From Panama hats to high kicks, Brave 2025 had it all.
Held at Aberdeen’s P&J Live, this year’s show brought together 24 men with one thing in common — each has faced a cancer or blood disorder diagnosis, and each took to the catwalk to celebrate just how far they’ve come.
And because Brave is no ordinary fashion show, the men displayed their endurance not with the usual smooth catwalk moves but with unfiltered enthusiasm that flowed off the stage and into the audience.
There were twirls, twists and even a few kung-fu-style kicks from the nights youngest performer, 22-year-old Euan Smith, a former lymphoma patient and Korean martial arts practitioner.
Months of rehearsals and fittings had built up to this one night. Backstage footage shown to the audience revealed their was as much fun taking place behind the scenes as one stage, and the camaraderie was palpable.
The men sometimes danced down the runway on their own, sometimes together, linking arms and raising fists in triumph.
“There is a huge difference playing to an empty house [during rehearsals] compared to a full crowd,” said 51-year-old music teacher Owen Somervillve, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2023.
“I’m exhausted but so happy.”
Vital funds raised for Friends of Anchor cancer support
By the end of the evening, more than £80,000 had been raised to support cancer patients in the north-east. Organisers hailed the event as a huge success.
“Aberdeen is so generous,” said Friends of Anchor’s proud chairman, Sir Jim Milne. “And I include all the country quines and loons as well.”
The gallery below captures some of the highlights from the night, from the tears to the triumphs. To read a review of Brave 2025, click here.
Applications to take part in Brave and Courage next year are now open. Click here to apply.
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