Fashion
Fashion show celebrates 24 people living with and beyond breast cancer
The annual event in central London, which featured both an afternoon and evening show on Thursday, was hosted by TV presenter Lisa Snowdon, who has been an ambassador for the charity since 2005.
Snowdon, whose grandmother died from breast cancer when she was a child, told the PA news agency that early detection and seeking help is ākey to survivalā.
āIāve always known that early detection is key,ā she said.
āAsking for help, seeking medical advice, understanding your body and recognising when something doesnāt feel right is key to survival.ā
She added that it was āunbelievableā to see the way the models in the show were āputting what they are feeling behind themā and āowning itā.
āOur models are smiling from ear to ear and itās like they are levitating down the catwalk,ā she said.
āI have such huge admiration for every single model thatās walking out on the catwalk, all living with breast cancer and beyond.
āThey inspire me, they are incredibly brave, so positive and they have such courage and such positivity, itās infectious ā it really is.ā
During the afternoon showing, the models wore three different outfits as they took to the catwalk amid the sounds of cheering and clapping and they ended the show by dancing together on the runway.
Kendra Schneller, a 51-year-old nurse from south-east London, told PA how modelling in the fashion show made her feel āconfidentā and āfull of joy and happinessā.
āItās also a little bit sad because weāve all been talking about our journeys, which can be quite triggering, but Iām amongst some amazing people and Iāve got such hope for the future,ā Ms Schneller, a mother of three, said.
āThis is my way of showing everyone that you donāt have to be perfect, you can just be who you are and you can still be beautiful and you can still shine.ā
Ms Schneller was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and had a mastectomy.
She recalled that when she learned the news of her diagnosis, she rang her husband and told him āIām going to dieā.
āItās just the thought of not being around for my children,ā she said.
āIāve come so far and Iām so pleased to still be here and share my journey and share my story.ā
Ms Schneller, who modelled in the show and represented players of Peopleās Postcode Lottery who have raised more than Ā£11 million for the charity to date, added: āBreast Cancer Now have been absolutely brilliant in terms of their support.
āI havenāt stopped using their services and I value them so much.ā
Mark Winter, one of the two male models at the fashion show, highlighted the importance of men getting themselves checked for breast cancer because āthey donāt know they can get itā.
Mr Winter, 59 from Polegate, East Sussex, told PA: āWe donāt know we can get (breast cancer), I didnāt know I could get it, and youāre more likely to pass away because you ignore it.
āDonāt be afraid to pick up the phone, speak to your doctor and get it checked.ā
Mr Winter, who was diagnosed with breast cancer during lockdown and underwent surgery as well as chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment, said he felt āembarrassmentā around his diagnosis.
āI was lucky because I caught it early and I didnāt have any major issues with sickness,ā he said.
āThe only thing I felt, because Iām a bloke, was embarrassment because I had a womanās thing.
āItās still a little bit embarrassing but itās lovely to get my head around it with all the ladies at the show.ā
He added: āItās amazing because weāve all been through the same, but itās all been completely different so you get the good, the bad and the ugly.
āItās lovely to speak to everybody and just doing this is amazing.ā