Cancer campaigner 'overwhelmed' at meeting the King

A breast cancer campaigner said she was left "overwhelmed" when she met the King and Queen.

Belinda Bradley, 27, from Woodbridge, Suffolk, campaigns for breast cancer charity CoppaFeel! after she found a lump five years ago and had to have it removed.

Ms Bradley was chosen by the charity to visit Buckingham Palace on Wednesday for a reception for cancer charities.

Initially, she first thought her invitation was someone pulling her leg.

"I didn't really believe it until I got the letter through," she said.

"I thought it was a joke still, but then I saw the gold-rimmed edge and it was definitely real."

CoppaFeel! was set up in 2009 by Kris Hallenga and her twin sister after she was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer when she was 23. She died last year at the age of 38.

The charity encourages young people to check their breasts for lumps and changes that could point to breast cancer.

Kris's sister, Maren Hallenga, attended the event alongside Ms Bradley and charity patrons including Emma Willis and Giovanna Fletcher.

Ms Bradley said the event was "so overwhelming, but exciting".

She added: "It was an honour and there were so many important people there, and actually getting to meet the King and Queen... was an absolute luxury and privilege."

Ms Bradley got involved with CoppaFeel! after she found a lump in one of her breasts in 2020, and it was removed the following year.

"Although I didn't have any run-ins with cancer I had to have the operation and I was very scared," she said.

"I was telling my friends about it, and absolutely no-one my age, in their early 20s, was checking."

When Ms Bradley saw CoppaFeel! creating awareness and carrying out education work, she wanted to get involved.

"Now I'm weirdly always talking about boobs, even to the King and Queen," she said.

Ms Bradley said she was keen to encourage others to talk about cancer, and she was so pleased when the King talked so openly about his own experience.

"I lost my father to cancer when I was 13 and I think I've always been aware of the impact it can have," she said.

"I've always tried to make something good out of it, and I wish I had had a message like that from the King earlier on in my years.

"It's a really nice way of having some hope for the future."

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