Breast cancer survivor lights Merseyside up in pink to honour those lost to the illness

Julie Lynan, from Rainhill, has been fundraising for Breast Cancer Services across the region's hospitals as well as Breast Cancer Now, after she was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2012.

After undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a mastectomy, Julie, who works as a PALS Officer at Whiston Hospital, began raising money as "a way to say thank you" to all those who cared for her during this period.

A drone shot of St George's Hall in Liverpool lit up in pink (Credit: Parr Photography)

Beginning in 2014 as a “loose change collection” asking colleagues to fill Smarties tubes with whatever change they had, Julie quickly smashed her original target and raised £4250.

After losing two friends to breast cancer, Julie restarted her fundraising in 2016 where her loose change collection once again “took off” and raised an amazing £10,000.

With her charitable efforts gaining traction, the breast cancer survivor expanded the idea to hand out plastic pigs to people in the community, so that they can carry out their own fundraising and fill the pigs up with donated change from people all over St Helens.

After impressively raising another £10,000 in 2018, Julie has not let the pandemic stop her fundraising and has committed to getting as many plastic pigs as possible into the community, which she is doing in conjunction with her landmark lightings.

In addition to her loose change collections, Julie has been turning landmarks around St Helens pink for the past six Octobers, raising awareness of breast cancer and the devastating impacts it can have on families.

A shot of the Liver Building lit up in pink (Credit: Parr Photography)

Over the past six years, she has lit up The Steve Prescott Bridge, the Mersey Gateway, Runcorn Bridge, and more recently Radio City Tower, St George’s Hall and the Liver Building in Liverpool.

This is in addition to lighting up Everton’s Goodison Park blue to highlight that, while far less common, men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer.

Julie, 59, said: “Turning all the landmarks pink has been amazing, and the Steve Prescott Bridge is always a thrill because it’s local.

“As it’s got bigger and we’ve done the Liver Building, I smiled and smirked but very quickly cried. I just got very emotional thinking about all the people we have lost to breast cancer.”

Goodison Park lit up in blue to raise awareness that men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer

A member of the Pool of Life Breast Cancer Support Group, Julie said it has been “amazing” to connect with other breast cancer survivors and their families and share these experiences together.

With the pink landmarks getting larger with each passing year - and raising a mammoth £34,000 through her fundraising events so far - Julie added: “I just can’t believe how much everyone has embraced this and made it so much more special.”

“As my fundraising has gone on, I’ve met so many people who have been affected by breast cancer so I just hope I can continue to raise awareness and deliver practical things for people going through this.”

Julie's plastic pigs which she collects loose change from people around St Helens in