The best UK breast cancer charities
Behind every early check and every hand held after a diagnosis is someone who cares: the nurses, scientists, volunteers and friends standing with people affected by breast cancer. It's hopeful, determined work, and it means more people catch it early and nobody faces it alone.
Four charities, each brilliant at a different part of the job.
Rather than a ranked list, we've picked a range of charities, so together they cover more than any one could alone.
Breast Cancer Now
- Breast Cancer Research
- Nurse Helpline
- Peer Support
Breast Cancer Now's story began in 1973, when Betty Westgate set up the Mastectomy Association from her Croydon home after her own diagnosis. Today it funds research and supports people affected by breast cancer, with nurses on a free helpline. Its Toby Robins Research Centre was the UK's first dedicated breast cancer research centre. Its Generations Study, following women for 40 years, is the largest of its kind in the world, which is science playing the long game.
Key stats
- Helpline calls answered by its nurses
- 12,240
- Someone Like Me peer support matches
- 2,267
- Felt less alone after its referral calls
- 90%
- Women in its Generations Study
- 110,000+
Why we've included them
Breast Cancer Now funds research while its nurses answer a free helpline. It pairs the long view of science with support for people affected by breast cancer today.
Registered Charity: 1160558
Visit Breast Cancer Now
CoppaFeel!
- Chest Checking
- Youth Awareness
- Text Reminders
CoppaFeel! was founded in 2009 by Kris Hallenga and her twin sister Maren, after Kris was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer at 23. It's the UK's only youth-focused breast cancer awareness charity, on a mission to get young people checking their chests. Its text reminders, Uni Boob Teams and bold, funny campaigns help make checking a habit, and we love that. Kris died in 2024, and CoppaFeel! is honouring her legacy by spreading her chest checking message.
Key stats
- Young people reached by its campaign
- 4.63m
- Now check regularly after engaging with it
- 79%
- People getting its text reminders
- 150,000+
- Uni Boob Teams on campuses
- 30
Source: CoppaFeel! Annual Report 2025
Why we've included them
CoppaFeel! gets young people checking their chests, as the UK's only youth-focused breast cancer awareness charity. Its text reminders and Uni Boob Teams help young people make chest checking a regular habit.
Registered Charity: 1132366
Visit CoppaFeel!
Future Dreams
- In-Person Support
- Classes & Therapies
- Bra Fittings
Mother and daughter Sylvie Henry and Danielle Leslie founded Future Dreams in 2008 with just £100, after both were diagnosed with breast cancer. They died within a year of each other, but their charity grew. In 2021 it opened Future Dreams House in King's Cross, the only dedicated breast cancer support centre in England and Wales giving in-person and online help. People find classes, therapies, nurse appointments and even expert bra fittings there, which is care that thinks of everything.
Key stats
- Visits to its House and online
- 10,928
- One-to-one sessions
- 2,449
- Expert bra fittings in its Bra Lounge
- 293
- Found its services valuable
- 92%
Why we've included them
Future Dreams opens a real front door to support: Future Dreams House in King's Cross, with help in person and online. Its classes, therapies and even bra fittings give anyone affected somewhere warm to go.
Registered Charity: 1123526
Visit Future Dreams
Breast Cancer UK
- Prevention Education
- Risk Research
- Campaigning
Breast Cancer UK began as a small patient-led forum, driven by people who wished they'd had more information before their diagnosis. Today it's the only UK charity focused entirely on preventing breast cancer. It runs prevention talks, an online prevention quiz and personal action plans, and funds research into what raises risk. It was part of the successful campaign to ban BPA from baby bottles, which is prevention you can hold in your hand.
Key stats
- People given prevention education
- 20,000+
- Talk attendees motivated to act
- 85%
- Pledged to help ban hormone-disrupting chemicals
- 3000+
- Peer-reviewed scientific reviews published
- 4
Why we've included them
Breast Cancer UK completes the set with prevention, as the only UK charity focused entirely on preventing breast cancer. Its talks, research into what raises risk and campaigns on chemicals work upstream of checking and care.
Registered Charity: 1138866
Visit Breast Cancer UK
Four amazing breast cancer charities. Why choose just one?
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