I next wanted to look into influencers who have/are going through cancer, I hope from this research no only to find out more about living with the disease but also to see what is important to them and if fashion is spoken about in their own work.
Saima Thompson
In April 2018 Saima Thompson was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, at 29 years old. Saima is a Pakistani businesswoman who runs a restaurant in south London. She started a blog called Curry and Cancer where she talks about her battle with cancer, she works with a personal trainer and focusses on physical fitness and mental wellbeing. Saima wants to redefine what it means to live with the disease and prove that there is still a joy to be found in life.
Olivia Smith
Oliva was in my class at Brighton University in 2016, but I took a sandwich year, and she stayed on. In 2018 she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. As her final major project she created cancer chicks a blog for young women who are going through cancer. The blog aims at looking at physical appearance teaching women how to feel confident with there change in appearance. Olivia has 31.5K followers on Instagram, and cancer chicks have 2,342 Followers.
Deborah James
Deborah James is a 36-year-old wife and mum of two, who was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer last year. Before she was diagnosed with cancer, she was a deputy head teacher, but now she is a columnist for the sun co-hosts a podcast You, Me and the big C on radio 5 with the recently deceased journalist Rachael Bland and Lauren Mahon. Deborah also has a blog called bowel babe where she documents her life and how to live with cancer. She has also just recently released her first book called ‘F*** Cancer which is about how to live with the disease.
Lauren Mahon
Lauren Mahon is 32-year-old Britsh women from London. In August 2016 she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She then had eight rounds of chemotherapy and 21 doses of radiation to get the all clear. Since she got entirely clear, she has been working on lots of projects. She started a social media page and is the face of GirlVcancer the website sells t-shirts with profits going to a range of different partner charities. After Miss Selfridge began selling identical t-shirts which they then pulled they have teamed up with girlvcancer to sell their products. Lauren is also a co-host of You, me and the big C with Deborah James which is a podcast that has honest discussions about cancer and tips to living with it.
From looking at influencers, I have been introduced to lots of different companies and groups that help people with cancer, such as the Radio 5 podcast called You, me and the big C which is incredibly informative and lighthearted. From researching these Influencers I have backed up my original idea that fashion and clothing are essential to people who are going through cancer, this has given me confidence that my work is heading in the right direction.