A host of stars have channelled their favourite trailblazers to launch this year's campaign to fund the fight against cancer
Scottish TV presenter Andrea McLean is making a stand against cancer – dressed as fashion icon Coco Chanel.
She joins stars of TV, radio and sport, who have channelled their favourite trailblazers for Stand Up To Cancer, a joint fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.
The Loose Women star transformed into Coco Chanel to help highlight the need to support life-saving research. Every day, 88 people are diagnosed with cancer in Scotland and the number of people being diagnosed with cancer has now reached around 32,000 people every year.
Glasgow born Andrea said: “I chose to dress up as Coco Chanel because she was strong, driven and supremely talented. What I really liked about her was the fact that she didn’t give a stuff what anybody else thought about her.
“We can all be trailblazers, just like Coco Chanel. We can all be relentless in our commitment to the cause. We can all stand up to cancer and beat it at its own game.”
Stand Up To Cancer unites scientist, celebrities and communities to generate funds, raise awareness and accelerate progress. A range of stars have taken on new looks in support of the campaign, dressing up as musical icons, historical figures and fictional characters like Prince (Maya Jama), Nick Knowles (Joe Lycett), Cleopatra (Sam Thompson), Michelle Obama (AJ Odudu), Alan Turing (Greg Rutherford), Elton John (Roman Kemp), Bette Davis (Roisin Conaty), and Charlie Chaplin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson).
Now Andrea is calling on Scots to get involved in a fortnight of fundraising from 11 to 25 October for Stand Up To Cancer. Andrea is encouraging everyone to take inspiration from her extraordinary makeover, raid their dressing up boxes and transform themselves in a funny, unusual or unexpected way to raise vital funds.
She said: “One in two people will get cancer- my partner and I sometimes look at each other and say, ‘which one of us is it going to be?’
“It’s such a horrible statistic. For me, the whole attitude of Stand Up To Cancer is everything that I’m trying to embody in myself. It’s standing up to fear because everything you want is on the other side of fear. The word cancer probably evokes the biggest fear in all of us. We’re all scared deep down that either we’re going to get it or someone that we love is going to get it but standing up to something that we’re frightened of is the most powerful thing that we can do. That’s why I’m calling on everyone in Scotland to join forces and stand together against this devastating disease.”
Mum of two Andrea, 49, who married businessman Nick Feeney in November 2017 has also helped support others through cancer.
Andrea said: “I’ve seen the terrible impact cancer is having on a very dear friend- a young mum with three small children. Cancer is unforgiving but so are we. By raising vital funds, we can help speed up breakthroughs for the benefit of cancer patients in Scotland and across the UK. “
Since it was launched in the UK in 2012, Stand Up To Cancer has raised more than £62 million to fund 52 pioneering clinical trials and research projects.
Simon Harrison, head of Stand Up To Cancer, said: “It’s been great to have such amazing support to launch Stand Up To Cancer this year. Trailblazers find new avenues, and don’t stop until they achieve their goals. And that is how we feel in our fight against cancer. Our scientists are leading the way, carrying out life-saving work that will change what it means to get a cancer diagnosis, finding new paths and making progress.”
The Stand Up To Cancer campaign will continue throughout September and October and there are lots of easy ways that people can get involved. From dressing up as their own trailblazer, to organising a feast for friends or taking on a gaming challenge, there’s more than one way to make a difference.
And for those who want to help beat cancer in style, there’s also a striking range of clothing and accessories available online.
