Bristol nail tech battling breast cancer bravely shares her treatment story

Every October, Bristol based nail tech, Danni Moore, has marked Breast Cancer Awareness Month by painting her nails pink. But this year is different, as she is battling breast cancer.

After a lump that Danni thought was caused by breastfeeding was diagnosed as cancer on 1 July 2021, the nail tech has completed four rounds of chemotherapy. She has nine more to go after a bad reaction left her needing to change chemotherapy drug.

Unfortunately, Danni has also had to fight an infection, inflamed bowel caused by chemotherapy and a blood clot in the heart. But she bravely insists: “I’m doing okay. One day at a time, we move forward.”

Danni is passionate about using her cancer journey to help others. “I truly believe that knowledge is power and the more we talk, the more awareness, early diagnoses and lives are saved,” she says.

Danni is also documenting her journey through Instagram and TikTok accounts, both with the handle @the_boob_battle. “I have two young children (Betsy, four, and Dexter, two) that won’t really remember this, so I wanted to document it partly for us to look back on in the future but also to try and raise awareness that this can happen to anyone,” she explains.

“I never set my page up for help, support or sympathy; I did it to try and help people learn and understand about breast cancer. I am 31, fit and healthy so I never expected this. I also didn’t think about breast cancer in younger people, so I wanted to create a platform to help educate.”

Her dedicated Instagram page, which provides an honest and eye-opening documentation of her battle, has amassed 13.1k followers. And Danni is not just getting support from social media; the beauty industry is also behind her as gel polish brand Glossify, who the nail tech is a brand ambassador for, has set up a Go Fund Me page so that the nail industry can support Danni and alleviate any financial stress that her family may experience.

She has been overwhelmed with the support, saying: “I feel like I’m climbing a mountain with thousands of other people supporting me and for that I will forever be grateful.”

Danni, also a dance teacher, uses fun TikTok dance videos to make her hospital stays more exciting and to feel like her old self, and describes nails as a similar escape from reality. “I was always determined to try and keep my life as ‘normal’ as possible throughout my treatment, for myself and my children. My salon is my happy place and my clients are fabulous,” she says.

@nailsbydannimoore

“Painting nails is a time when I can switch off, focus, be creative and almost forget what is happening. I listen to other people’s problems and talk about their day, which is a nice distraction from my own,” she adds.

“Nails are a platform to speak without words.”

Danni explains how nails also hold great importance for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, describing how something as small as painting nails pink can make all the difference:

“Social media plays a huge part in most people’s lives and so flooding these platforms with pink creates a community that everyone can feel part of, even if you do not have breast cancer. It’s a way to unite everyone, support those battling while also encouraging people to regularly check and be aware of breast cancer, regardless of your age.”

Danni is an advocate for checking your breasts and encourages others to ‘check and get checked.’

She says that is one thing she has learnt from her journey: “Cancer can happen to anyone. We must live our best lives and be grateful every day, while also helping ourselves by knowing our bodies and getting checked if we are worried.”

To stay in the know about Danni’s journey, follow her Instagram and TikTok, and you can support her Go Fund Me page here.

Keep up to date with Danni’s nail work here.

Two breast cancer charities that Danni says are doing amazing work and that we encourage supporting are CoppaFeel! and Future Dreams.