Community champion Katy takes to the catwalk at Breast Cancer Now Fashion Show

Community champion Katy Trapani from our Havant store looked so glamorous when she took to the catwalk at the Breast Cancer Now Fashion Show at the Science Museum in London.

As part of our Tickled Pink campaign which partners with the charity, Katy joined 22 other catwalk models – both men and women – who've had a breast cancer diagnosis to take part in the annual show.

Forty-year-old Katy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2021, said it was a brilliant day – and one she'll always remember.

She said: "For something so lovely to come out of something so hideous was simply amazing; a wonderful experience."

Katy's husband Ben and children Sam, who's 15, and 10-year-old Sophia watched the afternoon show along with three colleagues from Asda Havant and two school friends.

Katy, who's been the store's community champion for six years, said: "It was such an emotional afternoon. There was a point in the show where you go and stand in front of the crowd and, by a total fluke, I was right by my family and they all started crying which set me off."

In the evening it was the turn of businesses and main supporters to watch the show.

Katy said: "I thought that was going to be less emotional, but it wasn't at all. It was so lovely to see the people who'd arrived with their business heads on so invested in it. There was just so much love in that room. I wish that love could heal some of those people I did it with."

The models had to do three changes of clothes per set and each had a different theme – seaside, 'fierce' and party.

Katy said: "All the models have such a beautiful bond and we are still chatting away now. I think some friendships are going to last for a very long time. We are looking forward to having a reunion and catching up with each other again. We had shared experiences which brought us close instantly. They were a wonderful bunch.

"The show was huge. I don't thing any of us really appreciated the enormity of what was going to happen. Even the designer Zandra Rhodes was there in the evening. Who would have thought the lady from Asda Havant would be modelling for Zandra Rhodes, eh?"

The fashion show was the culmination of a rollercoaster couple of years for Katy who found a lump in her left breast while checking herself in June 2021.

She said: "When I went to my consultant my scan came back clear, but a specialist nurse had a gut feeling that something was wrong so they did a biopsy there and then and that's when it all became apparent that it was breast cancer."

Katy had a mastectomy and construction followed by further operations. She never needed to have chemotherapy but needs to be checked every year.

She said: "It was a terrifying experience. As I'm relatively young and fit and healthy it was a real anomaly. I don't have any history in the family. It was a real shock.

"In the store it knocked the wind out of everybody. I was the one that they all saw as the fit and healthy one. It was an eye-opening moment for us all."

Katy has always been a huge supporter of Tickled Pink which supports Breast Cancer Now and CoppaFeel!.

She said: "I went from being a fundraiser to someone receiving al the leaflets and being on the receiving end of their help. It was a very dark time but I did have wonderful support from my family and colleagues. They were just magnificent."

Katy, who's worked for Asda for nine years, is happy to give her support and raise awareness of breast cancer and she has this advice: "On the first of every month, check yourself. Know your norm. It doesn't matter if you've got a history of breast cancer or not. It can happy to any of us. If you have any doubts get to your doctor as time is of the essence in these situations."