Chai Cancer Care reports receiving a record number of breast cancer clients

Zippora Galpert, Chai’s clinical lead, said: “Behind these figures are people of all ages and backgrounds facing the physical and emotional impact of a breast cancer diagnosis, alongside the families and loved ones affected with them.

“At Chai, we know the difference the right support can make. We are here from diagnosis, throughout treatment and recovery, and for those living with secondary or incurable cancer, providing specialist care and support for the whole family.”

Counselling is among the many services Chai Cancer Care offers (Photo: Chai Cancer Care/stock)[Missing Credit]

Across its 11 UK locations, Chai offers 70 services, with specialist breast cancer support including its Breast Buddies programme, BRCA support groups, genetic and one-to-one counselling.

It also offers physiotherapy, manual lymphatic drainage and complementary therapies. Support also extends to partners, children and families.

Across the UK, around 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, according to Breast Cancer Now, with one in seven women developing the disease during their lifetime. While most cases occur in women over 50, around 5,000 women aged 45 or younger are diagnosed each year.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, which increase the risk of breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers are significantly more common among people with Jewish ancestry, affecting around one in 40 Ashkenazi Jews and one in 140 Sephardi Jews, compared to around one in 250 people in the wider UK population.

Galpert said: “Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an important opportunity to ensure our community knows that Chai is here for them at every stage of a cancer diagnosis and beyond. Our priority is

that anyone who needs our support knows where to turn and can access the care that can make a meaningful impact on their lives.”

Clients’ stories

[Missing Credit]

Israeli-born Shyned Maritan, 45, a mother of two, was diagnosed with

breast cancer in 2024 after cancer was detected during an annual screening she

received as a BRCA1 carrier. She underwent a double mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and has been told she is cancer free. Shyned continues to take preventative hormone therapy.

“I found out I was BRCA1 positive in my twenties after my mum tested positive. From

then on, I had regular screening and, after moving to the UK from Israel, continued through the

NHS. In June 2024, I went for my routine annual MRI and mammogram. I hadn't felt a lump and I

wasn't expecting a cancer diagnosis. They called me back for another MRI, an ultrasound and

biopsies, and I knew then that something wasn't right. A few days later, I went with my husband to the breast clinic and met the surgeon, oncologist and key worker. They told me it was breast cancer. There was so much information to take in. It was shocking.

“Because I carry BRCA1 , they strongly recommended a double mastectomy even though the

cancer was in one breast. For me, the decision was immediate. I wanted them to remove whatever they needed to remove. I chose reconstruction with implants because I had young children and the recovery was quicker.

“I didn't feel that losing my breasts would take away my femininity or identity. Losing my hair during chemotherapy was much harder for me. The mastectomy was a decision I could make and something I could control. When my hair fell out, I had no control over it. That was

much more traumatic for me and made me feel that I was losing part of my visual identity.

“I was raising two children, working from home and developing my [graphic design] business, while my husband was working full time. I went into almost autopilot. I felt I had to do

whatever I could for my children and make the experience as calm as possible for them. Telling your children you have cancer is frightening because of everything that word can mean. I tried to speak to them calmly and carefully, and strangely, doing that helped to calm me too.

“We had enormous support from family and friends. People cooked for us, helped with the children and were there for whatever we needed.

“I started using Chai very soon after my mastectomy and they immediately began offering me

different forms of support. At first I joined a group for women with breast cancer and after that I

also had one to one counselling. That gave me somewhere to talk about all the fears and the things I couldn't control. With chemotherapy, you don't know how you are going to feel after each treatment. You don't know what the next day or week will bring. My counsellor helped me take it step by step and day by day.

“I also joined an online group for parents with cancer, which was a huge help. We became very

close. We could talk about our children, how cancer was affecting our relationships with them and

how we were coping. We shared advice and experiences, with a therapist there to guide us. “There is so much going on inside you when you are dealing with cancer and talking about it helped me process what was happening. In a way, it gave me back some of the control I felt I had lost.

“The physical therapies made a huge difference too. I had scar tissue massage because of the

surgery around my lymph nodes and that was a lifesaver for me. The scar was causing me more

discomfort than other areas from the surgery and the treatment really helped. I also had

reflexology, acupuncture and massage. There were times during treatment when I was at my lowest physically, and being able to go there and have that care was amazing.”

Marissa Wright with husband Dale (Photo: Chai Cancer Care/courtesy)[Missing Credit]

Marissa Wright, 58, a mother of two, was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2025, despite having no family history of the disease and having attended routine mammograms. She underwent a mastectomy in February 2026, when cancer was also found in her lymph nodes.

Further scans revealed the cancer had spread to her bones, including her spine, and was

metastatic and incurable. Marissa, who is now receiving immunotherapy after her metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, was unable to return to her job as a teaching assistant. She has raised £2,500 for the charity from hosting a coffee morning.

“Being diagnosed with breast cancer was the biggest shock of my life. There was absolutely no history of breast cancer in my family and I had always had my mammograms. I was busy, I was working as a teaching assistant with young children and my husband and I were planning our retirement.

“After I was told it was metastatic, I felt completely lost. I knew Chai existed and I thought I'd contact them just to find out what they offered. There are all the practical things that you don't necessarily think about until cancer turns your life upside down. I had to give up work because

I simply wasn't well enough to go back, and Chai helped me with things like getting a Blue Badge,

which means that if my back is hurting and I need to go to the supermarket, I can park close

enough to manage it. It can genuinely change your everyday life.”

“There is something about walking into Chai that makes me feel that I belong. I'm not religious, but I think when you're Jewish there is an affinity and a familiarity that you feel with other Jewish people. My husband isn't Jewish and he loves coming there too. Everyone is incredibly warm. You walk through the door and somebody is making you a coffee, there's always food around, and sometimes there are therapy dogs there, which for me is heaven because I absolutely love dogs. It doesn't feel clinical. It feels like somewhere people genuinely care about you.”

For more information about Chai Cancer Care, go to: chaicancercare.org or click here

To register your interest in the NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme, which is expected to resume, go to: nhsjewishbrcaprogramme.org.uk or click here