Breast Health
Everything you need to know about breast cancer but were afraid to ask #timetocheck
Are you at risk?
As we age, the risk of cancer increases; this is due to how our cells mutate.
Other risk factors that have been reported:
Early puberty (starting periods before age 12)
Reaching menopause late (over 55 – the average age is 52) This is due to the increased time oestrogens are in our body
Most breast cancer occurs in women over 50 years old and men over 60 years old
Being tall, possibly due to the higher level of growth hormones in early years
What you can’t change:
Women typically have more breast tissue than men. Women also have a higher exposure to oestrogen. Oestrogen can stimulate cell growth, division and promote the growth of some cancers.
Higher breast density is genetic and can be influenced by environment and changes during a woman’s lifetime. This can increase the risk of breast cancer.
Please note: it is tissue density not fat! This can only be measured on a mammogram. Mammograms can be unclear for those with dense breasts, in this instance an ultrasound scan is appropriate.
Some benign (non-cancerous) breast conditions do not increase the risk but people who have atypical hyperplasia or lobular neoplasia have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer.
What you can change
There are many factors which can affect whether you get breast cancer. Some are genetic, the others are environmental and life choices including diet, weight and smoking.
Family history doesn’t always mean a higher risk
Lifestyle Factors
The Pill – taking the combined contraceptive pill slightly increases the risk of breast cancer. This pill contains both oestrogen and progestogen. Within a few years of stopping taking it, this risk disappears.
Regularly drinking alcohol is associated with a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Limiting the amount you drink can reduce your risk.
Being overweight/obese can increase your risk, especially after the menopause.
Lack of physical activity affects your risk as it reduces the production of certain hormones and growth.
Smoking is now being more linked to breast cancer (evidence is growing) and it is considered the younger the woman is when she starts smoking, the higher the risk.
Pregnancy & breast feeding are proven to have a complex effect on breast cancer risk and overall breast feeding and pregnancy slightly reduces the risk of breast cancer.
HRT is known to increase your risk. The risk is significantly increased when using a combination medication. This is due to the oestrogen and progestogen being used. The single hormone type (oestrogen only) is known to increase risks but only after long term use, although it can also increase the risk of ovarian cancer. Both should be carefully discussed with your GP when carrying the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.
The Witham Hub
Unit 17, The Grove Shopping Centre, Witham, Essex CM8 2YT
Collected 622 Bras
Raised £457
Morrisons Witham
Braintree Rd, Witham CM8 2GD
Collected 939 Bras
Raised £788
Morley Nurseries
Southend Rd, Great Wakering, Essex SS3 0PU
Collected 280 Bras
Raised £224
My Fairytale Wardrobe
Bell St, Great Baddow, Chelmsford CM2 7JS
Collected 275 Bras
Raised £238
Hollywood Babes - Thorpe Bay
Hollywood Babes , 186 The Broadwat, Thorpe Bay, Essex SS1 3ES
Collected 174 Bras
Raised £121
Coco Boo
49 Rectory Grove Leigh on Sea SS9 2HA
Collected 595 Bras
Raised £491
The Bra Consultancy
16 Edward’s Walk, Maldon CM9 5PS
Collected 395 Bras
Raised £315
Morrisons Maldon
Limebrook Way, Maldon CM9 6GG
Collected 669 Bras
Raised £602
Harwich Library
Upper Kingsway, Dovercourt, Harwich CO12 3JT
Collected 382
Raised £291
Frinton Library
59 Old Rd, Frinton-on-Sea CO13 9DA
Bras Collected 415
Amount raised £320
Brentwood Library
New Rd, Brentwood CM14 4BP
Ingatestone Library
High Street, Ingatestone CM4 9EU
Nationwide Leigh on Sea
73 The Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 1PW
Funky Barnets
714 Southchurch Road , Southend-on-Sea SS1 2PS
Total collected 464
Raising £370
Tracies Nails & Beauty
108 Rectory Road, Pitsea SS13 2AH
Tesco Pitsea
Off High Road, Pitsea SS13 3JU
My Secret Wardrobe
Wickford, Essex info@mysecretwardrobe.uk
Basildon Library
Basildon Centre, The St. Martins Square, Basildon SS14 1EE
Vange Library
Southview Road, Basildon SS16 4ET
Fryerns Library
Whitmore Way, Basildon SS14 2NN
Morrisons 284 Hadleigh
175 London Rd, Hadleigh, Benfleet SS7 2RB
Collected 2157 Bras
Raised £1662
Morrisons Canvey Island
Northwick Rd, Canvey Island SS8 0SW
Collected 1675 Bras
Raised £1323
Rochford Nail Bar
8 West St, Rochford SS4 1AJ
Collected £468 Bras
Raised £370
The HAPPY Hub
Eastgate Shopping Centre Basildon SS14 1AE
Collected 602 Bras
Raised £509
Orsett Surgery
63 Rowley Rd, Orsett, Grays RM16 3ET
Collected 865 Bras
Raised £621
Mane Attraction
Hylands Parade, Wood St, Chelmsford CM2 8BW
Collected 153 Bras
Raised £140
Boo Boutique
11 Heralds Way, South Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford CM3 5TQ
Collected 300 Bras
Raised £232
Longfield and Tollesbury Surgeries
Princes Rd, Maldon CM9 5DF
Collected 869 Bras
Raised £473
Morrisons Grays
1 London Rd, Grays RM17 5XZ
Collected 491 Bras
Raised £316
Clacton Library
Station Road, Clacton-on-Sea CO15 1SF
Total collected 298
Total raised £193
Rochford Library
8 Roche Close, Rochford SS4 1PX
Shenfield Library
Adult Community College, Hutton, Brentwood CM13 1BD
Collected 239 bras
Raising £169
Chipping Ongar Library
The Pleasance, High St, Chipping Ongar, Ongar CM5 9AB
The Ironworks - Southend
90 High St, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1JN
Waitrose and Partners Leigh on Sea
1231/1241 London Road, Leigh on Sea SS9 3JQ
Total collected 91
Total raised £75
Vange Library
Southview Road, Basildon SS16 4ET
Total collected 56
Total raised £50
Pitsea Library
Maydells, Pitsea, Basildon SS13 3DU
Total collected 91
Total raised £75
Christ Church - Stock
Christ Church, Stock, Ingatestone CM4 9BN
Westerings Primary Academy PTA
Contact The PTA, Sunny Road, Hockley, SS5 4NZ
Total collected 360
Total raised £296
Get In Touch
Lady McAdden
Our Policies
Follow Us
This website has been funded by
The Pink Ribbon Foundation
And also by the
The National Lottery
Copyright ©
Lady McAdden Breast Cancer Trust
Registered Charity in England (1062236)
Registered company in England (03334552)
203 Elmsleigh Drive, Leigh on Sea, Essex, SS9 4JH
This website has been funded by The Pink Ribbon Foundation
This website has been funded by The National Lottery
Copyright © 2022 Registered Charity in England (1062236).
Registered company in England (03334552).
Proudly delivered by
Digital Technology Labs