Yorkshire choir's song to beat breast cancer with some cheeky lyrics

Now in a call to beat breast cancer their message is clear; to check for signs of change in your breasts... or perhaps your “dumplings or wah wahs”.

With a little ditty, featuring some rather novel nicknames, the Honley Ladies Choir is bringing their bold song to communities stretching the length and breadth of the M62 corridor.

And they are looking for people to join in with them to raise their message, joining with charities and services to mark Breast Cancer Awareness month this coming October.

Jo Sykes, from Huddersfield, is a member of the choir. A friend was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year, she said, and the whole community is still reeling. “It really brought home the devastation a diagnosis can bring,” she said. “There's hurt, disbelief, struggling to process it.”

For her friend, the lump hadn't shown on a mammogram, which only highlights the importance of self-checking. “Breasts can be a private thing, people don't talk about them," she added. "This is about 'knowing your normal'. It's about the importance of manually self checking so you know what that normal is.

“Doing this, in a fun way, hopefully grabs people's attention and makes them think. The earlier it's caught the more possible it is to treat.” Abreast The M62 launches in Huddersfield on October 2, with a Big Booby Dooby Sing on October 4 as the choir travels the M62 from east to west. There are to be stops in Hull and Leeds before a grand finale at Liverpool Cathedral, and members of the public are invited to join in. That could be singing, or coming along to watch and support.

Musical director Emily Reaves-Bradley, of Golcar near Huddersfield, said they were hoping to get 1,500 people together to raise their voices as one for this last event.

“This is going to be an amazing event that we want everyone to get involved in," she said.

“You don’t need to be a good singer; you just need to be enthusiastic about the message we want to share so come along and join us."

And it's easier with a choir, said Ms Sykes, to raise your voice knowing you have the backing of strong women behind you.

“I love singing in a choir," she said. "On my own, my voice is OK. With a group of women, we produce something really beautiful which makes me really proud.

“It pulls people together. And by being aware, knowing about checking, and supporting each other, we can overcome everything.

“We would love people to come and join in with us, to sing with us and spread that message."

Charities and services being supported by the choir include Hull and East Riding Breast Friends, Maggies Yorkshire, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust Breast Care Team, Manchester based Prevent Breast Cancer, and Maggies Wirral. To find out more, or to listen to the ditty in full (which organisers say can be a little bit racy), visit www.honleyladies.org/abreast-m62.