Yes. Contact your local medical centre or GP surgery to arrange an appointment, this will be free of charge. Some people may be able to use private healthcare services which you pay for, but the NHS is free.

Contact a GP. They may ask to look at  your chest area. See more of our tips on what to expect when you go to the GP.

There is still a lot of stigma when talking about boobs, pecs and chests which we are working to change. Culture and religion can also play into attitudes towards breast cancer so we need to be considerate in our approach so that no one is left out of our life-saving message.

Yes keep checking your chest. Remember this includes your armpits and up to your collarbone.

We spoke to Breast Cancer Now as they have lots of information on this:

Although with a mastectomy all the breast tissue is theoretically gone and therefore the risk is greatly reduced, we still encourage people to check the breast/chest area. 

For preventative mastectomy for gene carriers who haven’t had breast cancer, check out this booklet Family history of breast cancer: managing your risk

For someone who is a gene carrier and has had breast cancer and a bilateral mastectomy (both breasts removed), check out the booklet above but also have a look at these pages on breast cancer recurrence or their booklet After breast cancer treatment: what now? This one is for anyone who has had breast cancer whether they have had lumpectomy (surgery to remove an area of cancer from the breast) or a single or bilateral mastectomy (one or both breasts removed).

Visit trusted places, such as CoppaFeel! the NHS, Cancer Research UK and Breast Cancer Now. There are lots of confusing messages out there but make sure you don’t believe everything you read, and look for official guidance and updates on these sites. 

Look at UK sites if you want to read UK-based health information, as breast cancer may be talked about differently in other countries. 

Our health information has the PIF TICK quality mark, so you can trust it and rely on it.

There is no specific age to start. Our wonderful Boobette volunteers talk to school aged people from the ages of 12-13. Below these ages, we gently encourage body awareness.

Get to know your body, and what looks and feels normal for you. Before the age of 12, get to know your body and start getting to know your chest as it develops.  

The CoppaFeel! Self-Checkout web app helps guide people through the checking process and you can set monthly reminders too.

No. We don’t use these models for several reasons. 

It’s important for people to know what is normal for their own bodies, and these models are not an accurate example of most peoples’ chests. There are other signs of breast cancer. A lump is most common, but it is not the only sign of breast cancer.

Lumps can look and feel different for everyone, and many will be harmless. These models can cause worry if people are unable to find the lumps.

Our checking advice is the same for every chest. Find a way that works best for you and make it a monthly routine. Some people prefer to check when lying down, some like to check before or after a shower as it’s an ideal time to be looking and feeling. Remember to take your time, if you have a bigger chest you might want to take a little longer to make sure you’re looking and feeling the whole area.