NewVIc students win the CoppaFeel! Challenge helping spread life-saving messages about breast cancer amongst young people
Students Chloe, Nelma, Kierston, Camecia and Nefeli worked tirelessly to spread a life-saving message to their peers and the local community about breast cancer through onsite events, presentations and social media.
Students Chloe, Nelma, Kierston, Camecia and Nefeli worked tirelessly to spread a life-saving message to their peers and the local community about breast cancer through onsite events, presentations and social media. To help raise awareness, they designed posters and QR codes placed around the college, and the big screen to help engage students as they walk into the college and in their tutorials and lessons. The students also hosted a presentation, aimed at all genders, encouraging their peers to ‘check their boobs’, understand the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, get to know what is normal for them and to act quickly if they spot anything unusual.
They competed with other Sixth Form and FE Colleges around the country to see who could have the biggest impact raising awareness - and NewVIc came first! The students are members of the Sports Academy within the sports of basketball, football and netball. Taking part in this opportunity has complemented the academic work that NewVIc students do throughout the year.
In December 2023, each winning student was interviewed and awarded the latest iPads by CoppaFeel!
The CoppaFeel! Challenge was established in 2009 to help spread their life-saving message and help students to gain valuable skills. CoppaFeel! is on a mission to educate young people on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, encouraging regular breast checking, and empowering young students aged 14 – 18 to speak to their GP if they notice anything unusual. The Challenge is determined to reach all young people with CoppaFeel’s message because breast cancer can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or race.
With the support of CoppaFeel! NewVIc students organised a fantastic sporting event with a netball team vs basketball team match at the end of last year in the college’s Sports Hall. Hundreds of students and staff alike attended the event and took away key information on the importance of breast cancer whilst cheering on the teams.
Kierston, Level 3 Business student, said:
“There has always been a big emphasis on women and girls checking themselves for breast cancer and not so much for men so I really wanted to raise awareness within the male community and educate myself and my peers on the signs and symptoms, as well as how to check yourself properly. Getting involved in this project has been so fun and educational at the same time!”
Sports Academy Manager, Katie Harris who organised the challenge with CoppaFeel! for the students, added:
“Our Sports Academy is committed to enhancing the participation and enjoyment of sport for all as well as promoting the health benefits and other skills to help enrich students.
With the CoppaFeel! Challenge, I really wanted to educate and empower everyone at NewVIc on how to check themselves and spot the signs or symptoms of breast cancer. It was great to see students challenge themselves and engage their peers with content and events that put breast cancer and the importance of chest checking in the spotlight.
Early detection saves lives and when caught early breast cancer has one of the best survival rates. Our students already had a massive interest in physical fitness - not only did they want to educate themselves on this topic, but their friends and families too. The event was all their idea and we had a lot of fun working on it!
The CoppaFeel! Challenge has allowed NewVIc students to develop essential skills like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership that will set them up for success in university, the workplace and life. They have also gained valuable experience in health messaging, media and marketing; opening doors to exciting opportunities in further education and employment.”
For more information about NewVIc’s Sport Academy, please visit here.