Eleven of the world’s most revered Renaissance paintings feature models with some of the symptoms of breast cancer. These women were unable to diagnose or treat the disease. But if they had the knowledge we have today, their lives might not have been cut short.

Four hundred years later, Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand recreated these masterpieces, using survivors of breast cancer. These women discovered their own breast cancer by self-check, a triumphant symbol of how knowledge can beat breast cancer.

demonstrating the power of knowledge.

The images formed an attention-grabbing campaign, known as ‘The Survivors Collection,’ that included an exhibition in New Zealand’s largest art gallery.

The campaign launched on 1 October 2017 and ran throughout Breast Cancer Awareness month. The photographs formed The Survivors Collection, a campaign which comprised of TV, online film, radio, social, print and out of home components – all running throughout New Zealand. The Survivors Collection was also on display at the Auckland Art Gallery, New Zealand’s largest gallery.

Within the first three months, The Survivors Collection had encouraged 45,000 breast screenings. A lifesaving 8% increase on 2016.

Traffic to the Breast Cancer Foundation’s site increased by 164%. Ensuring women all around New Zealand learned the signs of breast cancer, got to know their breasts, and began checking them often. In the three months following the campaign’s launch over 45,000 women had their breasts screened, an 8% increase on the previous year.