Breast cancer in the family

The idea for Busted was born out of a conversation between the two students about breast cancer. De Raeve’s mother had previously had breast cancer, but because she had spotted it early, she was able to receive treatment in time. More recently, her aunt was unfortunately diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. De Groeve’s family also has experience with the disease: her grandfather had breast cancer.

“Even though several people in my family have had breast cancer, I never learnt how to check my own breasts,” De Raeve says. “My cousins and my sister didn’t know either. That got me thinking: if we don’t know how to do it, with our family history, how many other people don’t know either?”

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The first workshops

The pair decided to do something about it. They discovered Know Your Lemons, an organisation dedicated to raising breast cancer awareness. They followed a course there so they could provide breast health education themselves, and then developed their own workshops on breast self-exams. That eventually led to the creation of Busted.

Busted started with a few small workshops. “Only two people turned up to the first one,” De Raeve says with a laugh. Busted has since grown into a team of six students, and the volunteers now run workshops for somewhat larger groups. They have even delivered workshops abroad, including in Italy, India and Zambia.

Accessible and light-hearted

During the informal, accessible workshops, participants spend an hour learning which changes to their breasts warrant a doctor’s visit and how to check their breasts themselves. De Groeve and De Raeve also address common misconceptions. “For example, people often say that deodorant or keeping a phone close to your chest can cause breast cancer,” says De Groeve. “Those are myths.”

Above all, their message is that everyone should get to know their own breasts. “By checking them regularly, people become familiar with what’s normal for them and are more likely to notice any changes,” De Raeve explains. At the same time, they recognise that the subject can also make people anxious. This is why the workshops sometimes include creative activities, such as pottery. “It helps make the subject feel a little lighter.”

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A special honour

One of the highlights of Busted’s first few years was winning the UM Student Award 2025. De Raeve’s mother accepted the award on their behalf. “It was very emotional to see my mother standing there. After all, her breast cancer was an important part of what inspired us to start Busted,” De Raeve says.

Volunteer work and medicine

Combining Busted with their medical studies was no easy task, especially early on, when the pair wanted to do everything themselves. “Busted felt like our baby,” they say. These days, they share responsibilities such as social media, networking and organisation of activities with the team.

Now that De Groeve has recently qualified as a doctor and De Raeve is also in the final months of her degree, they are looking for new students to run the workshops. “We definitely want to stay involved with Busted and we want it to continue, but we need help to make that happen,” De Groeve says. Both women remain as committed to women’s health as ever. De Groeve is now working as a doctor in the gynaecology department, while De Raeve also hopes to pursue a career in gynaecology.

Text: Romy Veul