The Black Women Rising cancer support project was founded in 2019 by award-winning community champion Leanne Pero MBE, following her own breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 30.
During her journey, Leanne recognised a serious lack of culturally appropriate cancer support services within the NHS for people of colour. As she investigated further, it became clear that the voices and experiences of cancer patients from her community were largely absent from mainstream media, magazines and more alarmingly from reputable annual cancer campaigns, by brands and major charities, highlighting a wider issue of underrepresentation and lack of diversity in the UK cancer narrative.
Through our vital work, we’ve seen how cultural taboos, stigma, myths, and misinformation have shaped belief systems in communities where knowledge and understanding of cancer remain limited.
We also know that many women of colour feel isolated, unseen, unheard, and unrepresented when being diagnosed with cancer. Highlighting the urgent need to address the deep-rooted disparities in cancer awareness, diagnosis, and access to care.
By creating safe spaces for our members and visually amplifying real voices through education, awareness, story telling and outreach initiatives, we empower our members with the knowledge, confidence, and support they need to navigate their cancer journeys positively.
Another beautiful roundup from our Black Women Rising Gala ✨🖤
And the magic really hasn’t stopped since the night itself. So many exciting conversations have already started, new opportunities are unfolding, and we’re incredibly excited about what’s continuing to grow from this year’s Gala 🤩
📹 @rhiannonbarker__ ✨
🎤 @vxlentine16 ✨
Last week our amazing Advocacy Lead, Leeanne G @leeanne.gee attended a brunch to celebrate the launch of @breastcancernow new campaign, Reserved 💗
The campaign invites us all to reserve a space, whether a meaningful moment or a special place, for the loved ones we have lost to breast cancer. 💗
We also had the opportunity to hear from Simon Vincent, Breast Cancer Now’s Chief Science Officer, and put our questions to him. He shared how the charity is supercharging scientific progress to bring its vision to life.
Breast cancer remains the biggest killer of working-age women. But thanks to vital research, treatments are improving, surgery is becoming less drastic and radiotherapy is becoming more targeted. 💗
It was a moving and inspiring morning spent among colleagues and friends. 💗
To find out more about the Reserved campaign and Breast Cancer Now’s work towards a cure, visit their page. 💗
🤩 Our dream team had such a wonderful time attending the @acltcharity Gift of Life Gala on Saturday ❤️
It was a real honour to support Bev and Orin and celebrate the incredible legacy of work they have built over the past 30 years ✨
It was also so exciting to hear about some of the future plans and to see so many of our peers, friends and changemakers in the room. Such inspiring work, such a beautiful evening, and so much to celebrate 🤩
Here’s to another 30 years of impact, saving lives and changing lives ❤️✨
Messages from some of our beautiful guests at our gala last week! 💌
So much love in the room 💖
We already can’t wait to do it all again - watch this space! ☺️
🎤 @kimzykima 💕
The final cohort of some of our incredible 2026 Beacon of Light Award (BOLA) winners with their very well deserved trophies 🏆✨
Thank you beautiful humans for using your voice, opening doors, showing up, supporting us and helping us continue to do what we do. 🖤
Once again HUGE congratulations to every single one of our 2026 Beacon of Light Award recipients. We appreciate you more than you know. ✨
Our Gala brought together so many incredible people and voices across the cancer landscape 😍
The incredible Cancer Bae aka @willwise24 a stage 4 cancer patient spoke to some of our guests on the red carpet about strength, visibility, support, resilience and hope, with them all sharing what Black Women Rising means to them and helping to challenge the stigma around cancer ✨
Here’s to more honest conversations and bringing powerful stories to life- thanks Will for continuing to lead important conversations around this 🤎
The first cohort of some of our incredible 2026 Beacon of Light Award (BOLA) winners with their very well deserved trophies 🏆✨
Every two years, we choose 25 incredible people who have truly shown up for Black Women Rising, advocated for our charity and our community, and continued to be a genuine beacon of light in the work that we do. It was an honour to award these at our Gala on Saturday 🤩
These awards are our little way of saying thank you. Thank you for using your voice, opening doors, showing up, supporting us and helping us continue to do what we do. 🖤
Congratulations to every single one of our 2026 Beacon of Light Award recipients. We appreciate you more than you know. ✨
Big up our INCREDIBLE performers on the night! 🎤✨
Honestly, we had SO much fun and the energy in that room was everythingggg! 🥹🩷
Big love to the legendary Janet Kay, Cleopatra, Steelo, Bushkin from Heartless Crew, Valentine, Poetess Jess and our very own Hasna and Denise for bringing the vibes, the talent and enjoyment to our Gala 2026! 🖤🩷
You ALL made the night so special. THANK YOUUUU! 🥂✨🎶
A small recap of many special moments on Saturday 🖤✨
Still taking in all the love, joy and energy- Seeing so much and love and support for our charity is beautiful 🥰 Thankyou
Still totalling up what was raised on the night so please watch this space 🤩
Thank you for making it an incredible night and for continuing to stand with us 🖤✨
WOW… WHAT A NIGHT!!! 🥹🖤✨
We honestly don’t even know where to begin. 🤩
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to every single person who came out and supported our 2nd Black Women Rising Gala. The room was filled with so much love, joy, laughter, celebration and pure magic. 💕✨
Thankyou to our host @richiebrave thankyou for steering the evening beautifully and @tru_powell for welcoming our guests with open arms to the red carpet 😍
To our incredible event planner @bychenai our sponsors @gileadsciences @esteelaudercompanies and @diversityumbrella, performers, speakers, trustees, patrons, members, team, volunteers and everyone who helped bring this night to life, we are SO grateful. None of this happens without you. 🖤
Seeing that room full of people celebrating our community, our journey and everything we have built together was honestly so emotional.
Black Women Rising is entering its 8th year 🥳 and last night also reminded us exactly why we have to keep going, keep growing and keep showing up for our community. 💗
Thank you for believing in us.
Thank you for standing with us.
Thank you for celebrating with us.
What a night. What a community. What a blessing. 🙏🏾✨🖤
📸 @becauseimgarry
#BlackWomenRising #BWRGala #BlackWomenRisingUK
Still high off the vibes from @charlottecrowl special screening @ritzy_cinema sharing her story in partnership with @macmillancancer 💚✨
We are so incredibly proud of her and all that she does. Watching her continue to use her voice, her story and her experience to inspire and support others is so special. What a beautiful evening celebrating her. 💕
Our first Coffee Morning back and what a beautiful way to return☕️🤎
It was so lovely to welcome our members back, as well as some new faces joining us for the first time. The morning was filled with open conversations, shared experiences, laughter and new connections. A reminder of just how powerful it can be to come together in a safe and supportive space.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make our first Coffee Morning back such a success!
If you, or someone you know, would like to join our community and attend a future Coffee Morning, sign up via the link in our bio🩷
