Judith Veenendaal's vital feeling

On Feel, Veenendaal said: “We use our hands for so many things; to care, to create, to connect, but we often forget to check our own breasts. This film reminds us how powerful our hands are. They can help us catch cancer early, simply by making self-checks a habit.”

On Talk, she explained: “Right before an important scan, my sister went to a festival to let off some steam. She was about to find out if she was still in remission, five years after ending treatment. While dancing, she struck up a conversation with a woman, and told her about the scan. The woman said she had also felt something in her breast, but assumed it was nothing. My sister urged her not to ignore it and to see a doctor. 

"Weeks later, the woman tracked down my sister’s number and sent her a message to say thank you. She had followed the advice, gone to the doctor, and had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She was now starting treatment. 

"The story moved me deeply. Just through connecting, my sister may have saved someone’s life. It strengthened my belief that we need to keep talking, because we have the power to move people to act.”