Real Self Checker, Ella, was just 23 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer during a routine check. She wants to use her voice to ensure all young people know that breast cancer can affect them too. 

Ella had adrenal cancer when she was just nine months old, but made a full recovery. At the age of 22, she was told there was a chance she might have Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, a condition which prevents people from being able to suppress tumour growth. Tests confirmed she had the syndrome, and she was invited for annual full-body scans to check for cancer. She was on the waiting list for an elective double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer when, on her second scan, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

She said: "When I got diagnosed I couldn't feel a lump or anything. It was just through the luck of having the scan that I found out, otherwise I might not have known until much later. It's terrible luck that I have Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, but it also saved my life. I want women who are younger to be checking themselves, I want men to be checking themselves, I want everyone to be aware of what their body feels and looks like, so that if they notice something unusual they are empowered to contact their GP and advocate for themselves". 

“I'm not frightened to talk about it because other younger women need to know this can happen to them.” 

"I've been going through cancer for 10 years now, so my message is not to ignore it if you find something. I found a lump and ignored it for about eight months before I went to the doctors. I had no choice but to have a mastectomy and start chemotherapy and I wish I had just gone to the doctors when I found it originally.” 

Shantelle shared her story to raise awareness of breast cancer among young women as part of the 2024 Asda Tickled Pink campaign, urging others not to wait if they find something unusual. Her journey is a powerful reminder that cancer doesn’t discriminate by age. She supported the Tickled Pink campaign to ensure young women know the importance of early detection. 

“If you feel anything unusual get it checked out… if I'd left it longer…I might not be sitting here now.” 

"I jog a lot and was wearing one of these nylon jogging shirts and on one particular day it was rubbing against my nipple and I was suddenly in excruciating pain. I couldn't see anything untoward but thought I'd better get it checked." 
 
Harry, a 74-year-old retired police officer, shares his unexpected journey with breast cancer as part of the Asda Tickled Pink campaign. A chance discovery while jogging led to his diagnosis, and now he’s on a mission to raise awareness among men. 
 
Harry emphasises the importance of regular self-checks no matter your gender and acting quickly if something feels off. He believes men should be as vigilant about checking their breasts as they are with other parts of their health. Early detection can make all the difference. 

Aria from Renfrew in Glasgow, was just 16 when her Mum, Rani, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is sharing her story with Asda Tickled Pink, telling us about how she's been inspired by her Mum's experience to spread awareness, challenge taboos and change attitudes. 

Aria's mum saw a post on Facebook about breast cancer and checking, which encouraged her to check her own chest and subsequently find a lump in her armpit. After initially not wanting to make a fuss, she went to see her GP, was diagnosed with breast cancer and started her treatment soon after. Aria said: "I come from a South Asian background and learned from Mum’s experience that breast cancer is a taboo topic. Any mention of breasts was seen as something wrong, or that you didn't discuss, so although people were supportive it was difficult to share our experience. You'd tell someone to check themselves and they were like, 'what do you mean?'." 

But Aria believes her generation is a lot more open to speaking about these topics, something her mum feels very proud of, knowing that sharing these experiences can help others in a similar position. She has continued to spread awareness of breast cancer by joining her university's CoppaFeel! Uni Boob Team where she has met others with similar experiences and heard breast cancer awareness spoken of positively.