Droylsden sisters raise over £20,000 for Breast Cancer Now after battling the disease themselves

Two sisters from Droylsden have turned personal tragedy into a powerful mission to raise awareness and funds for Breast Cancer Now, after breast cancer struck their family across multiple generations.

Emma and Joanne, local residents and sisters, have raised more than £20,000 through a decade of tireless community fundraising. Their work is part of the national “Wear It Pink” campaign, but for them, it’s also deeply personal.

“We’re one of three sisters, and breast cancer has affected so many women on our mum’s side,” said Emma. “Our grandmother passed away from it in her early 40s, our auntie in the 1980s, our mum, cousin, and then both of us. It runs through the family, we carry the BRCA2 gene, so we knew we had to do something.”

The family’s awareness journey began when their aunt passed away, leaving behind young children. That loss led their mum and another sister to take part in early trials for Tamoxifen at St Mary’s Hospital, a drug now widely used to reduce breast cancer risk.

Despite this, the sisters were initially denied genetic testing. “A nurse told us our family history wasn’t strong enough,” said Joanne. “Eighteen months later, I found a lump and was diagnosed with breast cancer at Christmas 2014, and the same nurse was there in the room.”

Following Joanne’s diagnosis, the family was finally tested. Results revealed that both sisters, their mum and cousin carried the BRCA2 gene mutation, which significantly increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, before preventative surgery could be arranged, Emma, their mum, and cousin were all diagnosed with breast cancer. Emma was just 41.

“I had full mastectomies, and then in 2021, I was also diagnosed with lymphoma, possibly caused by ruptured implants from my reconstruction,” said Joanne. “It’s been a lot for our family, but we want to use our experience to help others.”

The sisters’ fundraising journey started modestly, a small event in Joanne’s house in 2015 with family, friends, games and a raffle. “We raised £600 and were over the moon,” Emma said.

But the event has grown every year since. Now held at Aldwinians Rugby Club to accommodate crowds, last year’s fundraiser brought in an astonishing £6,300, their biggest yet.

They’ve built strong ties with Breast Cancer Now, even being featured in the charity’s 2024 campaign and invited to London as representatives. The charity provides fundraising support, materials, and encouragement every step of the way. “They’ve been brilliant, always there to answer questions and help us do more,” said Emma.

In addition to the annual event, the sisters run local supermarket collections, maintain charity tins across Droylsden shops, and promote breast cancer awareness all year round.

“It’s a team effort now,” Joanne said. “We’ve got a whole community behind us. Local businesses donate raffle prizes, people turn up every year, and it’s grown into something really special.”

The sisters are also passionate about early testing and access to genetic screening. “We felt guilty at first, like everyone was being dragged into testing,” Joanne said. “But actually, it gives people power. If they catch it early, they can act early.”

Emma added, “My children, even my son, will get tested when they’re 30. Hopefully that means they’ll never go through what we did.”

As the sisters prepare for this year’s Wear It Pink event, they continue to spread their message of resilience, community, and hope. “We’re proud to do what we can for future generations,” said Emma. “And we’ll keep going as long as people keep turning up.”

For more information or to donate to Breast Cancer Now, visit www.breastcancernow.org

Emma and Joanne are looking for any businesses who want to sponsor or help with their next event in October, if you are interested email bcc.charityevent@outlook.com

If you have concerns about your family history of cancer, speak to your GP about genetic testing.