Julie Wright is part of the ‘Reserved’ campaign from Breast Cancer Now
Julie Wright features in Breast Cancer Now’s ‘Reserved’ campaign.(Image: Breast Cancer Now)
A Hull mum who lost her daughter to breast cancer has starred in a new film designed to raise awareness of the disease. Julie Wright, 63, features in a campaign by charity Breast Cancer Now, and tells of her daughter Vicki, who died having been diagnosed at just 30.
Timed to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the ‘Reserved’ campaign reserves spaces for people lost to breast cancer. The film aims to draw attention to the UK’s biggest killer of working-age women and highlights the moments they should have been present for – including weddings, graduations and family holidays.
Launching in Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October), Breast Cancer Now’s ‘Reserved’ campaign reserves spaces for people lost to breast cancer, highlighting the urgent need to tackle the UK’s biggest killer of working-age women*.
Julie’s appearance is set at Beverley Westwood where she has happy memories of her daughter. She said: “The Westwood is where I celebrate Vicki. It’s a funny story, but it was just so classic of Vicki. On Boxing Day, when it was freezing cold, she dressed in next to nothing to go there because she wanted to grab herself a farmer. I still have so much of Vicki. There’s still so much of Vicki’s story to tell. She still lives on as far as I’m concerned.
“Vicki was just really, really feisty from the minute she got here. She was very independent, knew her own mind, a lot more confident than her older sister and a bit of a trendsetter.
“She lived life to the full. I always think she got all of her life in her 34 years. She did more in her 34 years than I’ve done in my 60 odd years.”
Breast Cancer Now’s campaign highlights that more than half (57% 0f women aren’t worried about getting breast cancer because progress made makes it feel like the cause is in safe hands. But with the disease still such a killer of working age women, the charity says urgent action is needed to change the future of breast cancer.
Claire Rowney, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, said: “Breast cancer is the biggest killer of working-age women in the UK. Every woman who dies from breast cancer is a story interrupted mid-chapter, leaving only memories for loved ones who’ve lost their mother, daughter, sister to this devastating disease.
“Our ‘Reserved’ campaign highlights poignant moments where the absence of loved ones lost to breast cancer is impossible to ignore – moments they should still be here for. We’re celebrating their memory while highlighting the urgent need for action to change the future of breast cancer.
“That over half (57%) of women aren’t worried about breast cancer highlights the need to hit home the reality that a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every nine minutes in the UK and tragically around 11,500 die from breast cancer each year in the UK.
“A huge thank you to Julie for sharing her memory of Vicki and to everyone who has supported the campaign so far by so powerfully and candidly sharing their reserved spaces.
“As we enter Breast Cancer Awareness Month we’re calling on people who’ve lost someone to breast cancer to reserve a meaningful moment or place for them to share their memory. Join our mission and support our campaign to make the issue impossible to ignore as we strive to get to Breast Cancer Never.”
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