Flat Friends launches #allwoman social media campaign

September 27, 2016
7:45 am

Flat Friends UK may be the new kids on the charity block but they are wasting no time making their presence felt. As the only charity solely dedicated to supporting women facing or living with mastectomy without reconstruction in the UK, they have a few tales to tell about the sometimes negative and upsetting images often doing the rounds during ‘Pinktober’ – and are launching their own #allwoman campaign to promote a more realistic yet altogether more positive image of life after breast cancer surgery.

Flat Friends decided on their campaign for this October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month because the charity believes that living flat is not portrayed as a positive outcome – so decided to promote a different view of breast cancer surgery, one which focuses on women and not their breasts. Gilly Cant, founder of the Flat Friends support group, said:

“Last year we created a small backlash against an ill-considered bra marketing campaign launched during Pinktober. This year we want to create something genuinely positive that reflects the real life of survivors and previvors that decide reconstruction after mastectomy is simply not right for them.”

#allwoman was chosen as a way to highlight the very real and feminine qualities of women after mastectomy without reconstruction, and to spread more positive body images. Using the hashtag #allwoman and the text:

“I have been nominated by Flat Friends UK to post a photo which make me proud to be #allwoman“

– women will share photos of themselves which make them proud to be living unilaterally or bilaterally flat, whether they wear prostheses or not. They may also add #breastfree, #nobreasts or #onebreast to their status if they wish.

It is important that women facing or living with mastectomy without reconstruction see that living without one or both breasts does not have to limit their life and experiences as a woman, and that healthcare professionals, society and the media understand that women who have had a unilateral or bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction can live happy, fulfilling lives. Gilly added:

“There is much that needs to change in the conversation around surgical options for breast cancer, so many women share stories where they do not feel listened to, and there’s a complete lack of balanced information from the NHS or major charities. We’re going to change that.”

ABOUT FLAT FRIENDS UK

Founded as a closed Facebook group in 2014, Flat Friends UK became a registered charity in August 2016. It is still the only charity in the UK solely dedicated to the support of women facing or living with mastectomy surgery without breast reconstruction, due to either a breast cancer diagnosis or preventative surgery. The closed Facebook group currently has over 500 members and provides a safe, private, respectful and mutually supportive place for women to come together and talk about practical and emotional matters related to living flat, including clothing, cancer treatment and relationships in everyday life.

Social media channels:
Twitter twitter.com/FlatFriends_UK
Facebook public page facebook.com/flatfriendsUK
Website www.flatfriends.org.uk
Instagram instagram.com/flatfriendsuk

PRESS CONTACTS:
For further information contact Gilly Cant, founder and chair of FFUK via support@flatfriends@org.uk or 07463 150015; or Sarah Coombes, trustee, email secoombes219@gmail.com or 07915 674863