Have you checked your breasts this month?

Have you checked your breasts this month?

Student Prize 2025 for project raising awareness of breast cancer and self-exams

03-09-2025 · Background

On Monday afternoon, a tearful Jane De Raeve crossed the stage during the opening of the academic year in the Theater aan het Vrijthof. Her daughter, Medicine student Laura De Raeve, had just won the Student Prize 2025, together with fellow student Eva De Groeve, for Busted!, in which they raise awareness of breast cancer and the importance of self-exams. De Raeve senior accepted the prize on their behalf, as both students are currently abroad, in Australia and India, for their studies.

Over 70 per cent of breast cancer patients discovers the tumour themselves. And yet, not everybody checks their breasts every month for abnormalities – a lump, the colour of the nipple changing, a strange patch of skin. De Raeve and De Groeve decided to start hosting workshops about how best to check your breasts. Participants use balloons to learn to make the right movements. De Raeve was inspired by her mother, who has had breast cancer and who talks on the project’s Instagram about how discovering the cancer early through self-examination meant she was able to be treated successfully. They want to use the prize money of 1000 euros to expand the number of workshops.