Help me support Kiwis living with breast cancer.

We are hosting a 'Dance in Pink' week for the nine women diagnosed with breast cancer each day in New Zealand.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Kiwi women. 1 in 9 women will be diagnosed with it in their lifetime. And 650 women in Aotearoa die from the disease every year.

That’s why we are hosting another 'Dance in Pink' week, to help change that.

Come dressed in Pink for all classes from Monday 20 May to Friday 24 May including the RNZB Workshops.

Please donate to raise funds for life-saving education, life-changing patient support and ground-breaking medical research. And bring us closer to a day when there are zero deaths from breast cancer.

Looking forward to seeing everyone dancing in Pink!

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My Impact

Keeping our breast nurses out and about in the pink campervan for 27 hours, thanks to you!

Funds raised over the years

My Achievements

Fundraising page

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Received 5 Donations

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My Updates

25 May 2024

Jennie's Story

My ballet journey started after losing my wonderful Auntie Hazel to breast cancer in January 2020, so I thought I'd tell you a bit about Hazel and why I started ballet classes.

My Auntie Hazel had breast cancer 3 times and recovered twice. She was first diagnosed in 2010, the cancer came out of nowhere, we have no family history of it. Hazel had an unstoppable zest for life, and was extremely determined. She treated her diagnoses as a nuisance, she never once complained and just got on with it. It came back a third time in 2018 and this time it was not curable.

To me, my Auntie Hazel was my champion and constant supporter. When she died, she left an enormous void, and I had to find something new to focus on. I saw an advert for Bosman Ballet classes and thought that’s the thing I need! I had only intended to do the intro course and see how it went, and four years later here we are.

I think of Auntie Hazel often when I’m in class. The first few months I’d often shed a quiet tear at the barre when I thought about the reason I was there. I like to think that a little bit of Hazel is always dancing with me - she would give anything a go, and I'm certain if she knew I was having ballet lessons, she’d have thought it was amazing, told all her friends and wanted to join in!

Auntie Hazel had ten years more life than she may have had in the past thanks to the research and awareness enabled by charities like the Breast Cancer Foundation. One of the last things we did together was attend a Pink Ribbon breakfast, hosted by her friends. Thank you so much Celia and Bosman Ballet Flow members for raising awareness and money to help us beat this awful disease.

17 May 2024

Win's Story

I was one of those 9 woman a day who learn they have breast cancer on December 8^th2023.

I couldn’t believe it , I had only had a clear mammogram 10 months before I found my lump .

Working as a senior health Professional at Christchurch Hospital you think there would be some perks in the job that exempts us from getting these devastating diagnosis !

But no here I was facing my own mortality . I had no risk factors, no family history, was reasonably fit, still out hunting in the hills and mountains with my partner .

My GP informed me of the biopsy results, one slow growing cancerous tumour, and one aggressive one.

I was devastated, I had only just buried a dear friend who had died of ovarian cancer only a couple days before, I had been on this journey with her and it didn’t end well !

I love traveling , but this was not a journey I wanted to go on !!

I cried every day for 2 weeks, until I seen my surgeon. She was just lovely, and told me I had a 80% chance of surviving this . These odds seemed pretty good to me, suddenly I could see a future again , be around for my family, and see my grand children grow up.

So on January 24^th this year I had my mastectomy, lympth node removal (2 positive lypmth nodes ) and simple implant reconstruction.

I tried to be brave, I have had surgery in the past ( including bilateral hip replacements ), but this was different.

It seemed so brutal and cruel to lose a breast. I had always loved my wee breasts ( they were only a 32 B ! ).

I had showed them off in a bikini when I was young, they had been part of my sexuality, and they had nurtured my two children.

They are part of being a woman and feeling feminine.

Now one of them had turned against me and it had to go, to save my life .

I knew this was getting rid of the cancer, but I still cried all the way going into theatre.

I have had a few wee hiccups , ended up being admitted to Christchurch Hospital 6 weeks post op , returned to theatre, and 10 days of intravenous antibiotics to fight a nasty infection

I am so grateful to all those people who looked after me , and watched my back.

Never underestimate the strength you get from family and friends.

I will never be able to find the words to thank them all enough.

My heart goes out to all the young woman who get breast cancer ( and often the more aggressive type )

I worried for them .How do they cope having this ordeal to go through at such a young age , and often with dependant children.

I cried for them too.

I keep telling myself I am lucky and privileged to get to this grand age of 66 years, as many people don’t.

So here I am now, I have joined the Silver Swans !

I have never done Ballet before, but have always admired the grace, poise , and beauty of Ballet.

I have only had a few lessons, but Im absolutely loving it !

I have no idea what Im doing some times, as Im often going left , when everyone else is going right ! And what is that Port de bras thing Celia ? ( Im sure it has nothing to do with bras ! )

Lovely beautiful Celia doesnt seem to mind my clumsy and awkward movements in the wrong direction. She just smiles , sets me in the right direction, and is probably hoping I will improve !

The other ladies are all so lovely and welcoming, I just don’t know how they remember all those moves !

Celia I cant thank you enough. I go home with a smile on my face.

I once again feel feminine, and inside I feel like a young woman again.

All those lovely Ballet ladies out there, please remember to do regular breast checks, despite having regular screening mammograms . ( particularly if you have ‘dense ‘ breasts.)

I know this is a Cliché, but remember to always make the most of each day, because none of us know which day will be our last.

Sending much love and strength to my Pink sisters

Jennie's Story

Saturday 25th May

Win's Story

Friday 17th May