CoppaFeel! – Strategic writing and copyediting
A grid display of 8 images of young women and men of a range of ethnicities smiling and checking their chests.
CoppaFeel! is one of those rare, standout charities that doesn’t so much catch your attention as grab you by the shoulders (gently, but firmly) to say, “Now just hold on there a minute, this is really something you need to know.”
How do they manage it? With immense conviction and charm. As I learned during a recent policy report project with them, it also has a lot to do with how invested the team is in the cause. Some with direct lived experience, and all with deep knowledge, belief and shared commitment to change.
The facts are stark.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of disease-related death in women under 50
One in six breast cancer cases occurs in people below the national screening age of 50-70
Younger people have later diagnoses, more aggressive forms of cancer and lower survival rates
And yet.
CoppaFeel! is bright, playful, fun and optimistic. Thanks to them:
150,000 people are reminded to check their chests every month
25% more young people know how to check
There’s a fivefold improvement in regular checking behaviour
And, with this new first-of-its-kind policy report, they’re building a UK healthcare system that will work better for young people with breast cancer. Of course, you might know this already, since it sparked a litany of features from the BBC Radio 4 Today programme to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, The Sun to The Daily Mail and many, many more.
It was a huge privilege to provide editing support for ‘Alive to do those things’ – the title of the report named after their founder Kris’s powerful, vibrant and hopeful statement of intent. I was delighted when Head of Content, Dan Patterson, said:
“Were we impressed with the quality of the output? 100%. We got a perfect balance of rigour and flexibility, and ended up with a brilliant document that balances sensitive storytelling with clear structure and flow.”
Huge congratulations to the team behind the content and launch, which made such a great splash. I’m watching with hope and interest to see its impact on policy.
