Josie Gibson Hits the Streets to Promote Breast Cancer Checks

To mark its new partnership with leading research and support charity Breast Cancer Now, tombola - the UK’s leading bingo brand - joined forces with brand ambassador Josie Gibson at Westfield Stratford City to host an engaging, interactive event. The initiative is one of many being held to empower people to regularly check their breasts - a habit that could save lives.

Every 10 minutes in the UK, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, and one man is diagnosed daily. Around two thirds of breast cancers in England are found when a woman detects an unusual breast change and gets this checked by a GP. Yet fewer than half (44%) of women surveyed (YouGov, April 2025) said they don’t check their breasts regularly while one in ten say they can’t remember the last time they checked their breasts.

Britain’s leading bingo brand, tombola, aims to change that through their collaboration with Breast Cancer Now, urging people across the UK to remember a key message: give your breasts some TLC – touch, look, check.

tombola brand ambassador Josie Gibson, took to the high street at Westfield Stratford City for some practical education with an interactive installation, which gave members of the public a hands on experience, helping people to feel more confident and empowered to regularly breast check and get any new or unusual breast changes checked by a GP, while also signposting them where to turn for support.

The event also featured relaxed ‘Sofa Sessions’ hosted by Josie alongside experts from Breast Cancer Now to tackle conversations about breast health, break taboos, and encourage regular breast checking. By encouraging this proactive, regular self-care, tombola hopes the initiative will make breast checking feel like less of a chore and encourage more people to make it a habit.

Attendees also shared personal stories about breast cancer, breast-checking, and what they learned at the event’s ‘Wall of Reflections’. Adorned with pink and teal cards, 'Wall of Reflections’ turned a game of chance into a wall of choice, with each card carrying a unique story, serving as a heartfelt reminder of the importance of breast-checking.

Josie Gibson said, “I’m so honoured to be part of tombola’s partnership with Breast Cancer Now and to support the amazing work they do. I didn't realise until recently how many of us feel unsure about spotting the signs of breast cancer – me included!

“But that’s why I’m here to help spread the word and make sure everyone knows what to look out for. This is just the start of my own journey learning about something that can feel scary, but if we all check ourselves regularly and make it part of our routine, it can really make a difference. So, let’s look out for ourselves and each other, and make self-checking a regular habit.”

tombola launched the partnership with Breast Cancer Now after finding that more than half (52%) of their community were affected by breast cancer, either directly or indirectly.

Manveet Basra, associate director of public health, inclusion and awareness at Breast Cancer Now, said, "Early detection of breast cancer can help save more lives from the disease and we know that regular breast checking is a critical first step to diagnosis. Around two-thirds of breast cancers are identified through women checking their breasts and getting any new or unusual change checked by a GP.

“Yet too many people still feel unsure about checking their breasts or what to look for. That’s why we’re excited to be partnering with tombola on the ‘eyes down, check up’ campaign, helping to make regular breast checking feel simple, empowering and part of a routine.

By raising awareness and giving people the tools they need to recognise the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, together we can help ensure more cases are diagnosed sooner, when treatment is more likely to be successful."

tombola, in partnership with Breast Cancer Now, has also created, ‘Breast Check Now’ an easy-to-use tool, that takes around one minute to complete and features a reminder to encourage regular breast checks - a habit that could save your life.

The launch of these initiatives marks the beginning of tombola’s long-term collaboration with the charity. To find out more about the partnership and how to get involved, visit here, it's time to give your breasts some TLC – touch, look, check.

Image credit: That Lot and Meanwhile agency