'I Touch Myself' becomes a breast cancer awareness anthem

A hit song by Chrissy Amphlett from The Divinyls will be used in the latest breast cancer awareness campaign. Photo / Getty

Chrissy Amphlett was one of Australia's greatest female rock voices and now one of her most memorable songs, I Touch Myself, is to become an anthem for breast cancer awareness.

The 53-year-old Divinyls singer died in New York last April after a long battle with breast cancer. As the first anniversary of her death approaches, 10 of Australia's leading female artists feature in a new music video for the Cancer Council NSW's I Touch Myself Project.

The campaign promotes routine self-examination among women for early detection of lumps or changes in the look or feel of their breasts.

The music clip of the Divinyls hit features Amphlett's cousin Little Pattie, Olivia Newton John, Kate Ceberano, Megan Washington, Katie Noonan, Deborah Conway, Suze DeMarchi, Sarah Blasko, Connie Mitchell and Sarah McLeod.

Widower Charley Drayton says the project is about making sure Amphlett's legacy lives on to help women better detect breast cancer.

"Chrissy voiced it clearly - she wished for all women to be mindful of themselves when they heard the tune; to be good to themselves, inside and out," he said.

Kathy Chapman, director of Cancer Programs, Cancer Council NSW said in a statement: "We know that by the age of 85, one in eight Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

"However, detecting breast cancer early is the most important factor in beating this disease. Through this campaign we are encouraging women to get to know their breasts better, to know what is normal for them and to participate in breast screening if they're in the right age range."

The campaign is supported by a website www.itouchmyself.org.

- AAP