After my good friend Cheryl confided in me her diagnosis of Secondary Breast Cancer she asked if I would photograph her to the end of her cancer journey.

During one of my photo sessions with Cheryl I learned things about her cancer story that seemed almost unbelievable.

It was one of missed opportunities, denial of choice of which surgery she could have, a fight for gene testing, lack of support and empathy and the stark difference between care for Primary Breast Cancer patients and those living with the devasting Secondary diagnosis.

Every day is a battle against lack of awareness of what Secondary Breast Cancer even means.

Too much of what I heard about Cheryl’s care was quite simply unforgiveable.

When she told me that a small number of women in the same position had established a support group I offered to help them to raise awareness by taking their portraits and undertaking to do an exhibition.

As I photographed and spent time with each of these women, whilst their own cancer journeys are unique, tragically, I heard the some of the same stories repeated over and over again.

Their own words they describe their experience within the health care system from the time of their diagnosis with Secondary Breast Cancer as

“horrendous...brutal...unbelievable...shocking...no compassion...no empathy...nobody seems to care...no one even at the end of the phone”.

I knew that this project had to extend into advocacy…

Cheryl, my friend, became the face of the exhibition but I also have 15 other friends and utterly amazing women living with this diagnosis in Northern Ireland.

This photographic exhibition has become a conduit for advocacy and change.

We are raising the experiences of these women to medics, research groups, politicians that they can help these women and those coming along behind them. However, we also invite you to ask how you can help. Quite simply at this stage we need funds to cover the many expenses of putting on such an exhibition for example substantial cost of printing, touring the exhibition and advocacy.

We welcome donations of any amount whether these be from individuals or organisations or companies. It will be much appreciated, not least by these brave women who have bared their bodies in order to get people to sit up and listen.

The exhibition opens on 28th April first hosted by Belfast Exposed and runs until 28th May having been extended for an additional week due to demand.

The initial fundraiser brought in an incredible £12,295. A huge thank you to everyone who donated.

All of the expenses are yet to be taken from that total but we know we will need more help to take it on the road - all around the island of Ireland and beyond. Where ever the exhibition goes I will offer to photograph anyone living with Secondary Breast Cancer who wishes to become part of the project.

The initial exhibition had images of 16 women, but already there are 21 women in the project. If you would like to be part of the project please contact me through www.seentobeheard.com

The project supports the women in their advocacy and together we have already achieved tangible change. Read about it in the updates below