After an incredible night raising money for Reach Out in Bermondsey, it was Camden’s turn to take the reins to raise money and awareness for another incredibly important cause.
Future Dreams is a breast cancer charity that was started by a mother and daughter, Sylvie Henley and Danielle Leslie, when they were both diagnosed with breast cancer. Tragically, both lost their lives to the disease within a year of each other in 2009. Their dream was to make sure no one faced breast cancer alone, and the charity has since raised over one million pounds to move towards making this a reality.
Future Dreams focus on support, awareness and research. They work with Breast Cancer Haven in hospitals in London to offer personalised support which may come in the form of counselling, therapies and nutrition advice, as well as a consultation with a BCH nurse.
1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime and Future Dreams are working to ensure women and men know their bodies and the signs to look for, so that should any symptoms show, they can be acted upon as soon as possible.
They have recently used their funding to produce a Secondary Breast Cancer Resource Pack with Breast Cancer Care. The pack is to ensure that people living with secondary breast cancer receive only accurate and reliable information, supporting them to deal with the day to day impact of their secondary diagnosis and treatment.
Since the charity began in 2008, Future Dreams have donated over 1.2 million pounds to research projects that are working towards understanding breast cancer better.
Future Dream’s long-term aim is to open a house to allow more patients based in Central, North and East London to utilise the much needed services provided by Breast Cancer Haven, completely free of charge. There, they will provide therapies to address the physical and emotional symptoms and side effects of each woman’s medical treatment. Support will include image workshops, life-coaching, financial advice and nutritional advice on exercise and healthy eating. The most vital function of the house being that they could provide a non-medical environment in which women can form friendships and networks that will help them to take on this disease from a place of solidarity and empowerment.
Work.Life members in Camden voted to support Future Dreams and the committee planned a bingo night which saw members from around our spaces coming together for a heated game of bingo!
With Pimms to be drunk and prizes to be won, we well and truly brought bingo back and raised nearly £1000 for Future Dreams.
Work.Life were SO happy to do their bit for a wonderful charity that is doing great things for a disease which will inevitably affect all of us in some way. If you’d like to see more about what Future dreams do or to donate online, please visit their website.
