West Ham United women’s team kicked-off their support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a powerful and inspiring presentation on the effects of breast cancer.
The entire women’s team met Stella Maher, a volunteer for Breast Cancer Care and a breast cancer survivor, who told the squad the emotional story around her personal battle with the disease.
Stella, who also works as a confidence coach with young women, received the devastating news in June 2014 that she had breast cancer, having discovered a lump in her left breast a couple of weeks prior.
For defender Brooke Hendrix, whose grandfather passed away because of his own battle with cancer, Stella’s bravery in telling her story hit home.
“I lost my grandfather to cancer,” Hendrix told whufc.com “It wasn’t breast cancer, but it made me feel emotional myself, hearing her story and how personal it was and the struggles she had to go through.
“I know that so many people have family members that go through it. I think it was really great of Stella, and brave of her, to tell her story so openly for us. I really appreciated it. It makes you really think about what we need to do to help people around us, or even ourselves.”
Following the speech, Stella spent even longer with the team, answering questions about dealing with the day-to-day tribulations of breast cancer, while also listening to the players’ personal experiences with the disease.
The players were also given an educational presentation on how to spot the signs of breast cancer early on, including a demonstration on how to appropriately check themselves for lumps or changes.
Stories like this make us take a step back and realise there are bigger things to fight for than a game on a pitch.
Erin Simon
Full-back Erin Simon was moved by Stella’s story and believes her experiences show there are more important things in the world than football.
Simon said: “It was very touching to hear first-hand knowledge from someone who has fought and beaten it. It’s a really emotional story and I think all the girls appreciated getting first-hand knowledge.
“It makes us take a step back and realise there are bigger things to fight for than a game on a pitch.”
CHECKING FOR BREAST CANCER – IT’S A SIMPLE AS TLC
- Touch your breasts: can you feel anything unusual?
- Look for changes: does anything look different?
- Check any changes with your GP
If you're worried about breast health or breast cancer you can speak to a Breast Cancer Now care nurse for free by calling 0808 800 6000, or visit breastcancernow.org.
West Ham United women’s team are proudly backing Breast Cancer Now and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with the team wearing a limited edition, specially designed pink third shirt for October’s fixtures.
