Donations to a local breast care support group surged over the past week when social media users snapped pictures of themselves with no make-up on and posted them on Facebook – and then urged friends to fund cancer research.

Over the weekend, the popular #nomakeupselfie trend that raised £8 million for a UK cancer research charity in six days, picked up in Malta, with personalities Ira Losco and Moira Delia encouraging others to join in.

Women are putting up selfies on Facebook and Twitter, making a donation to a cancer charity and nominating their friends to do the same.

Sandy Muscat, from Europa Donna, said the support group does not usually get donations on a daily basis.

It has its collection tins at different places which its members pick up when they get full.

“We get donations during our events or awareness campaigns and occasionally through our donations section on the website, but there is a huge difference in the donations received over the last few days when this selfie campaign was on,” she added.

By yesterday afternoon, Europa Donna had received donations from dozens of people total-­­ling €724.90.

The group’s president, Gertrude Abela, said the response was “incredible”. “It is a new way of donating without too much hassle, so people are more willing to give. We were amazed at the response, which we were not expecting at all.

“I would like to thank all who donated and will be sending a thank you e-mail to all,” she said.

Ms Abela said that it was important to lead a healthy lifestyle because it had been proven that one third of breast cancer cases could be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight and exercising.

Hospice Malta, which is also being promoted by social media users who have uploaded their #nomakeupselfie, said it could not identify donations resulting from this initiative as it uses the same text number for general donations.

www.europadonnamalta.org.mt