The co-founder of Coppafeel! Maren Hallenga chats about her charity's Page 3 deal, tandem bike adventures and sisterly love.

How and why did you get into the voluntary sector?

When my twin sister Kris was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer at the age of 23, we started to wonder why it was that we'd never been told to check our breasts from a young age, or that we were at risk of being diagnosed at our age. We realised that although there was a lot of work being done to raise awareness of the disease, there was little focus on young people.

At the beginning we thought we were just going to be a campaign, a movement, a voice for young people. But we soon realised that the need was far greater and that being a registered charity would allow us to do so much more.

What are the most important things you've learned in your role?

That everything takes time! Don't expect big things to happen over night; be patient. When we started this madness five years ago, we knew very little about fundraising, so we've had to work our socks off to get our charity to the place it's in now. We're lucky to have been supported by brilliant people, and we've not been afraid to ask for help along the way. 

Something else I've learnt is that you can do a lot with very little. And quite often, the more you have the more restrictions there are.

Who is your role model?

My sister - she gives me a good reason to not moan about that pesky cold or headache. What she went through reminds me why it's important to make the most of what we have today.

What is the most out-of-the-ordinary thing you've ever done?

My fiancé and I own a tandem bike, which we rode across the Alps from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean sea. It was a true test of our physical strength - and our relationship!

What's been the best moment of your career?

Our partnership with the Sun's Page 3 has definitely been a highlight. It wasn't a decision we made lightly, and it took a lot of time and discussion, but watching millions of copies of the newspaper going to print at 11pm the night before at Broxbourne was definitely a big moment for Kris and me.

I would also say that having real, bare breasts on billboards around the country was a pretty big deal too. It was a bold step for us, but also for this nation. We often see what we're meant to believe are 'perfect' breasts in the media. Not only were we highlighting the importance of getting to know your breasts, we were reminding people that everyone is different, and that they come in all shapes and sizes.

What's the most exciting new thing your charity has coming up?

Earlier this year we launched our #rethinkcancer campaign via our BBC3 documentary, Dying to Live. Our ultimate dream is to get cancer taught and discussed in schools. One in three of us will be diagnosed with cancer, so we strongly believe we should be equipping teachers and young people with knowledge about it. Next year, we're hoping to make even bigger strides and garner more support from the people in government that can make this happen. Watch this space!

Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to your ideal dinner party?

Russell Brand, because he intrigues me; David Cameron - to watch the discussion he'd have with Russell and to bend his ear about the importance of getting cancer on the curriculum; and Kris Carr - a foodie goddess who has lived with cancer for over ten years by making healthy lifestyle choices. I'd get lots of recipe ideas from her (and ask her to cook the dinner!)

Maren Hallenga is co-founder of Coppafeel!