A warm and welcoming space for women affected by breast cancer is now reaching more communities across Worcestershire, thanks to support from a Worcestershire County Council Public Health Grant.
Councillor Dr. Satinder Bell, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Health and Wellbeing at Worcestershire County Council, joined a recent Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer coffee morning to meet attendees and celebrate the charities growing success.
Originally only running in Birmingham, the coffee mornings have now expanded into Worcestershire, offering regular meet ups that provide comfort, connection, and community for women navigating life during or after breast cancer.
Councillor Bell said: “It was a really special visit to the Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer coffee morning event today. It is heartwarming to see the amazing charity and volunteers supporting this vital cause. At Worcestershire County Council one of our top priorities is prevention and as such I’d like to remind everyone to attend your regular screenings and self-check monthly to spot the signs of breast cancer as early as possible. We are delighted to be working with this charity to keep expanding and helping more women going forward.”
The Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer team are committed to reaching as many women as possible by offering a wide range of support options. In addition to in-person coffee mornings held across the county, they also run Zoom sessions, arts and crafts workshops, and special events. Leaflets are distributed in hospitals to raise awareness, and all activities are designed to create a safe, welcoming environment led by women who have themselves been affected by breast cancer.
Linda Jay, who runs the Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer coffee mornings in Worcestershire, said: “Adaptability is key for us at Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer. We take a unique approach in which we listen to what people need and provide events specifically for them. We want to spread our wings and reach as many women as possible.
“We’re all breast cancer survivors, and we’ve found that support groups that we went to years ago when we were going through treatment weren’t as friendly and accessible as we try to be. Our ethos is to uplift women and support them during their journey.
“I found that I’d lost a lot of confidence and I needed support to rebuild and find out who I was post-cancer. I felt very lost when the treatment stopped, now I work to support other women in answering the question: What comes next?”
Mary, a long-time attendee said: “I found out about the coffee mornings through a friend, and I’ve been coming for three years now. They’ve given me my confidence back. I joined the choir, and it’s a great support group. I’ve made lifelong friendships, and everyone always comes and says hello— it’s so friendly and inviting.”
Staying socially connected during and after cancer treatment has been shown to significantly improve emotional wellbeing, reduce feelings of isolation, and support better recovery outcomes.
For more information about upcoming coffee mornings or how to get involved, please visit: Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer – Offering Cancer Support West Midlands
If you wish to apply for a community grant to increase connection, reduce loneliness and support health and wellbeing, please visit our website for more information: The Stay Connected Community Grant | Worcestershire County Council