BRiC Centre - Building Resilience in Breast Cancer Centre

18/07/2025

The Princess of Wales made quite a stir recently, when she recognised the impact on cancer patients’ mental and physical health, post-active treatment.

We at BRiC not only recognise it too, but champion the need for further support during this period of recovery, relating specifically to breast cancer. Founder of BRiC, Professor Nazanin Derakshan, has been banging this drum for over 10 years, after struggling post-active treatment following her own breast cancer diagnosis.

Despite our best efforts, sadly, in the last 10 years, not much has changed. Women come to us, seeking support they didn’t know they would need until they found themselves alone and floundering, struggling to make sense of what they had been through and unable to move forward.

Our ethos at BRiC is to instil resilience and validate emotions rather than bury them. We provide simple, guided, tasks to help process trauma and recognise the importance of pausing to reflect. Psychological recovery is something that can’t be rushed, and although we must tread this path individually, there is much comfort and clarity that comes from the shared experience within our private group.

A breast cancer diagnosis is traumatic and disfiguring - we can only begin to heal once active treatment is over. It can take months, or even years of recuperation and adjustment. For ladies who receive a secondary diagnosis, there can be no return to normal. There is no end to treatment and very little support. Although secondary breast cancer is a terminal diagnosis, in many cases, as new treatments are developed, this does not mean imminent end of life. A good standard of living may be achieved, with many years ahead. These ladies deserve so much more support.

BRiC is also involved in groundbreaking research, headed by our Nazanin (who is a Professor of Experimental Psychopathology) in collaboration with Birkbeck University of London and Reading University, along with her role at the NCIO. Among other findings, we have published scientific evidence that “chemo brain” is real. This is a much needed breakthrough for those struggling cognitively after treatment.

We will continue to strive for better!

17/07/2025

The widened availability of ribociclib (brand name Kisqali) for early diagnosed ER+ HER2- breast cancer patients is good news. The more treatment lines there are, the more chance we have of adherence to our medication regime (low adherence is often caused by individual side effects and tolerance). This means we are less likely to have a recurrence… and a greater chance of living well, post diagnosis 🙌

HomeNewsNews articlesThousands more breast cancer patients to benefit from new NHS treatment NICE approves ribociclib combination therapy to help prevent cancer returning in early-stage disease.News17 July 2025Around 5,700 people with early breast cancer are set to benefit from expanded access to a....

08/06/2025

Would you close your eyes for the blind?

Would you spend the day with your eyes closed to raise money for the blind? No? Neither would we! Because it’s inappropriate. So how is “brave the shave” allowed to continue in this form..?”

“I hate it. I hate the pity. I hate the idea of it and I don’t know how to get my head round it”

Not all of our discussions are pre-orchestrated. Sometimes a member raises a subject that they need support with and a natural interaction takes off. Sometimes these views need to be heard by the rest of the world.

This one is quite particular but also comes up fairly frequently:

Brave the Shave.

Of the many comments, there were various views; On the plus side, it raises money, which can only be a good thing, right? Some people don’t mind it and for some, not having had chemo, hair loss is not something that has been experienced, so they may not have had the cause to give it much thought. But overwhelmingly, the majority of comments regarding this particular campaign could not have been clearer. Please make it stop!

“When I first found out I was having chemo, my biggest fear was losing my hair. I don’t want anyone to do that deliberately to themselves, it’s such a horrible thing”

“I still freak out seeing people having their heads shaved 14 years after treatment “

For people going through chemo, along with the possibility of other debilitating side effects, the loss of their hair is a very intimate and personal experience. Losing hair in this way can actually be very uncomfortable and you don’t just lose the hair on your head (as if that wasn’t traumatic enough!). Some hair follicles may die permanently – there is no guarantee that your hair will grow back, and if it does it may be a different colour, texture and thickness. That is a lot to cope with.

“I always thought of it as a show of empathy and a fundraising/awareness raising activity but I can now see how, particularly for people who have lost their hair, this isn't a positive thing”

So, here’s where we as a group begin to understand why “Brave the Shave” upsets so many chemo patients. It may not reflect the psychological impact of their suffering; it can be projected as a fun thing to do to raise some cash, when in actual fact it comes very close to mocking their situation. We wouldn’t, say, “Diet for Anorexia”. Of course not, because that would be wildly inappropriate! So why is it deemed ok to continue with something so misguided?

“I hate that they ignore cancer patients in order to raise cash”

Many also feel irritated with the word “brave” when applied to cancer. We are not brave, we simply don’t have a choice - it’s treatment or die, and in some cases, it’s treatment and die anyway. It’s difficult to understand how a charity can alienate a fair proportion of the people it’s trying to support. Maybe “brave the shave” is outdated and it’s time to come up with something new?

Until that happens, before you consider “Braving the Shave” please speak to your nearest chemo patient and ask them what it’s really like and how they honestly feel about it. They might be ok with it, but they could also be very upset and vulnerable, in which case, would you still go ahead with it?

Summary by Vickie Filby, Deputy Head of BRiC

26/05/2025

It is imperative that we close the mental health care gap in cancer care. BRiC’s founder Nazanin Derakshan describes why in this emotive article.

Professor Nazanin Derakhshan offers a searing insight into battling cancer.

09/05/2025

We are running a very short survey on the holistic needs of people diagnosed with breast cancer and how these needs are met in standard oncological/hospital care. Please if you can take 10 mins or so to complete this survey, we'd be grateful. Anyone with primary BC who is at least FOUR months POST diagnosis can take part. Anyone with secondary BC can take part. Thank you so much! X

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MG66HHY

07/05/2025

Our founder is doing a workshop on chemo brain for You can register here for free https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-and-improving-chemo-brain-tickets-1295637790509

05/05/2025

BRiC founder's message seven years ago (2018) HuffPost UK

"While breast cancer has left me haunted, with fear of recurrence looming high, anxious and depressive episodes lingering, it has taught me one thing, or perhaps more: that in traumatic and highly uncontrollable situations, embracing your fear with self-compassion is the key ingredient towards resilience. It is OK to melt and reshape because being adaptive can make you flexible. Those who bend, seldom (or never) break: a new definition for toughness. They adjust, and yes it is pretty hard and unfair to adjust to a life with the beast looming in the shadows, but it’s the only option. So, I am going to take it. I am turning it into an opportunity to thrive with it."

Striving With Fear In Breast Cancer

10/04/2025

Fatigue: What is it and how does it affect us? BRiC’s Collective Voice has discussed fatigue numerous times. Fatigue is the legacy of breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and beyond. It can at times linger for many years. It prevents us from the normal things we used to do and enjoy. It can affect our mood and bring us down. Unfortunately you can’t get rid of fatigue with a good night sleep. In this video produced by our amazing we summarise the key points and useful coping tips which others in our position can find beneficial.