tombola and Breast Cancer in Breast Cancer Awareness Month Collab

Tombola, the UK’s largest online bingo community, has partnered with the UK’s leading breast cancer charity, Breast Cancer Now, to help make breast-checking a normal part of the conversations and rituals friends already share this Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October).

Fronted by comedian Katherine Ryan and singer Alexandra Burke, the campaign launches with a simple message: Walk, Talk and Check – encouraging friends to make time to talk about breast checking, whether they’re out for a walk, grabbing a coffee or catching up in the group chat.

Regular breast checking can play an important role in spotting breast cancer. Two thirds of breast cancers are found through self-checking and getting a new or unusual breast change checked by a GP. The sooner breast cancer is diagnosed, the more likely treatment is to be successful, which can help save more lives.

The campaign follows new research commissioned by tombola, which reveals that while women regularly talk to their friends about personal and health topics, breast checking is rarely part of the conversation.

Making breast checking a normal part of friendship

The research highlights how much women already share with their friends – and the gap when it comes to breast-checking:

• The conversation gap: two thirds (66 per cent) have never asked a friend if she has checked her breasts, despite over half (58 per cent) knowing someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

• Breast checking rarely comes up: just 9 per cent discuss it with friends, compared with 41 per cent who talk about work, 40 per cent about body image and 34 per cent about relationships.

• Other health chats come first: 61 per cent of Gen Z women talk about periods, menopause and hormones, compared with 27 per cent who talk about breast-checking. Among Millennials, it’s 50 per cent vs 24 per cent.

• Women are checking in – just not about breasts: 53 per cent say “get home safe” and 46 per cent ask, “No, but are you actually okay?” at least monthly, compared with just 14 per cent who ask if a friend has checked her breasts.

Small self-care habits – from treating yourself to something nice (68 per cent) to following a full skincare routine (60 per cent) – are already part of many women’s routines. The campaign is encouraging women to make breast checking part of those same routines and rituals, and to talk about it with friends – a simple conversation that could prompt more women to check their breasts and get any new or unusual changes checked by a GP, potentially saving lives.

Katherine Ryan and Alexandra Burke bring the conversation to life

As part of the campaign, Katherine Ryan and Alexandra Burke feature in a special episode of Katherine’s podcast, What’s My Age Again?, which is released today.

The pair discuss making time for health and self-care, why breast checking is often missing from conversations between friends, and how friends can make talking about it feel more natural. The campaign aims to turn a potentially awkward question into a normal part of checking in with the people we care about: “When did you last check?”

Turning community into action

Community is at the heart of tombola, where players chat, connect and support each other every day.

The partnership with Breast Cancer Now began in 2025, following research which found that breast cancer had affected over 50 per cent of tombola’s player community. Since then, the partnership has raised over £660,000 towards a £1 million goal, supporting lifesaving research and life-changing support through live fundraising games led by the tombola community.

Hannah Brotherton, Head of Brand, tombola, commented: “Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an important opportunity to get people talking about breast health. At tombola, we see the power of friendship and community every day, so it felt natural to ask: why shouldn’t breast checking be part of those everyday conversations too?

“Working with Breast Cancer Now, Katherine and Alexandra, we want to make asking ‘When did you last check?’ feel as normal as asking a friend if they got home safely. We’re incredibly proud of the funds the tombola community has raised so far and hope this campaign encourages even more women to Walk, Talk and Check with their friends.”

Alexandra Burke commented: “Partnering with tombola and Breast Cancer Now to encourage women to bring breast checking into their friendship chats this Breast Cancer Awareness Month feels emotional, yet essential.

“Stats reveal that 58 per cent of us know somebody who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and raising awareness is particularly close to my heart, as I lost my aunt to breast cancer some years ago. I was in my early 20s when I discovered my first lump in my breast. Thankfully, it turned out to be a benign cyst, but it can be scary, and having that conversation can be difficult. Yet early detection is crucial. That experience showed me just how important it is to know your breasts and get any unusual changes checked.

“Since getting involved with this recent campaign and digesting the research results, I’ve called my girlfriends and asked, ‘When was the last time you checked your breasts?’ It really can be as simple as, ‘Hey babe, how are you? When was the last time you checked your breasts? I did mine today.’ Research shows that two-thirds of friends do not bring up this topic.

“If I can be a voice that encourages people to check themselves regularly and add breast checking to everyday conversations, then I’m really proud to do so. Worryingly, the most recent research strongly suggests that these conversations are not happening, and that needs to change.”

Rachael Franklin, deputy chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, commented: “We know that breast cancer is the biggest killer of working-age women in the UK – in fact, one in seven women will hear the words “you have breast cancer” in their lifetime. Yet, alarmingly, this new research reveals that two thirds (66 per cent) of women have never asked a friend if she has checked her breasts, despite more than half (58 per cent) knowing someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. It’s clear that while women talk to their friends about so many aspects of their lives, breast checking is often left out of the conversation.

“This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re delighted to be working with tombola, Katherine Ryan and Alexandra Burke to encourage more women to talk about breast checking. We know that two thirds of breast cancers are found through self-checking and getting a new or unusual change checked by a GP, and that the sooner breast cancer is diagnosed, the more likely treatment is to be successful. A simple conversation really could be lifesaving.

“Our huge thanks to tombola for the incredible amount they have raised to help fund our lifesaving research and life-changing support, and for this important campaign, which is helping to open up vital conversations around breast checking.”

The special episode of Katherine Ryan’s What’s My Age Again? featuring Alexandra Burke is available on the Rayo app, Apple, Amazon Music, Spotify, YouTube... or wherever you get your podcasts. For guidance on how to check your breasts and understand what’s normal for you, visit tombola.co.uk/breast-cancer-now.