Styling Curvy

stylish, sassy and a little bit bad-assy

HOPE AND SPARKLE FOR THE WIN.

By 29 Comments

This post is brought to you by Emma & Roe (sponsored)

I often wonder what it would be like to be part of a family with a ‘known history’ of gene disposition for cancer, like breast or ovarian cancer. Thankfully for my sons my cancer diagnosis doesn’t directly affect their chances of having a cancer diagnosis, of course males can and do have breast cancer and pass on the gene. If I’d had daughters I can’t imagine the ticking fear of a possible genetic diagnosis. Not only for their mortality but also body image, fertility and so much more.

I have friends who have been tested for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene, their family histories are riddled with women’s cancers and it just makes sense to get tested. It’s not an easy decision to make though and it’s also an expensive exercise so for many women they can take years to make the step towards testing or even forgo the test altogether.

I’m a big believer that knowledge is power, you know ‘forewarned and all’. But what happens when gene testing comes back positive? Shit just became real is what happens!

I didn’t get a ‘warning’…a vision into the future. For me it was a diagnosis and then the fight to save my life. Maybe if I’d had a gene test that returned positive I’d have had some choices, a chance to take control and protect my future.

Thankfully there’s support for women undergoing gene testing for breast and ovarian cancers. Pink Hope is a preventative health charity working to ensure every individual can assess, manage and reduce their risk of breast and ovarian cancer, while providing personalised support for at-risk women.

Pink Hope
* Provide tools and information to help the general population assess their risk of breast and ovarian cancer
* Promote open discussion around family cancer history in the general population through targeted campaigns and educational tools
* Provide support and information to members of the at risk community to help them appropriately manage and navigate their risk
* Encourage at risk women to be vigilant and proactive with their breast and ovarian health, resulting in a much earlier diagnosis and better treatment
* Work collaboratively with healthcare providers to ensure a better transition for at risk women as they move through each key touch point of their journey
* Advocate for at risk families

Pink Hope are looking after community, supporting and helping Aussies understand their risk of breast and ovarian cancer. They guide and support men and women who are BRCA gene fault positive, families with a history of cancer and people needing to assess and understand their risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

Of course all of this wonderful work requires a dedicated team and financial support. Pink Hope collaborate with a few brands including Emma & Roe by Michael Hill, together they formed a partnership with Pink Hope in 2014. Emma & Roe designed and produced the Pink Hope Collection available in store (nationally) and online. Pink Hope receives 15% of the gross profits from the sale of the Pink Hope Collection. Now that makes a difference!

We all love something sparkly with a little bling and a charm bracelet just ticks all the right boxes. It’s a wonderful way to show someone you love them, maybe a friend, sister or someone you care for who needs some support.

You can collect charms to tick off all the milestones of treatment and beyond or perhaps to remember those no longer here. Make it personal or just make it pretty and fun 🙂

The good people from Emma & Roe have sent me one of the Pink Hope leather charm bracelets complete with 4 sterling silver and cubic zirconia charms, nestled in a drawstring bag and tucked away in a gift box. The charm bracelet is valued at $335 and is the perfect give for someone you care for, oh and I’m giving it away ?

emma & roe bracelet

So tell me is there someone in your life who could do with some hope? Someone who needs a little extra sparkle?

Just leave your answer in the comments section below and you are in the running 🙂

Til next time

Jen x

Giveaway runs 2/11/15-midnight 9/11/15. This is a game of skill and the winner will be selected by me.
This prize is not to be exchanged for cash or other goods.
The winner will be contacted via email, if the winner does not respond within 48 hours another winner will be chosen.
By entering this giveaway the winner acknowledges that I will email them with the email address provided and
that their name will be published on this blog.

Comments

  1. My best friends Mum has inoperable metastatic breat cancer…she fights the good fight everyday so she can see her great grandchildren be born…with 1 due to be born around Xmas….this bracelet would mean alot to her…she could pass it too her only daughter (who hasnt had gene testing)
    Fuck Cancer it tears families apart ♡

    Reply

    • Feel free to nominate yourself lovely ? Pink Hope do brilliant work and all because of the visions and dreams of their founder Krystal

      Reply

  3. I would love to give this to my aunty Shay. She starts radiation tomorrow after completing her chemo 2 weeks ago. She is 59 years young, has her first grandchild and THE BEST, MOST POSITIVE OUTLOOK on her journey. She makes people laugh and happiness is the only option for her. How wonderful of Emma & Roe to donate this beautiful gift. Thankyou x

    Reply

  4. My friend Gail lost her six year old son to cancer four years ago. Her heart breaks each day over for him. I’d love to see her smile, even if just for a moment she believed in ‘good’ and not ‘evil’
    Bxo

    Reply

  5. Yes Jen… my girlfriend who is the most beautiful person has been given another 3 months relief from her melanoma fight so we have our fingers and hearts crossed for her. Oh and she loves pink too xx

    Reply

  6. Hi Jenni, I was interested in your comment that your diagnosis will not directly affect your sons chances of having a cancer diagnosis – do you say that because you know that you don’t have a BRCA mutation? I ask this because men can also carry the BRCA mutation. BRCA mutations can be passed on from the father, or mother to their daughters, or sons. Unfortunately there is a 50% chance that a parent can pass on the BRCA mutation to each of their children. I hope I don’t scare you by saying that and apologise wholly if that’s the case. I was just thinking that it is important to inform readers that men can also carry the BRCA mutation, can be diagnosed with breast cancer and can genetically receive, or pass on, the mutation. Big live. J xox

    Reply

    • Oh absolutely men can and do get breast cancer and they can pass a gene on, in my case though it isn’t the case ? I’m the first ever in my family with BC and it’s not genetic. X

      Reply

      • Phew! ? that is such a relief. As always, thanks again for sharing your knowledge, wisdom and experience – it’s such a gift to all of us and I think you’re incredible to talk about your insights, although I dearly wish you’d never had to endure this horrible disease.
        A good friend, Sharnie, had a very, very strong family history of Breast and ovarian cancer, so after genetic testing and counselling (and having two children) she chose to have prophylactic surgery – double mastectomy with reconstruction and oophorectomy. She is one of the most courageous and brave people I have ever met. And I know she lives with the fear that other members of her family will be diagnosed – especially her daughters. She lives in hope every day that they won’t have to face what she has faced and I think it’s this hope that gets us all through ??? xo

        Reply

  8. I would like to give this wonderful gift to my big sister Naomi. Tomorrow 3/11 is the 4 anniversary of our wonderful mum losing her 9 year battle with breast cancer. November and December are hard months as my sisters father in law, grandmother in law,our material grandmother and both paternal grandparents passed away during these months. My sister and her family are also struggling at the moment with my brother in law being out of work. Would love to give my sister something to smile about! We are making happy memories as our darling niece is about to turn one and her parents are getting married. Thank you Jenni for sharing your hope! Xxoo

    Reply

  9. I knew nothing about pink hope. What a great give away. I will be popping into my local Michael Hill store to have a look at these bracelets. I love it. After reading all the other posts my ride has been an easy breeze. I love the work you do Jen. You really are an amazing advocate for breast cancer, we can all learn so much from your honesty. If I was to receive this I would wear it with pride in recognition of my strength my love for my body and life I have ahead of me. Hugs to you on the work you do….Fleur.

    Reply

  10. Pink Hope awareness is so important. I had my preventative double mastectomy nearly 8 years ago when there was absolutely no support or help in Australia. We have come so far!

    Reply

    • We’ve come an incredibly long way in the whole area of Brest/ovarian cancer, support and information is so much more readily available which must be of comfort for many X

      Reply

  11. A lovely girl I used to babysit just turned 19 a little over two months ago. Days after her birthday she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. It was a shock in itself, especially for someone so young, but she is also a singer and told that she may never speak again, let alone sing. She has a faith and wisdom beyond her years and has simply been believing to get better. She had surgery about a month ago and just sang in a concert over the weekend. She still has a long road ahead and plenty of treatment to get through, but is an amazing example to everyone she knows. Her name is Emma. 🙂

    Reply

    • I have several friends who have been through Thyroid cancer very successfully 🙂 Cancer is shit and I hope Emma is doing well.

      Reply

  12. Thank you for this opportunity, both my Sisters have died (one recently) from cancer. I have started making better choice to enable myself to be living a healthier life.This braclet would be worn in remberance of them.

    Reply

  13. My beautiful friend Sarah
    Diagnosed with breast cancer the strength she has shown through the whole process is through the roof
    She deserves some sparkle

    Reply

  14. My friend Sandra has had a horrible year.. This time last year she had spinal surgery, as a consequence she has suffered from depression, severe pain and she has had to come to terms with never being able to work again. In June this year, her 16 yr old daughter decided to leave home, a situation that has devastated Sandra. Her husband has also had a motorcycle accident this year, requiring surgery and nursing him back to recovery. Sandra has no family in Australia. She tries to be strong, but she would absolutely be overwhelmed by a beautiful gift like this and I would love to be able to pass a beautiful piece of jewelry onto her to remind her how much she has been through and how strong she is to have pulled through this year.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

LET’S GET SOCIAL

READ MORE OF WHAT I WROTE

WHAT’S NEW?

Categories

Sign up to get Styling Curvy newsletters delivered to your inbox

  • Styling Tips
  • Special Offers
  • Inside My World