Charlie Lowe
FUC started in 2018.
But the story begins in 2017.
At 43, fit, active and working as a personal trainer, I was diagnosed with oestrogen-positive breast cancer. Four months later, I was diagnosed again — this time HER2-positive.
Two separate cancers. In the same year.
I had three children. They were 15, 16 and just four years old.
Nothing prepares you for hearing the words “you have cancer.”
Nothing prepares you for hearing it twice.
What Cancer Really Looked Like
Since then, I’ve had 11 surgeries, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, countless nights in hospital and countless sleepless nights to match.
Surgeries included, Lymph node removal after cancer spread to my nodes. A double mastectomy. Multiple failed reconstructions.
And eventually major reconstructive surgery where my breasts were rebuilt using tissue from my legs.
Yes — we call them the “leg tits.”
Because sometimes dark humour is survival.
In 2018, I also suffered two strokes as a side effect of treatment, leaving me with ongoing effects including memory loss and neurological challenges.
Cancer isn’t just chemo and scars. It's complications. It’s scanxiety. It’s survivor guilt.
It’s feeling strong one day and terrified the next.
It’s wondering if you’ll see your children grow up.
And I understand all of it.
The Power of Showing Up
I was incredibly lucky. I had an amazing support network — friends who showed up, even when they didn’t know what to say.
Not everyone has that.
And even the strongest supporters often don’t know how to help.
Sometimes wearing a T-shirt that simply says FUC (Fuck You Cancer) is the support.
It’s armour for hospital appointments. It’s strength on treatment days. It’s defiance when you need it most. It’s a way to say “I’m with you” when words fall short.
Why FUC Exists
After receiving support from smaller charities — the ones who focus on the individual — I knew that’s where I wanted to give back.
Larger charities do vital work. But smaller charities often provide the deeply personal support that changes day-to-day life; Counselling, holistic therapies, support groups, financial grants, even advice on wigs and very importantly, community.
FUC donates to a range of smaller charities throughout the year — many recommended by the community — and also supports individuals directly.
That support might mean funding therapies, easing financial pressure, or helping someone create precious memories with their family during an incredibly difficult time.
Over the years, FUC has raised around £8,000 — and this is just the beginning.
The aim is simple:
To be one of the smallest brands making the biggest impact for smaller cancer charities.
More Than Clothing
FUC began with athleisure — because that’s what I knew as personal trainer working in a martial arts gym. Now it’s grown beyond that.
There’s performance-focused athleisure.
Everyday staples — T-shirts and hoodies anyone can wear. Accessible items like socks and travel mugs.
And there’s plenty more in the pipeline.
But FUC isn’t just about clothing. It’s about community.
We hold fundraising events that bring people together — including a charity auction, a 24-hour charity bagathon, a fashion show and club night and a charity calendar created to raise awareness of different types of cancer and their symptoms in a way that empowered rather than frightened.
More events are already in the works.
Because sometimes people want to help — they just don’t know how.
Events give people a way to show up, stand together and raise money in a positive, powerful way.
Then. Now. What’s Next.
FUC launched in 2018 and ran for a couple of years before life shifted. After separating from my partner, I paused the business to focus on raising my children and rebuilding stability.
In those early years, I ran FUC almost like a charity — donating 100% of the profits and often my own money whenever possible. My focus was simple: help as much as I could, as quickly as I could.
What I’ve learned since is that real, lasting impact requires sustainability.
What I’ve learned is that lasting impact needs sustainability. To keep doing good work and supporting people long term, FUC has to grow properly as a business — reinvesting so we can continue raising more and supporting more people long term.
The heart hasn’t changed.
The strategy has matured.
Now it’s back — stronger, clearer, and built properly with purpose.
If you’ve supported FUC in any way — thank you.
You are part of every donation. Every act of support. Every difference made.
Cancer can affect anyone. At any time.
Even the fit. Even the healthy. Even the strong. It doesn't matter what your back ground is. Whether you are rich or poor. Old or young. Cancer doesn't care. But we do.
