CoppaFeel!

About CoppaFeel!

CoppaFeel! is a breast cancer awareness charity that educates young people on the importance of checking their boobs regularly and knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. CoppaFeel! was founded in October 2009 by Kris Hallenga who herself was misdiagnosed with breast cancer twice at the age of 23, and now lives with secondary breast cancer.

CoppaFeel! aims to stamp out late detection and misdiagnosis of breast cancer by ensuring that people know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, know what their boobs look and feel like normally, check their boobs regularly throughout their lifetime and have the confidence to seek medical referral when they detect abnormalities. Currently 5% of diagnosed cases are already at stage IV with breast cancer being the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in women under 30 in the UK (181 new cases diagnosed and 12 deaths annually). CoppaFeel! strives for a world where no one dies of breast cancer because of late detection or misdiagnosis. The charity receives no government funding and relies solely on voluntary donations.

CoppaFeel!’s mission: Stamp out late detection and misdiagnosis of breast cancer by ensuring that people know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, know what their boobs look and feel like normally, check their boobs regularly throughout their lifetime and have the confidence to seek medical referral if they detect abnormalities.

To live in a world where all breast cancers are diagnosed at the earliest stage possible, at which treatments are more effective and survival rates are higher.

Key Messages: 1. Check your boobs regularly. 2. Know the signs & symptoms of breast cancer. 3. Seek advice from your GP if symptoms persist.

About Kris: After being diagnosed at the age of 23, Kristin decided it was time to flip the switch on breast cancer awareness and bring it to the forefront of young people’s attention. One in eight women will be diagnosed with the disease at some stage in their life. CoppaFeel! is all about getting the message out that the sooner we get feeling, the sooner we become best chums with our boobies the sooner we will spot any changes. Her documentary titled ‘Kris - Dying to Live’, produced by October Films, was shown on BBCThree and BBC One in 2014.