Cancer survivor Sun thinks pink to support charity that helped save her life
Lingerie soiree to raise funds for Macmillan
Saturday, 31st January — By Caitlin Maskell
Sun Queen: “I believe in the powers that be”
A BREAST cancer survivor is hosting a hotpink lingerie soirée where being in your underwear is celebrated – all to raise money for the cancer charity
that helped to save her life.
Sun McCarthy, known by her stage name Sun Queen, will be hosting a risqué, lingerie-themed fundraiser next weekend to raise funds for Macmillan, the charity that supported her through her cancer treatment.
The director, dance therapist and property developer, who lives in Bloomsbury, was diagnosed with breast cancer in her twenties after discovering she carried the BRCA1 gene.
Several women in her family had already died from the disease.
“I grew up in a family that understood breast cancer – I was checking my boobs before I had boobs,” she said.
“To know your breasts is so important because that’s when you recognise something that isn’t meant to be there.”
After her diagnosis, Sun Queen underwent a double mastectomy and said she encourages all women to do regular breast checks as catching her cancer early helped to save her life.
She said: “Nothing prepares you for that moment when the doctor gives you your diagnosis.
“There was a moment where I was not on this earth anymore, I went into an ethereal state, everything blanked.
“That scene you see in movies when people are getting the diagnosis is actually true. It’s like you hear a flatline and your vision gets blurry.
“It was very scary, but thankfully my mum is still alive and she helped me through the process and after.
“She has been a big part of my healing and my acceptance – she showed me that I could have a life after cancer.”
Since completing treatment, Sun Queen has trained as a dance therapist, recently finishing a course with Move, Dance Feel, who run dance
classes for cancer patients.
The training course was encouraged by her close friend Sammy Aki, who was diagnosed with cancer at the same time as her, but passed away last May.
“It’s no coincidence that the year Sammy died I went to do my course at
Move, Dance, Feel.
“I believe in the powers that be. My celestial team is working really hard
somewhere so I have to work hard on this side too.”
The Point of Wakening, In The Pink fundraiser, which hasn’t
taken place since 2019, will bring together a group of friends dressed
in pink lingerie for a night of music and dancing.
There will be a DJ and Sun Queen, who trained at the House of Burlesque, may also perform.
She added: “Self-acceptance is so key. One thing I did for myself was I started wearing lingerie.
“I wasn’t a big lingerie person but I started wearing it for myself.
“It made me empowered and look at myself differently and appreciate myself more.
“I saw every curve of my body. I accepted it and when I lost weight I
saw every bone.”
All profits from the fundraiser will go to Macmillan.
Sun Queen said: “Macmillan were kind, patient, gracious and knowledgeable. And on the hard days, they were just there.
“It’s a very isolating disease, although I had people around me, I was still the
loneliest person in the room.
“And I love my own company. I’m a tiger spirit but in those years I really needed more support than I even thought I did.
“In retrospect now I’m trying to be that support for others.”
The lingerie fundraiser is a closed party – but if you wish to donate you
can do so here:
