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Kris Hallenga, founder of charity CoppaFeel!, has died aged 38 after a 15-year battle with breast cancer.
Kris, from Cornwall, was first diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2009 and given a life expectancy of just two years.
While facing her own illness head-on, Kris, nicknamed the ‘Breast Boss’, taught a generation of women how to ensure breast cancer is diagnosed early, when it is best treated.
Before his death, Kris said he was “never told to control me.”
CoppaFeel!, founded by Kris and her twin sister Maren, encourages all women to examine their breasts for signs of cancer because the disease “does not discriminate and can affect anyone.” Setting out its aims on its website, the charity says simply: “Checking your chest could save your life.”
Kris spent the next 15 years teaching a generation how to ensure breast cancer was diagnosed early and accurately.
Checking your breasts should be part of your monthly routine so that you notice any unusual changes. Simply rub and feel up and down, feeling in semicircles and in a circular motion around the breast tissue to detect any abnormalities.
How should you check it?
Checking your breasts for lumps could save your life.
This is because checking your breasts could help find signs of breast cancer early. This means you have a better chance of beating the disease, experts say.
It should be part of your monthly routine so that you notice any unusual changes, CoppaFeel charity! says.
Around 55,000 women and 370 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK, according to Breast Cancer Now.
Meanwhile, approximately 300,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are diagnosed in women in the United States each year.
You can check it in the shower, when you’re lying in bed, or in the mirror before you get dressed.
Because breast tissue is not only found in the breasts, it is also important for men and women to check the tissue up to the collarbone and under the armpit.
There is no right or wrong way to check your breasts, as long as you know how they normally look and feel, says the NHS.
But one of the most popular methods online is to use your fingertips.
Simply rub and palpate up and down, palpating in semicircles and circular motions around the breast tissue to detect any abnormalities. according to a guide shared in a blog post from the University of Nottingham.
If you notice any changes, you should have them checked by your GP.
Women between the ages of 50 and 70 should also undergo routine breast cancer screening.
Breast cancer symptoms to look out for include lumps and swelling, dimpling of the skin, color changes, discharge, and rash or crusting around the nipple.
Find out…
A lump or swelling
Using your fingers, look for lumps or swellings in the breast, upper armpit, and chest.
A lump or area of thickened breast tissue that does not move easily is one of the first noticeable symptoms of breast cancer, the NHS says.
And according to the American Cancer Society, it is the most common symptom. He says the lumps are usually hard and painless.
But when unusual lumps and bumps are felt, it’s important to know what’s normal for you, experts say.
The NHS advises women to get used to how their breasts feel at different times of the month. This is because some women have tender, lumpy breasts near the armpit around the time of their period.
The feel of your breasts may also change after menopause, as normal breasts may feel softer, less firm, and not as lumpy.
In addition to detecting lumps, it is also important to detect visible changes in the shape and size of the breast.
CoppaFeel! Founder Kris Hallenga (pictured), who suffered from stage four breast cancer, died aged 38.
Skin changes
Another common sign of breast cancer is a change in the skin.
This can usually only be seen in the mirror and includes wrinkles or dimples in the skin.
Dimpled skin is often compared to orange peel skin and may be associated with inflammatory breast cancer, which is a rare but aggressive form of cancer.
A color change is also a warning sign to get checked, says Breast Cancer Now.
If you notice that your breast looks red or swollen, it could be a sign of cancer.
Pain is only a symptom of breast cancer in rare cases, says the NHS. But if you feel pain or discomfort in a breast that doesn’t go away, you should see your GP.
Kris is the author of the bestselling Glittering A Turd, seen here with an advertisement for her book detailing how she discovered her life after being told she would die.
A nipple change
It’s important to not only check the breast tissue for abnormalities, but also the nipples, experts say.
Look for rashes or scabs around the nipple.
The NHS says this could look like eczema, crusting of the skin, scaly skin, itching or redness.
You should also check the position of your nipple, the NHS advises.
If it pulls in or starts pointing differently than usual, it could be a sign of breast cancer.
Another warning sign that you should consult your GP is discharge from either nipple.
The discharge is most common in ductal carcinoma in situ, which is an early form of breast cancer that begins in the milk ducts.
Cancer Research UK says the discharge may also be tinged with blood.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and affects more than two MILLION women a year.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Every year in the UK there are more than 55,000 new cases and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the United States, it attacks 266,000 people each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?
What is breast cancer?
It comes from a cancer cell that develops in the lining of a duct or lobe of one of the breasts.
When breast cancer has spread to surrounding tissue, it is called “invasive.” Some people are diagnosed with “carcinoma in situ,” where cancer cells have not grown beyond the duct or lobe.
Most cases develop in people over 50 years of age, but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, although this is rare.
Staging tells how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage, and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.
Cancer cells are graded from low, meaning slow growing, to high, meaning fast growing. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after they are first treated.
What causes breast cancer?
A cancerous tumor begins from an abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is believed that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This causes the cell to be abnormal and multiply “out of control.”
Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the likelihood, such as genetics.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most are non-cancerous and are fluid-filled cysts, which are benign.
The first place breast cancer usually spreads is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this occurs, you will develop a swelling or lump in your armpit.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
- Initial evaluation: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may perform tests such as a mammogram, a special x-ray of breast tissue that can indicate the possibility of tumors.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.
If it is confirmed that you have breast cancer, more tests may be needed to evaluate whether it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound of the liver, or a chest x-ray.
How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options that may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormonal treatment. A combination of two or more of these treatments is often used.
- Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumor.
- Radiation therapy: A treatment that uses high-energy radiation beams focused on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells or stops them from dividing. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.
- Chemotherapy: Treatment of cancer using anticancer drugs that kill cancer cells or stop them from dividing.
- Hormonal treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the “female” hormone estrogen, which can stimulate cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments that lower the level of these hormones or stop them from working are commonly used in people with breast cancer.
How successful is the treatment?
The prognosis is better for those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small and has not spread. Surgically removing a tumor at an early stage may offer a good chance of a cure.
Routine mammography offered to women aged 50 to 70 means that more breast cancers are diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
For more information, visit breastcancernow.org or call their free helpline on 0808 800 6000.
