Lorraine Kelly meets women diagnosed thanks to her campaign
Lorraine Kelly’s producer who battled breast cancer at 39 is surprised on the show by three women who got an early diagnosis thanks to her ‘Change and Check’ campaign
- Earlier this year Lorraine and pal Helen Addis launched ‘Change and Check’
- The campaign put posters and stickers in various changing rooms across the UK
- Stickers and posters were designed to help women be aware of cancer signs
- A ‘Boob Bus’ will travel across the UK encouraging women to check regularly
Lorraine Kelly today revealed how he show’s ‘Change and Check’ campaign has helped women get an early breast cancer diagnosis, potentially saving their lives.
The campaign, which launched earlier this year to show women how to check themselves for signs of breast cancer, was championed by Lorraine’s friend and producer Helen Addis who was diagnosed aged 39.
Posters and stickers showing what signs to look out for, were put in hundreds of changing rooms nationwide, and today the show launched the ‘Boob Bus’, which will travel the UK encouraging women to check themselves for signs of cancer.
Mother-of-three Helen appeared on the show this morning, to reveal she’s getting ‘stronger by the day’, and she was surprised by three women who have been diagnosed early thanks to her campaign.
Lorraine’s ‘Boob Bus’ will be travelling from London to Manchester, Belfast, Glasgow and Cardiff encouraging women to check their breasts for signs of cancer
Helen told how her treatment is nearly over, after being diagnosed over a year ago, she said: ‘I’m doing alright, I have my last hospital treatment on Friday.
‘I’m ready to hang up my hospital hat. I feel okay, I feel good. I’m getting stronger by the day.’
The producer spoke of her campaigning for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and revealed that nine women had contacted her through social media to tell her that they had been diagnosed thanks to the campaign.
She said: ‘If those diagnosis are coming your way then catch it early like I did.’
Stickers showing the warning signs of breast cancer were plastered across changing rooms in major retailers and gyms nationwide as part of the ‘Change and Check’ campaign, which launched in April this year
The mother told how the show’s new ‘Boob Bus’ will be travelling from London to Manchester, Belfast, Glasgow and Cardiff and will include experts showing women how to properly check their breasts.
The producer was then surprised with special guests Sinead, Sally and Amy, who had previously contacted her to say they had been diagnosed after seeing the campaign posters and checking their breasts.
Producer Helen Addis (far left) was surprised by three women who were diagnosed with breast cancer early thanks to the campaign
Sinead, who has a four-year-old daughter called Violet, told how she was in the gym when she noticed a ‘slight change’ in her breast, and admitted she ‘slightly dismissed’ the issue.
However after seeing ‘lovely’ Helen on Lorraine the mother-of-one confessed that it ‘never left her mind’ and she decided to get checked.
Opening up about her treatment, she said: ‘I’m doing great, I’ll be half way through my chemo today.’
Sinead, who has a four year old daughter called violet, was in the gym when she noticed a change in her breast, and is half way through her chemo therapy
Mother-of-four Sally – who is 12 weeks through her chemotherapy – then opened up about her diagnosis, revealing that she decided to shave off her hair in order to regain control.
She said: ‘I look very different, I’ve lost my hair.
‘I think I wanted to be in control of something, because when you get the diagnosis you’re not in control of anything’.
Mother-of-four Sally is 12 weeks through her chemo therapy and has decided to shave off her hair in order to regain ‘control’ over her disease
The mother went on to reveal that her eldest son also shaved his head in support, and said that although the condition has ‘knocked her sideways’, she’s looking ‘upwards’.
Amy is midway through her chemo and is soon to move on to radiotherapy.
She was in the gym when she noticed the lump she was ‘putting off getting checked’ and revealed that the poster made her think ‘I need to do something about this’.
Helen praised the women and insisted that the support of other survivors is what’s ‘got her through’ her own battle with the disease.
She said: ‘Actually this is what’s got me through it. I’m coming to the end on Friday and you guys will too, and that’s kind of what it’s all been about to me.’
Amy was also in the gym when she noticed a lump on her breast, and is now midway through her chemo therapy and soon to move on to radiotherapy
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