North West Cancer Research has launched a new campaign calling on young women to not ‘ignore the signs’ as new figures show the region’s incidence rate to be 4% above the national average.

The charity’s ‘Don’t Ignore the Signs’ campaign aims to raise awareness of the symptoms of breast cancer and to urge Gen Z and Millennial women to check their breasts regularly for any changes such as size, shape, swelling or discharge.

It comes as the charity reveals the region’s incidence rate to be 4% above the national average, with approximately 903.1 cases and 17.64 deaths per 100,000 people. One in seven UK females will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, with the North West experiencing markedly higher rates than elsewhere in the country.

The ‘Don’t Ignore the Signs’ campaign will span the length and breadth of the North West both online and on social media, as well as featuring in bus shelters and venues across the region. By using bra illustrations with a simple neon effect, the campaign is designed in a way to educate Gen Z and Millennial women on the symptoms, screenings, and treatment of breast cancer. The hope is to open up the topic to a new audience that is prepared to share, advocate, and normalise the conversation around breast cancer.

North West Cancer Research’s ‘Don’t Ignore The Signs’ campaign can be seen via posters across the North West, on social media and online, and among those supporting are influential names, such as Stephi LaReine, Leanne Campbell Power, Thrifty Clair, Joanne Lawler and Danielle McDermott.

Alastair Richards, CEO of North West Cancer Research, said: 

“North West Cancer Research has been working to not only raise awareness of the symptoms of breast cancer, but also to empower young people to speak openly about the disease. This level of awareness is vital, as we cannot effectively tackle breast cancer without normalising the conversation around what is one of the most treatable forms of cancer in the UK. Indeed, our hope is that by launching the ‘Don’t Ignore the Signs’ campaign, we can engage young people in such a way that they never ignore the signs of breast cancer ever again.” 

North West Cancer Research is an independent charity dedicated to putting the region’s cancer needs first by funding life-saving research and education to tackle the cause, improve the care, and find the cure for cancer.

The ‘Don’t Ignore the Signs’ campaign will go live across the North West on July 17. For more details about how to support North West Cancer Research, visit the website – and on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.