Jack Murphy Jewellers in Newry has teamed up with Cancer Focus Northern Ireland to help promote breast cancer awareness month in October.
The month-long partnership will kick off on Friday 1st October with the family-run jewellers hosting a pink weekend in-store.
The local business will be helping to promote The Support Your Girls campaign, which runs from now until the end of October (breast cancer awareness month), highlighting signs of the disease and stresses the importance of checking your breasts regularly.
During October, staff at Jack Murphy Jewellers are also planning ‘wear pink to work’ days on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd October and will encourage their customers to join in – all carefully social distanced of course.
Gemma Murphy, Partner and Manager, Jack Murphy Jewellers, said: “Cancer is an illness that affects so many people and one in ten women in Northern Ireland get breast cancer, which is a frightening statistic.
“We wanted to join forces with Cancer Focus NI to help raise awareness of this disease and to support all the wonderful work the charity does in our community.”
Rosie Forsythe, Corporate Fundraising Manager, Cancer Focus NI, said: “We are delighted that Jack Murphy Jewellers has come on board with us for our annual breast cancer awareness and fundraising campaign.
“We know that there is a great need for more support among younger women who have been diagnosed. With the money raised from girls’ night in events, we plan to provide a unique new six-week service that will give women a chance to speak to experts on a wide range of topics such as infertility and sexual relationships, as well as to meet others in a similar situation.
“The young women we want to help are at a stage in their lives where they may be making big life choices, such as marriage and starting a family, or they may have young children to care for. A breast cancer diagnosis can dramatically change all their hopes and plans for the future. It is vital we have the best possible support in place for these women, especially now when there are so many other stresses and difficulties in life because of Covid-19.”
One of the services Cancer Focus NI provides in Newry is specialist bra-fitting for women who’ve had breast surgery.
You can find out more about the Cancer Focus NI Support Your Girls Campaign www.cancerfocusni.org. You can also make a donation in-store at Jack Murphy Jewellers throughout October.