Breast cancer is not one story. Every diagnosis, treatment decision, and path through recovery is deeply personal. And for many women, the need for practical support does not end when treatment does. “And because it is so personal,” says Stephanie van Deventer, national manager of breast cancer support organisation Reach for Recovery (RFR), “we believe every woman facing breast cancer should be treated with empathy and dignity, and have the same access to quality care, regardless of whether she can afford it.”
Beyond awareness: Practical support after mastectomy
That belief lies at the heart of the annual Power of Pink campaign, through which the South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association (SAMFA) and Pick n Pay turn an everyday fresh-produce choice into practical support for breast cancer survivors. Throughout October, shoppers can support the campaign by buying fresh mushrooms in distinctive pink punnets from Pick n Pay stores nationwide. For every pink punnet sold, R1 is donated to Reach for Recovery’s Ditto Project.
The Ditto Project provides high-quality external silicone breast prostheses to women who have undergone mastectomies and cannot afford reconstructive surgery or a prosthesis, either privately or through medical aid. “When shoppers choose a pink punnet at Pick n Pay, they take home a nutritious and delicious ingredient while also helping a woman at a profoundly personal time,” says Ross Richardson, SAMFA Chairperson and a passionate supporter of the campaign. “That is the real power of this long-standing partnership.”
Restoring comfort and confidence
A mastectomy can affect far more than a woman’s physical appearance. It may change how she sees her body and femininity, as well as her confidence and sense of belonging. A well-fitted prosthesis can help restore physical balance and comfort while supporting her confidence as she moves forward after surgery.
The Ditto Project’s silicone prostheses are individually matched for size, shape, colour and texture. Each is fitted with care by members of Reach for Recovery’s peer-support team; trained volunteers who are themselves breast cancer survivors. Their understanding is lived, not theoretical. They visit patients in hospitals and clinics, share practical information and offer the reassurance of someone who has walked a similar road.
More than 10,900 women supported and R9.87 million raised
Since the Ditto Project was launched through the Power of Pink campaign in 2011, more than 10,900 women have received free, fitted silicone breast prostheses, representing an investment of more than R9.87 million. Around 2,000 women have benefited during the past two years alone.
A comparable prosthesis can cost as much as R8,000 in the private sector, placing it beyond the reach of many women. Reach for Recovery annually supports more than 5,000 breast cancer patients and fits over 800 silicone prostheses annually. Its work recognises different diagnoses, treatments, circumstances and definitions of recovery because people-centred care begins with seeing the whole person, not only the disease.
Mushrooms and the breast cancer conversation
Fresh mushrooms also have their own place in the breast cancer conversation. A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis led by researchers at Penn State College of Medicine found that eating approximately 18 grams of mushrooms daily, about two medium-sized mushrooms, was associated with a 45% lower overall risk of cancer compared with eating no mushrooms. Among the cancers examined, the strongest association was observed for breast cancer.
UBUNTU in action
For 15 years, SAMFA, Pick n Pay and Reach for Recovery have united growers, retailers, shoppers and volunteers through the Power of Pink campaign. It demonstrates Ubuntu in a simple, honest and practical way: a small everyday choice, multiplied across thousands of shopping baskets, helping women regain comfort, dignity and confidence after a mastectomy.
“The beauty of Reach for Recovery is that there is no single ‘right’ way to experience breast cancer. Whatever a woman’s circumstances, and wherever she is on that journey, we are here with practical help, understanding and hope.” REACH FOR RECOVERY
