Today, I really want to shine the light on an incredible woman that I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over the last few months in the hope that some of the amazing social media community around me will get behind her mission to get a tag on every bra sold in the UK that tells women how to check themselves for breast cancer.
As women sometimes we don’t always take good enough care of ourselves because we’re too busy taking care of other people and this lady acts as a beacon shining her light on an issue that is important for all of us to be aware of. Not only that, she’s a total inspiration to all of us in terms of knowing our own power and strength too.
Did you Know? Breast Cancer will affect 1 in 8 Women!
A Truly Incredible Woman with an Inspirational Story and an Important Message!
It’s hard for me to imagine what went through the mind of the incredible Pauline Giles last July when she was told she had Breast Cancer. But women are incredible! And this is one woman who is on a mission to share her message with the world! I’m going to hand over to Pauline now so she can tell you her story in her own words. Sit back and relax and prepare to be inspired!
“Last July I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. The room swam whilst my surgeon told me, it was serious and that he was going to have to take my whole breast. He saw the horror on my face, I am a single woman who will want me if I am mutilated, he saw it in my eyes, he took my hand in is and said Pauline I am not going to leave my care any less and woman than you are now.
I am going to detach the muscle from the bottom of your back, haul it under your armpit and graft it to your chest, when you wake up you will have a cleavage, all be it smaller. Then when you’ve healed, I’ll do a bit of lipo on your stomach and even them up.
So I smiled and said so this is a bit of a win win then, he looked at me puzzled and said Pauline, I have just told you, you have cancer! Yeah but, a bust uplift which will give me the chest of a 20 year old, a reduction on the other which is good cos they are too darn big, and lipo on my stomach, I’d say that was a win win!
We have become great friends since, I raise money and awareness for Breast Cancer, became a charity in my own right in June Bosombuddiesuk. There are lots of Breast Cancer charities out there doing great things, but there is no education.
Not an ‘Older Woman’ Disease!
When I was in for my op, there were girls in their 30s in there, two teenagers in Cornwall had Breast Cancer last year! This is no longer an older women disease! 1 in 8 women will have Breast Cancer in their lifetime.
So with the help of my surgeon, we are putting together a video made by a woman 26, who will tell her story and it will be followed by a short ‘How to check’ video. Every county in the country will have a lady like myself going into the schools to educate the Yr11s. Why then, because it is the last time you can get 90% of the female population in one place to educate them before they disperse into the workplace or higher education. Once they know how to check, it will be with them for life and maybe one day will save it.
Early detection means less invasive surgery, the possibility of no further treatment like chemo, a quicker return to work, family and mental wellbeing. Back to the win win scenario.
I have been relentless in raising funds, raised £7,000 in one night at a gig at Eden. Was a part of a Monte Carlo or Bust rally in September on which we raised £50,000, half of which goes to Bosombuddiesuk, how amazing is that?
Last week I had coffee with my surgeon, he said Pauline can you let me have £7,000? I need to use a woman’s stomach muscle to form a breast, the equipment needed will cost £7,000, basically when i cut out the breast I shall attach the stomach muscle to all the blood vessels so it is a living part of her, pumping blood. The thread I shall use is not visible with the naked eye, hence the need for the equipment.
I am so pleased and proud to be able to say yes, because I know it will make such a difference to the women who come after me.
Getting Her Kit Off!
Yesterday I was painted naked ‘Burlesque’ wearing just a pair of La Senza knickers! Why? Because short of going on Page 3 of The Sun and saying get a load of these, being painted was a more tasteful way of doing it and saying to the women of this country, You don’t have to feel any less sexy after Breast Cancer.
Its about changing women’s perceptions of the disease, taking away the fear and giving them hope. I am on a mission, there are things I need to do………………
I want a little tag showing women how to check themselves on EVERY bra sold in this country! I do after dinner speaking and am amazed at how many women who a) never check themselves b) don’t know how to. Time to re-address this, and once I get good here, take it over the water to the US and Europe. This disease doesn’t stop at the channel, we have a chance to make changes, I was meant to have Breast Cancer because I will not stop until that change happens.
If a genie popped up and said Pauline I can take the last 18 months away, I’d have to say, no thanks. I have met truly wonderful people on my journey and there are lots more to come. You just watch me!”
So there you have it! What an amazing woman right? Are you feeling inspired?
Good! Because, I’m going to ask for your help now ladies (and gents, if you’re reading this I KNOW that you have at least one woman you care about in the world so I want YOUR help too)! You see, Pauline was wearing a pair of La Senza knickers in her ‘naked’ photoshoot and La Senza is owned by Theo Paphitis. Pauline wants Theo to be the first to make her ‘Bosom Buddies’ bra and help her raise awareness of the 1 in 8 statistic so we need to launch a collective campaign to make sure Theo is aware of the fabulous work that Pauline is doing out there!
How YOU Can Help!
Here’s my idea – If enough of us were to get in touch with Theo on Twitter (he is @theopaphitis) and ask him to take a look at what Pauline is up to it would help to get her seen by him and hopefully he’ll then be as inspired by her as we all are!
Feel free to include the following link in your tweet to Pauline’s Bosom Buddies page on Facebook so that Theo (and anyone else seeing your tweet) can come and find out more about what she’s doing – http://on.fb.me/udO9bx and also @mention Pauline in your tweet too (she is @paulinegiles on Twitter).
Please also use the hashtag #bosombuddiesPG to your tweet so Pauline can keep an eye on the buzz!
In Case You’re Not Sure What to Say…
Just in case you’re stuck for what to say, here are a few suggestions for what you could tweet, feel free to use any of the following but remove the “quotation” marks!
“@theopaphitis This lady is wearing your pants! @paulinegiles #bosombuddiesPG”
“Please RT! @theopaphitis please help @paulinegiles raise awareness of breast cancer! #bosombuddiesPG”
“Please RT if you think @theopaphitis & @paulinegiles should be ‘Bosom Buddies’ #bosombuddiesPG
“@theopaphitis LOOK @paulinegiles is wearing your pants! http://on.fb.me/uQFAMX #bosombuddiesPG”
If this post has resonated with you, let’s work together to help Pauline get seen by the right people! She’s doing incredible work and breast cancer is something that every woman needs to be more aware of!
