Nearly 30 women from South Leeds gathered at Asha Neighbourhood Centre last week to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2025.
Asha’s Health Development Worker Tahena Ahmed provided information on breast care, the menopause, cholesterol and heart health to help raise awareness of women’s health and prevent potentially serious health conditions.
On a lighter note, participants also joined in some games and activities to raise money for Breast Cancer Now, the research and support charity which organises ‘Wear It Pink’ to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer.
Around 55,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year. It is more common in people over 50, but it can also affect younger people.
Beeston-based Asha is a neighbourhood centre providing support and education to a diverse community of women with the aim of making life better for women and children. A key part of its work is around health and wellbeing, helping to break down barriers to healthcare and information.
Tahena said: “Events like these are important in bringing women together to raise awareness of health conditions that could impact them and their families. Potentially serious illnesses can be prevented, or their impact reduced, if people know what to look out for and take advantage of screening programmes.”
Asha is part of Better Together, a collaborative project funded by Leeds City Council public health and involving St Luke CARES, Health for All and Holbeck Together. Through activities, events and individual support, the project aims to enable people from all ethnicities to receive the help which is right for them while trying to improve the overall health of communities across South Leeds.
Asha Development Worker Shazia Aslam added:
“It was also a great opportunity for women to get together, share their own experiences in a relaxed atmosphere and learn from each other. Receiving encouragement from peers is often the nudge that’s needed and could lead to others carrying out self-checks or attending screening which in turn could result in early potentially lifesaving diagnoses.”
This post is based on a press releae issued by Asha Neighbourhood Project
Photo: Women from South Leeds kick started Breast Cancer Awareness Month with information on women’s health plus fundraising games and refreshments at Asha Neighbourhood Centre
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