Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Early detection and the power of financial protection

Every ten minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with breast cancer. It’s a shocking figure and a reminder of why awareness, early detection and financial protection matter so much.

The encouraging news is that more people are surviving breast cancer than ever before. Survival rates have more than doubled over the past 50 years thanks to advances in treatment, ongoing research and more people spotting changes sooner.

Still, a diagnosis can turn life upside down. It affects your health, your work and your family, and it can bring financial challenges too.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we want to highlight both sides of protection: knowing your body and making sure you have the right cover in place if life takes an unexpected turn.



Knowing your body

There’s no single right way to check your breasts or chest. What’s important is that you understand what feels normal for you.

And it’s not only women who should be checking. Men can be affected too. Around 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year, and many don’t realise it’s even possible until they notice symptoms.

Everyone, no matter their gender, should make breast or chest checks part of their routine. Here’s what to look out for:

  • A lump or swelling in your breast, chest or underarm
  • Changes in size, shape or texture
  • Skin that appears dimpled or puckered
  • Nipple changes, such as inversion, soreness or unusual discharge
  • Redness or inflammation that doesn’t go away


Most of the time these changes won’t be cancer, but it’s always worth checking. Catching breast cancer early can make treatment more effective and bring peace of mind, if all is well.

If you’re unsure how or when to check, the NHS website has a simple step-by-step guide worth following.

The bigger picture: a few facts

When it comes to breast cancer, the numbers speak volumes. Here are a few key figures that show both the progress made and the work still to do:

  • Around 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK

  • 1 in 7 women will face a diagnosis in their lifetime

  • Almost 9 in 10 now survive for at least five years after diagnosis

  • Around 1,300 lives are saved every year through breast screening

When life changes course

Hearing the words “you have breast cancer” can change everything. There’s the treatment itself, recovery time and the emotional toll it can take on you and your family.

But there’s also the practical side - the time away from work, hospital trips, childcare, travel costs and household bills that don’t stop. That’s where critical illness cover can make a real difference.

If you’re diagnosed with a serious illness such as breast cancer, this type of insurance pays out a tax-free lump sum. It can help you cover your bills, meet your mortgage payments or simply give you the space to focus on recovery rather than finances.

Life insurance matters too

While critical illness cover provides financial help during your lifetime, life insurance plays an equally important role in long-term protection.

A life policy offers financial stability for the people you love if the worst happens, ensuring they’re supported when they need it most. Having the right cover can’t prevent illness, but it can prevent financial pressure from making a hard time even harder.

Awareness saves lives. Protection saves livelihoods.

This October, take a few minutes to check yourself and a few more to review your protection.

We can’t always control what life throws our way, but we can prepare for it and that preparation often starts with the right insurance in place.