Breakthrough Breast Cancer

 

Breast cancer is the most common cancer found among women in the UK, affecting one in every nine at some point in her life. The disease also affects around 300 men every year.

The charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer strives to save people’s lives and change their futures through research, campaigns and education. Without the support of the public, this ongoing work would be impossible.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s work includes:

Health promotion – the earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the chances of beating it. Breakthrough’s Touch. Look. Check breast awareness message is a fundamental part of its health promotion work, encouraging women nationwide to be aware of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and attend breast screening appointments when invited.

Breakthrough Service Pledge for Breast Cancer – Fifteen UK breast units currently publish these pledges to give to patients and the charity is working with another 11 with the aim, eventually, of getting all units in the UK involved. The pledge lays out units’ commitment to deliver a set standard of care for patients, as well as specific improvement goals.

Screening Saves Lives campaign – The NHS Breast Screening Programme saves an estimated 1,400 lives every year – that’s in England alone. Breakthrough knows that early detection of breast cancer is a vital element in the fight against the disease, because mammograms can reveal changes too small to be picked up by individuals or their doctors. Launched in 2006, this campaign presses for continued improvements to screening services all over the UK.

Breakthrough Research Centre – Many of the world’s finest scientists can be found in this, the UK’s first research centre dedicated solely to breast cancer research. Three more research units are being built across the UK, each to study a specific aspect of the disease.

The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Credit Card

When you take out a Breakthrough Breast Cancer credit card, you are helping to keep the charity’s essential work going. So far, cardholders have raised more than £1.3 million.

With 25p going to the charity for every £100 you spend on the card (and £2 for every year you use it), here are a few examples of what you can be a part of:

• £3 per month over a year could buy 20 flasks used by Breakthrough Breast Cancer scientists to grow cancer cells and better understand how they work, thereby contributing to the development of new treatments

• £5 per month covers 100 microscope slides that let scientists look at cancer cells in greater detail

• £10 per month buys storage containers so blood samples can be kept for 40 years – or more – and thereby help scientists trace the disease’s causes

And what else is in it for you?

• 0% on balance transfers for 12 months (3% handling fee)

• 0% on purchases for 3 months

• 0% on money transfers to your current account for 12 months (4% handling fee)

• No annual fee

• Fraud protection

• Free 24-hour helpline, based in the UK

• Online banking and eco-friendly paperless statements

If you use your Breakthrough Breast Cancer credit card within 90 days of opening your account, the charity will get a further £7.50. To apply, or for more information on the Breakthrough Breast Cancer credit card, please click here.