During the month of June, we engaged 76 MSPs to promote breast awareness.
Our objective was to harness the influence of MSPs to promote our breast awareness message TLC (Touch, Look, Check). Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting Scottish women. Early detection of breast cancer can save lives yet awareness among women is low.
As a charity we need to find inexpensive ways to do things and this requires innovation. We spotted that nowadays MSPs have greater potential to communicate messages beyond traditional audiences:
• photo/story in local print media
• articles in local newspaper columns
• photos/ videos on websites
• blogs, Facebook and Twitter.
• distributing TLC leaflets in constituency offices
A drop-in photocall at Holyrood was organised and, for each MSP, we took a photo, did a video vox pop (about their support) and, along with a template press release, these were sent to each MSP.
The simple objective of using MSPs’ profile and influence to help raise breast awareness among women has clearly been met. The combined newspaper audience reach alone across Scotland was 600,000 , 331,000 of which were women.
Get involved
Would you like to help to raise breast awareness at your workplace or in your local community groups?
Drop Janis an email janism@breakthrough.org.uk and we will send you some more information.
