Last year, Claire’s world changed with a breast cancer diagnosis. As a woman in her 40s with no strong family history of the disease, it wasn’t something she felt was “on her radar.” When she noticed a dull ache in one of her breasts, she initially dismissed it as hormonal. Fortunately, she decided to visit her GP just to be safe.
While the initial referral for a mammogram felt like a “just in case” precaution, it saved her life. The scan revealed cancer that had already spread to her lymph nodes. After a year of intensive treatment and surgeries, Claire is finally starting to feel like herself again. Driven by her experience, she wanted to create a project that would turn her journey into a message of hope and education.
To mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Check Yourself Day, we launched an immersive brand activation at the White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds. Our goal was to visualise a startling statistic: 1 in 7 women will develop the disease in their lifetime.
We used the medium of ice carving to represent this reality, placing seven distinct figures outside the shopping centre:
- The “1 in 7”: One large, fully 3D ice sculpture of a torso stood out from the rest, representing the individual woman behind the statistic.
- The Others: Six smaller, back-carved and snow-filled torsos completed the group.
- A Vital Reminder: We included a male torso in the installation. While men aren’t part of the “1 in 7” female statistic, we wanted to highlight that men can and do develop breast cancer too.
The event was a true family affair. Claire and Jamie’s daughters, Flossy and Emme, performed alongside the sculptures. The girls have been busking in Hebden Bridge since Claire’s diagnosis and have already raised over £3,000 for Cancer Research UK. During the event, Flossy performed a moving original song, helping the activation raise over £500 in a single day.
We would like to extend a massive thank you to UMPF PR for their incredible work in securing the location and providing the high-level PR support this cause deserves. The impact reached far beyond the shopping centre, with the installation being featured in the Yorkshire Post. We are also deeply grateful to the White Rose Shopping Centre for hosting us and for their generous donation to the girls’ fundraising efforts.
The day wasn’t just about art; it was about action. We handed out hundreds of leaflets from Cancer Research UK, teaching passersby how to “check themselves.” Our call to action is simple: If something doesn’t feel right, see your doctor. It could save your life.
If you would like to support Flossy and Emme’s mission to fund life-saving research, please visit their fundraising page link below.
