Yorkshire art organisation Sand in Your Eye has partnered with White Rose Shopping Centre to present a powerful installation highlighting the importance of breast cancer awareness. The display featured seven unique nude torsos sculpted from ice and snow, designed to illustrate the startling statistic that one in seven people will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
The installation included diverse body types, including one male torso, to remind the public that breast cancer can affect anyone. While six of the pieces were crafted from snow and ice, one larger central piece was carved solely from ice to create a striking visual impact. The primary goal of the artwork is to encourage regular self-checks, a message championed by Claire Wardley of Sand in Your Eye, who was diagnosed with breast cancer just over a year ago. Claire was present at the unveiling on Saturday 28th February, alongside her children, Florence and Emme, who have raised more than £3,000 for Cancer Research UK through busking.
With more than 56,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed annually, the organisers stressed that early diagnosis is a critical factor in successful treatment. Claire Wardley shared: “I wanted to create an artwork that will hopefully encourage people who see it to check themselves. Changes in your body that are not normal for you need to be checked. The earlier a cancer is caught, the better.” Ashleigh Kellett, Deputy Centre Director at White Rose, added: “Breast cancer can affect anyone – both women and men – and being aware of what is normal for ourselves is so important. We hope more people are encouraged to perform a monthly self-check by these stunning sculptures.” Visitors seeking information on how to perform a thorough self-check are encouraged to consult resources from the NHS or charities such as CoppaFeel.
