The Breast of Friends: From checking your breasts to trekking the mountains

Pageants lead us to many routes within our lives and the same can be said for Natalie Moloney who will be swapping her heels for hiking boots, in the name of Breast Cancer. As pageant girls we run those muddy runs, collect those bras and send those donations, but when the story personally hits one of our pageants own, this is where fundraising has to be pageant extra which is exactly what the pageant community is doing! We spoke to Natalie about her journey, about how you can help and as always CHECK THOSE BREASTS!! 

"Between the 22nd and 27th July, I will be camping in a small Romanian village, tackling the rugged wilderness and the region’s impressive mountain ranges. It won't be easy, spending all day hiking rough terrain, dodging bears in the woods and then having to set up camp in the evening. CoppaFeel! is a breast cancer awareness charity who's mission is to spread awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer across the country. So how on earth did I find myself signed up to a physical challenge lead by Lisa Snowdon and Tom Fletcher?

I knew when I met Tracie that she was an extraordinary woman; Volunteer, Mother of Four, and a stage 3 Cancer Warrior. She has the most incredible sense of humour too, and wowed the judges at the Miss Voluptuous UK final with her passion for making a difference, eloquence and her ability to inspire people seeming effortless. I had no idea at the time that Tracie would become one of my best friends and she is without a doubt a part of my family. I remember we were having a conversation about me turning 30, the big birthday I’ve been looking forward to since time began, and I decided I was going to spend the year pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. Tracie sent me the link to the CoppaFeel! and Fabulous Challenge Transylvanian Trek and I knew that I was going to be on those mountains. I asked her if she was applying for it, and although she said she would love to do it, her physical health simply wouldn’t allow. The application didn’t phase me, despite there only being 50 or so places on the trek and over 400 applications coming in from amazing people all over the country. I didn’t tell Tracie I was applying at the time; I spent a couple of hours getting my thoughts together to compile into an application that would blow the selection panel away, and my reason for applying was very clear - I was Trekking for Tracie.

The process was fairly quick; with the challenge itself just a few months away, I decided to make a start on fundraising. If I was selected I’d be ahead of the curve, and if not I would enjoy raising money for the charity that means so much to my friend. Ever believing in the power of positive thinking, about ten days later I said to Tracie, “I’m going to get the call this week.” Sure enough, at about midday on the Thursday, my phone rang and it was Emma from CoppaFeel! HQ. When she told me that my application had been selected, I cried. Then I phoned Tracie and we both cried! At the beginning of April I went to London to meet the other trekkers and find out which Celebrity would be my team Captain. I was the one who was handed the envelope to open and reveal our Celebrity and although I ripped the picture in half trying to get it out of the envelope(!), we erupted in cheers at the reveal.

On April 22nd, our article came out in Fabulous Magazine and I was able to officially announce that I am Team Lisa Snowdon! With my pageant platform being female empowerment, and us having an all female team, it felt like the perfect start to the adventure. The support that Tracie and I have received is unreal; from people donating time and raffle prizes to people donating money to the charity and sharing the fundraising page, we’re both overwhelmed at the number of people willing to help us. The fundraising target is big, but not unachievable at £2,200. There are some pretty incredible fundraisers going on from burlesque nights and headshot events, to dog walks and Charity Balls. We’re even planning a rounders tournament and picnic with pimms! I’m currently getting together a pageant raffle and hoping for lots of support on that, too. I really want to be the biggest fundraiser on the trip! I’m also offering to add people’s names to my tshirt for £5 sponsorship.

Every single penny raised will make a difference! - A £5 donation will enable CoppaFeel! to send 100 boob check reminders. - £10 will equip a CoppaFeel! Boobette with all the educational materials they need to go out and give talks to hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of young people. - £25 will provide 70 people with a handy shower sticker to remind them to check their boobs The most important thing for me is to make sure every single woman (and man; 400 men a year are diagnosed!) regularly check their breasts and generally have a knowledge of their own bodies. Recognising changes and knowing when something isn’t right is paramount. Breast tissue reaches up to your collarbone and into your armpit; make sure you check the whole area. And don’t think your are too young to start checking either; at the CoppaFeel! Boobette party I was at a few weeks ago, I met a survivor who was diagnosed at age 20.

Breast Cancer isn’t always a lump.

Changes in shape or direction of nipples, discharge or seeping from the nipple, puckering, dimpling, rash, redness or thickening of the skin or tissue, aches and pains-
ANY changes could be indicative, and whilst that niggling concern may be innocent, if it’s not, the earlier it’s caught, the easier it is to treat and manage.

If anyone would like to host a coffee morning or other small fundraiser to help me towards my target I’d be eternally grateful; just send me a message on Facebook!

You can sign up for the free text reminders here! https://coppafeel.org/remind-me/remind-me-sms/

You can donate or share here!
https://transylvaniacoppafeel.everydayhero.com/uk/trekkingfortracie

Check early, check often, report changes. That’s the most important thing."

We wish all the best to Natalie (Super jealous of the Tom Selfie!!) and that the fundraising surpasses the target! Come on pageant girls, donate and help our fellow pageant queen!!