaign and Breakthrough Breast Cancer. If you would like to find out more and support Keeley’s mission for Breast Cancer Now then please click here: Sign up to wear it pink | wear it pink