Woman from Sheffield with incurable breast cancer is the face of new adidas Strength in Nature collection raising money for Breast Cancer Now

Three women, with different breast cancer experiences, have been selected by Adidas to tell their stories in a new campaign for this October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The new global campaign ‘Strength in Nature’ has been launched in partnership with the charity Breast Cancer Now to help raise awareness of breast cancer and support the vital work carried out by the charity. Through telling their stories, these women share their experiences of finding strength in nature through their breast cancer diagnoses and how the outdoors got them through difficult times.

The Adidas Breast Cancer Awareness Collection brings together a range of footwear and apparel for running, hiking and mountain biking, with £15 from each full-price sale donated to Breast Cancer Now to fund vital support services. The products in the Breast Cancer Awareness Collection have been chosen to help everyone, regardless of physical ability or condition, spend more time in the outdoors.

The limited collection is available for purchase from 30 September 2022, until the end of October 2022 through adidas.co.uk/breast_cancer_awareness

Emma, 41 years old from Sheffield discovered her breast cancer had become incurable after a snowboarding accident. Emma is one of the three women who were chosen to be the face of the adidas collection, alongside Jane from Glasgow and Stella from London.

Emma was diagnosed with primary breast cancer in July 2016, in Feb 2018 she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer, after her breast cancer spread to her bones and lymph nodes. Secondary breast cancer is treatable, but it is not curable.

Emma said: “My dog Flash found a painful lump in my breast. My GP assured me that painful lumps were not cancerous but unfortunately this turned out to be wrong. I had breast cancer.”

Emma had a lumpectomy, IVF, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.  Eight months after finishing treatment in early 2018, Emma broke her sternum snowboarding in California. This is how she discovered that her cancer had spread to her bones (the sternum bone that broke) and in the lymph nodes around her chest.

Emma has received treatment for secondary breast cancer, but after the first line of treatment stopped working, she moved onto a second line. Unfortunately, after around a year of being on this line of treatment, her cancer began to grow again. As Emma’s tumours were growing close to her organs she has moved onto another line of treatment. Emma is also on a multitude of medications to keep the side effects of treatment at bay and said: “I also have a series of injections every month too, all to try and keep me alive for as long as possible.”

Speaking about taking part in the Strength in Nature campaign, Emma said: “Sometimes you just have to walk up a big hill to remember you’re alive, feel the cold wind on your face, laugh at your dogs, look around and think how grateful you are to still be able to get up that hill. I may be slower than I used to be. I may have to take ‘photo breaks’ sometimes. But I can still decide on a random sunny day I want to do it and go do it! And given everything my body has been through in the last five years, it feels miraculous that I can!

In the UK, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 10 minutes and one man is diagnosed every day.

“I feel so honoured to be part of this campaign with adidas and Breast Cancer Now, particularly as the outdoors has been such a huge support to me in my breast cancer journey. Thank you to everyone who chooses to support.”

Rachael Franklin, Director of Fundraising, Communications and Engagement at Breast Cancer Now said: “We are so delighted to be partnering with adidas this Breast Cancer Awareness Month on their ‘Strength in Nature’ campaign. As well as raising awareness and vital funds for our world-class breast cancer research and life-changing support services, this campaign powerfully conveys the benefits of the outdoors – something we know is so passionately felt by many people who experience a breast cancer diagnosis.

“In the UK, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 10 minutes and one man is diagnosed every day – and alarmingly, without urgent action this will rise to one woman being diagnosed in the UK every eight minutes by 2030. We know the positive impact the outdoors can have on our mental and physical health, and regular exercise can also reduce the risk of breast cancer. That’s why we’re so grateful to adidas for not only raising awareness and vital funds but also helping everyone to find strength in nature.

“Every item sold in the collection will make a positive difference to people affected by breast cancer, and we thank everyone who makes a purchase. Our expert nurses are there for anyone seeking information and support via our free confidential Helpline on 0808 800 6000.”