Kristin Hallenga (born 11 November 1985) is a Sun columnist and founder of breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!. She received public attention after being profiled in Kris: Dying to Live, a documentary that covered her experience when she had terminal breast cancer. In 2009, she won a Pride of Britain Award.[1] In November 2014, Kris was featured as a special guest on Russell Howard's Good News where she famously threw a dodgeball boob into the comedians face and talked about her charity and experiences.[2] Her memoir, Glittering a Turd, was published in 2021 and became the Sunday Times bestseller.[3]

Breast cancer diagnosis

Hallenga was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 23. Her doctor originally dismissed a tumor on Hallenga’s breast as "hormonal" leading to a late diagnosis.[4] Due to this, she now lives with stage four breast cancer. Despite Hallenga’s cancer having spread to her liver and her bones, and having had a lesion on her brain,[5] she has survived her original prognosis by having terminal cancer for over five years.[6] As of 2021 Hallenga’s condition is stable, and the cancer has not been progressing since 2018.[7]

I was diagnosed in 2009, and I was diagnosed eight months after first going to the doctors. I was told three times that I was too young to get breast cancer. I decided that my story needs to be told and we need to get young people thinking about breast cancer and their boobs from a younger age, and start checking from a younger age because I never did. I thought it was never going to happen to me.

— Kristin Hallenga, BBC Radio One Newsbeat[8]

CoppaFeel!

Driven by the difficult experience, Kristin Hallenga and her sister Maren devoted themselves to educating young people about the dangers of late diagnosis of breast cancer. They launched CoppaFeel!, a breast cancer awareness charity, at Beach Break Live in 2009.[9] The charity receives frequent media coverage.[10] In 2017, she stepped aside as CEO of CoppaFeel! – Natalie Haskell took her place in running the charity – to move to Cornwall, and write a memoir.[7]

References

  1. ↑ YouTube, Kristin Hallenga receiving a Pride of Britain Award, 2009, Retrieved - 8 June 2015
  2. ↑ BBC, Kris: Dying to live, Retrieved - 8 June 2015
  3. ↑ "Glittering A Turd". Hardman & Swainson. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  4. ↑ IOL mobile, I never ask how long I've got Archived 2015-06-26 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved - 8 June 2015
  5. ↑ YouTube, Kris Hallenga talks about The C Word (Breakfast, 3.5.15), Retrieved - 8 June 2015
  6. ↑ YouTube, Cancerversary: What's it like to survive the prognosis -- Newsnight Extra', Retrieved - 8 June 2015
  7. 1 2 "Kris Hallenga: the woman diagnosed with cancer at 23 who convinced a generation to check their breasts". The Guardian. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  8. ↑ BBC Radio One Newsbeat, Fearne Cotton meets Coppafeel founder Kris Hallenga, Retrieved - June 8, 2015
  9. ↑ The Independent, 'I never ask my doctor how long I've got': 23-year-old Kristin Hallenga's health crusade to warn women about risks of breast cancer, Retrieved - 8 June 2015
  10. ↑ Colletta, Isabella (18 June 2020). "In Conversation with Kris Hallenga". Cherwell. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
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