CancerCare supporter Vicki Edwards has been raising awareness throughout October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month: with her Big Bra Chain in Morecambe featuring over 800 bras!
Local businesses and members of the community got involved collecting bras for the event, and local MP Lizzie Collinge has also shown her support, sharing information about Vicki’s fundraising efforts in the Houses of Parliament and helping to raise awareness of the importance of breast cancer screenings.
Crowds turned up in pink to support the fundraiser party featuring music, raffles, face painting and much more. The Mayor and Mayoress of Lancaster were also in attendance to officially start the chain.
And though Storm Boelo made conditions unsafe for the event to go ahead along Morecambe Prom, thanks to some quick thinking and the generosity of local pub The Bull, the chain was moved indoors.
Through her various fundraising efforts Vicki has raised over £1,000 for CancerCare this year; as well as raising awareness of breast cancer within the local community.
Vicki said: “While a chain of bras seems surreal it was sending a serious message. Breast cancer awareness month reminds us that early detection enables action to be taken and lives saved. Breast cancer can affect anyone – women and men.”
Vicki became a supporter of CancerCare after receiving support from the charity following her own breast cancer diagnosis in 2024.
Vicki, who runs Mossgate Day Nursery in Heysham, received the news while attending her second routine mammogram. She had no symptoms and felt perfectly healthy.
“I had no symptoms at all, and I was in perfect health,” Vicki explained. “The mammogram detected that something was abnormal. I can’t even imagine what the outcome could have been if I hadn’t gone to that appointment.”
The NHS invites most women between 50 and 70 for breast cancer screening via mammogram every three years.
Many of the bras donated will be going to Women’s Refuge, while any surplus bras will be weighed in to raise even more vital funds for CancerCare.
We would like to say a big thank you to all of the local Morecambe business involved The Pier Hotel Morecambe, Morecambe's Palatine, The Bull Hotel, Fisherman's Square, The Chieftain Hotel, The Royal Bar & Shaker, Crown Hotel Morecambe, Bay Street Food at Harry’s Bar, The York, O'Nellys Morecambe, Brittlestar Wine Bar, The Pestle & Mortar, and The Hurley Flyer.
Finally, a huge thank you to Vicki for your continued support, wonderful fundraising efforts and for raising awareness of breast cancer throughout October.