Leanne Pero Keynote Speaker

Leanne Pero MBE is a revered figure in the sphere of philanthropy and dance, a charismatic speaker, a celebrated author, and a survivor of breast cancer. Her speaking themes encapsulate her journey as an entrepreneur, her endeavors as a community dancer, her resilience as a cancer survivor, and her role in creating awareness for cancer amongst young individuals and the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.

Leanne’s journey began at the tender age of 15 when she found solace in dance after moving out of her family home and enduring sexual abuse. Her passion for dance spurred her to establish The Movement Factory, a community-focused dance company. Since its inception, Leanne has raised over £250,000 to support community dance programs nationwide, impacting over 500,000 young lives. Her impressive tenure (2014-17) as the first Community Ambassador for Pineapple Studios and later as the CEO of Pineapple Community, their inaugural charity, has been momentous. Leanne’s contributions to dance have extended to projects with reputed names such as Nike, London Youth, The Rio Ferdinand Foundation, and Kelly Holmes Education. She has had the privilege of performing at the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.

Leanne’s literary contributions include her self-published debut, ‘Take Control’ (2016), a compelling self-help narrative outlining her experiences with sexual abuse, depression, and the challenges she faced as a young entrepreneur. This was followed by ‘The Positive Day Planner,’ which became an instant success, selling out within its first week.

In 2016, after assisting her mother through her second breast cancer diagnosis, Leanne was confronted with a stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis. Despite the intense treatment regimen, including a bilateral mastectomy, immediate reconstruction, and eight rounds of chemotherapy, Leanne used her platform to raise awareness about cancer, especially amongst young individuals and the BAME community. Noting the lack of support for black cancer patients, in 2017, Leanne initiated informal peer support groups for BAME female cancer patients and survivors. Thus, Black Women Rising was established. Its achievements include the world’s first all-black female cancer scars exhibition ‘Black Women Rising: The Untold Cancer Stories’ at The OXO Tower, London. Despite facing immense challenges in 2020, Leanne spearheaded the launch of the ‘Black Women Rising: Untold Cancer Stories’ podcast series and magazine, the first of its kind, aimed at empowering women of colour through their cancer journeys.

Leanne’s unwavering efforts have led to collaborations with notable brands like Stella McCartney, Pretty Little Thing, Estee Lauder, GHD, Zalando, Palmers, Loungewear, and Boots on cancer awareness campaigns. Additionally, Leanne has modeled for brands like Pretty Little Thing, Pineapple, Primark, and Next. Her inspiring journey has been featured across several media outlets, including The Telegraph, Marie Claire, The Voice, South London Press, The Express, The Sun, Metro, Guardian newspapers, Sky News, Channel 4 News, BBC News, and The Lorraine Show.

Leanne’s illustrious career has been marked by several recognitions. She was a finalist for ITV’s Lorraine Women of the Year Award in 2019, bagged The National Lottery Award for Health in 2021, and won the Pour Moi Award for Outstanding Achiever the same year. Leanne is also a finalist in the Just Giving Awards 2022. In 2022, she partnered with Novartis to film and release ‘The C Word,’ a documentary about her life before and after her cancer diagnosis. Her tireless efforts earned her an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List in June 2023. Leanne Pero continues to be a beacon of hope and inspiration, leading by example and driving positive change.