Coutts Woman

Wear it Pink

Sitting on the floor of her cramped office, cutting up ribbon she’d bought at John Lewis - this is how the chief executive of Breast Cancer Campaign (Campaign), Pamela Goldberg, remembers the first October she used the pink ribbon to fundraise and promote awareness of breast cancer.

Today, the story is very different. Campaign orders these ribbons by the million, having grown from a charity turning over £200K with two full-time staff ten years ago, to one turning over £8m with 40 employees. 

"There is this perception that it is a younger woman’s disease, when in fact 80 per cent of all breast cancers occur in post menopausal women"

But although the pink ribbon brings world-wide attention to breast cancer today (Evelyn Lauder of Estée Lauder - also a breast cancer survivor - helped make them available in 1992 after the AIDs ribbon proved a huge hit), Goldberg credits women with creating the first great impact.

“I remember being at an event and going up to a woman who had suffered from the disease. When I asked her to become a spokeswoman for us, she turned to me and said: ‘We don’t talk about breasts’. That was only 15 years ago. Women just didn’t speak about breast cancer. 

“Since then, it is women who have made the changes, speaking out about their experiences and helping others overcome any embarrassment about seeing a doctor,” insists Goldberg. “Celebrities talking about their experiences have also boosted public awareness of the disease, helping us get where we are today.”

But where exactly are we? Today, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK, and the highest cancer killer of women. Over 41,000 women are diagnosed each year, and around 13,000 die from it. Stark figures. But an improvement on ten years ago, with a ten per cent drop in mortality rates since 1996.

Campaign’s contribution to this is two-fold. First and foremost, it supports medical research into breast cancer, with an ultimate aim of finding a cure for the disease. It currently supports 72 research projects worth over £9.4 m (all fundraised), focusing on the underlying mechanisms of disease, genetics, diagnostic methods, and treatment of early and advanced (metastatic) breast cancer.

The second role is generating public awareness of the disease and boosting early detection. But despite the huge level of coverage breast cancer receives compared with other, less talked about cancers such as ovarian, Goldberg admits: “I still don’t think the messages reach everyone. There is a perception that it is predominantly a younger woman’s disease, when it’s not. It does occur but the risk is lower. Meanwhile older women don’t think they are as much at risk, when in fact, the risk is much greater.” Eighty per cent of all breast cancers occur in post menopausal women.

In the past, Campaign attempted to improve awareness by advising women on how to do self-examinations. These days, they provide advice on the symptoms and have a clear, simple message for people - be breast and body aware, and know what is normal for you.

“No one knows what causes breast cancer. About five to ten per cent of cases have a known genetic link. There are also links to obesity and regular alcohol consumption.  But beyond that, we’re not sure. Our most important message now is to look in the mirror and listen to your body. And, if something changes, see your doctor,” she stresses.

Background

Goldberg became involved with Campaign in the 1990s after a somewhat varied career. Born in South Africa, she ran an art gallery there before moving to London in the late 70s, and worked for a small investment firm in the City in the 80s.

By the 90s, tired of working 12-hour days, she decided to set up her own management consultancy, and was invited to become a trustee of Campaign. When the charity underwent a restructure in 1995, Goldberg was asked to step in as acting CEO and became its full-time CEO two years later after ‘it completely subsumed my other business!’

Over the next few years, Campaign doubled its income year-on-year. “The analyst in me was thinking ‘this simply isn’t sustainable’,” she laughs. “But we’ve maintained a 30 per cent average until last year.” In 2005, Campaign’s income grew by 67 per cent largely thanks to a new fundraising partnership with ASDA.

But its ultimate goal to be put out of business still remains a challenge. To get there, Goldberg says her priority is to keep fundraising, helping keep bright people in research. “It is a difficult life and not well paid, so attracting good people into research and keeping them there is a major concern of ours.” 

In the meantime, she is proud of the advances made in the field to date. “Our challenge is to fund the best research that benefits the patient. And seeing the disease go from one you die from, to one that is chronic but which you live with, well, we’re heading in the right direction.”