Backing for potentially life-saving breast health app
- Invicta Community Fund awards grant to support My Breast Friend app's running costs and hosting
- The free app encourages regular breast/chest self-checking through personalised reminders and tracking tools
- Founded by Gemma Ainger after her breast cancer diagnosis, endorsed by Amy Dowden
- App has reached 5,500 downloads with goal of 10,000 by Christmas
- One in seven women will develop breast cancer, making early detection crucial for outcomes
The Invicta Community Fund has awarded a grant to support the continued operation of the My Breast Friend app, helping to cover essential running costs and hosting as the platform expands its reach.
The funding will ensure the app remains accessible, secure and free to users, providing a stable foundation for its ongoing development and allowing the team behind it to focus on increasing awareness and encouraging long-term behavioural change around breast health.
Invicta CEO Jim Elliott said: "We are proud to support My Breast Friend through this grant. The Community Foundation is focused on backing initiatives that deliver meaningful and lasting value to the island, and this app is a powerful example of that. By supporting its ongoing running costs, we're helping to ensure a simple but important tool remains available to encourage early detection and ultimately save lives."
Founded by Gemma Ainger following her own breast cancer diagnosis, and endorsed by Amy Dowden, My Breast Friend is a free, not-for-profit mobile app designed to make regular breast and chest self-checking a normal, routine habit. The app encourages people to know their normal through personalised reminders, simple tracking tools and clear, jargon-free guidance.
Through just two clicks, users can log a check within what the creators describe as a relaxed, friendly space. The app helps users build a consistent habit of self-checking and develop a better understanding of their bodies by removing barriers and normalising what can often feel like an uncomfortable or overlooked task.
Gemma Ainger said: "The support from the Invicta Community Fund is incredibly important. I created My Breast Friend to help make self-checking second nature, because if I'd been checking, it's highly likely I could have caught my breast cancer sooner. The app is a forever initiative, so receiving help to fund the ongoing running and hosting costs is amazing. We've just reached 5500 downloads and I'm determined to get to 10,000 by Christmas - The backing from the Invicta Community Fund allows Amy and I to focus on our mission for another year, raise awareness, and potentially save lives."
With one in seven women developing breast cancer in their lifetime, and breast cancer remaining one of the most common cancers worldwide, early detection is proven to significantly improve outcomes. The app aims to drive simple but life-saving behavioural change by combining lived experience with thoughtful digital design.
The Invicta Community Fund was established to provide meaningful support to local charities and initiatives that make a tangible difference within the Guernsey community, with a particular focus on projects that deliver lasting impact. Since its launch, the fund has supported a range of organisations across the island, reflecting Invicta's long-standing commitment to community engagement and charitable giving.
The app is available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play, or users can visit mybreastfriend.health.
Q&A
Q: What is the My Breast Friend app?
A: A free, not-for-profit mobile app designed to make regular breast and chest self-checking a routine habit through personalised reminders, simple tracking tools and clear guidance.
Q: Who founded the My Breast Friend app?
A: Gemma Ainger founded the app following her own breast cancer diagnosis. It is endorsed by Amy Dowden.
Q: How many downloads has the app achieved?
A: The app has reached 5,500 downloads, with a goal of reaching 10,000 downloads by Christmas.
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