Thalie Martini has spent over 20 years driving change in public health and social empowerment across the UK and Australia. Since 2019, she’s led Breast Cancer UK with a personal mission: having lost her mother to breast cancer in 2007, she’s determined to make prevention a public health priority. From statewide health programmes to initiatives transforming care for children with medical conditions, Thalie has a track record of turning bold ideas into real-world impact.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, she’s behind the charity’s daring new ‘Street Nipples’ campaign, transforming pavement studs across London, Manchester, and Edinburgh into striking reminders to check your breasts. We chatted to Thalie about why disruptive campaigns matter, how prevention can save lives, and the vision that drives her work at the forefront of breast cancer awareness.

What inspired Breast Cancer UK to create the ‘Street Nipples’ campaign, and why did you choose such a bold, visual approach?

The Street Nipples campaign is a playful but powerful reminder for people to check their breasts. We’ve transformed the small studs you sometimes spot on pavements across the UK (which often go unnoticed) into nipple artworks. They’re designed to make people stop, look down and think – because, much like the early signs of breast cancer, if you don’t look for them, you could miss them.

We wanted to create something that sparks conversation and links an everyday activity, like walking down the street, to checking your breasts, a simple act that could save your life. It’s cheeky, memorable and gets people talking about a serious issue in an engaging, human way.

Why do you think disruptive campaigns like this are important for public health awareness?

Breast cancer is something everyone is aware of, yet many people still don’t regularly check their breasts, forgetting to fit it into their busy lives, or don’t know the steps they can take to reduce their risk. A bold nationwide campaign like Street Nipples challenges people to stop, notice, and have conversations that might otherwise feel awkward or be
ignored. By creating something visually unexpected, we’re aiming to help normalise breast health and make prevention part of everyday life, not something hidden or taboo.

The campaign encourages people to “check your breasts.” What’s your message to those who may not feel confident doing self-checks or don’t know where to start?

Checking your breasts doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating – they only take a few minutes, but could save your life. It’s simply about getting to know what’s normal for you, so you can spot any changes early. Knowing your body and checking your breasts once a month is crucial in helping to catch the disease earlier so that you can both
mitigate the effects that treatment can have and reduce the chance of recurrence.

Try to check at around the same time each month, ideally when your breasts aren’t tender, and take a few minutes to look and feel, including your whole breast, chest and armpit. You should stand in front of a mirror and look for any changes in the breast or nipple with arms up and arms down. Then use a circular motion to feel over all of your
breast, chest and into your armpit with both a lighter and firmer touch. Learn what you
are looking out for – changes such as:
– Lumps in your chest, breast or armpit
– A change in the shape of breast or either side of your chest
– Redness, rashes, dimpling or texture changes (like orange-peel skin or
thickening of the skin)
– Changes in the look or shape of the nipple (like inverted nipples, or unusual
discharge), if not pregnant or breastfeeding
– And any pain that doesn’t go away

We would always encourage people to contact their GP if they notice any changes. It might be nothing to worry about – in fact, 9 in 10 lumps are harmless – but early detection means we can prevent the worst outcomes of breast cancer.

We have released a new video on our website www.breastcanceruk.org.uk that shows you how to check your breast, and we even have a free text reminder service to help people build it into their routine.

How can individuals incorporate prevention into their daily lives – are there small, practical changes that make a difference?

There are lots of simple, everyday actions that can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of breast cancer by 20% – the NHS and World Health Organisation suggest at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

Maintaining a healthy weight after menopause, and cutting down on alcohol also reduce risk. Being mindful about your exposure to harmful chemicals in products and the environment is another step. Studies show that at least 30% of breast cancer cases could be prevented, but for those that can’t, early detection is critical.

You’ve led Breast Cancer UK since 2019. What have been some of the biggest changes or achievements during your tenure?

I joined a few months before COVID hit. My mission was to expand our education programme; increase our investment in scientific research to help us understand the causes of breast cancer; and raise the profile of the charity across the nation. It was a fantastic mission which I threw myself into energetically. But COVID put a spanner in the
works.

I had barely put my feet under the table when I found myself staring at plummeting income from donations. For a small charity that relies entirely on donations from supporters, a big drop in income can mean the end game. We had to act fast and shift our focus to strengthening our relationships with our supporters, focussing on what we do best in a simple and engaging way. This meant we sadly lost team members and were forced to pause all of our in-person work. But for the small team that remained, COVID sharpened our resolve, our collaboration and creativity.
The result was staggering: we not only survived but we were joined by many new supporters who embraced our cause from across the UK.

I am most proud of the fact that our charity has grown four-fold since 2020. We now have an ambitious strategy to empower everyone through prevention. Today we offer a wide variety of science-backed education and tools for the public to help them reduce their risk of breast cancer and we’ve significantly increased our investment in research to help us understand the causes of this disease. While we’ve come a long way, we’ve barely touched the surface of the potential that our prevention work can bring to people’s lives and to tackling this awful disease. So I believe our greatest achievement is ahead of us and I am just as motivated today as I was back in 2019 to make it happen.

What do you hope this campaign contributes to the broader conversation about women’s health and empowerment?

We want to spark a conversation that’s open, empowering, and stigma-free. Women’s health shouldn’t be something whispered about, it should be celebrated and prioritised. The campaign is intentionally cheeky. Seeing nipples on the pavement isn’t something you expect, so it creates a moment to stop and talk. By normalising the act of checking your breasts and talking about breast health, we hope to empower people to take control of their wellbeing, and to see self-care not as vanity but as strength.

How can people get involved – whether by supporting Breast Cancer UK or by starting conversations in their own communities?

There are so many ways to get involved. We hope people will share photos, post on social media using the hashtag #StreetNipples and tagging @breastcanceruk, and most importantly, ask their friends, families and colleagues: “When was the last time you checked your breasts?” By making it a normal conversation, we can break down stigma and help save lives. Beyond the Street Nipples campaign, you can visit breastcanceruk.org.uk to learn more, take our prevention quiz, sign up for reminders, or make a donation to support our research and education work.