Compassionate outpouring aims to fight breast cancer
Upturn has taken a leaf out of MacMillan’s Coffee Mornings by organising tea events to give one of Britain’s most closed communities a spoonful of hope on breast cancer.
And since its latest campaign is aimed at supporting South Asian women living with the condition, the world-first drive is named after the community’s most popular sweet tea – Pink Chai Day.
Breast cancer is still one of the biggest killers of young women. Improved detection and treatment has meant close on 77% of sufferers in Britain now survive more than a decade. However, rates for black and Asian women have plummeted to half that figure.
All of which has prompted Upturn to team-up with Sussex based charity the Henna Foundation, to tackle stigma and find more effective ways of engaging with women in Britain – and as far afield as Bangladesh and Pakistan in 2026.
The culturally rooted initiative aims to break barriers, start meaningful conversations, and promote early detection of breast cancer across diverse communities — all in a welcoming, familiar setting over a cup of tea. It follows a spectacularly successful awareness-raising dinner organised by Upturn, where one woman revealed she had kept her cancer diagnosis secret from her family for TWO YEARS, whilst she underwent chemotherapy.
Henna Chowdhury, founder of the Henna Foundation (pictured) said: “Pink Chai Day is more than a fundraising event — it’s a movement to unite communities in the fight against breast cancer. By blending cultural tradition with a serious health message, we can reach people who might otherwise be missed. Together, we can save lives.”
Backing the drive is women’s health campaigner and Oldham GP Dr Anita Sharma. The founder of the Endometriosis Awareness North campaign said: “Only greater visibility will reduce the stigma around breast cancer. This should be a subject that women are able and happy to talk about, freely. Early detection saves lives but that will not be possible if we continue to foster a culture of ignorance and fear.”
The campaign invites people to dress in pink, donate venues such as Indian restaurants and share their events on social media using the campaign hashtag to inspire others to join the cause.
Enterprise Director for Upturn Muzahid Khan MBE DL sees the combination between Sussex and their base of Greater Manchester as the perfect vehicle to launch a national campaign. He said: “Although places such as Brighton and Oldham are very different, our two regions have not only strong Asian communities, but populations dedicated to helping one another, regardless of background. We are calling on this compassionate streak to make Pink Chai a success. We should remember this is about saving our mothers, sisters, daughters, friends and other women’s lives.”
The Oldham launch of Pink Chai Day takes place at.:
Wednesday 8 October
The Hive
The Spindles Shopping Centre
Oldham
12pm – 4pm
For information on how to host a Pink Chai Day event or get involved in your local area, contact: hello@hennafoundation.org.uk
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