BRENDA Edwards has discussed the shock she felt after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and the lasting side effects she deals with each day.
The 55-year-old Loose Women and musical theatre star rose to fame in 2005 after finishing fourth on The X Factor, but ten years later she received a diagnosis she hadn’t seen coming.
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Brenda was performing as Motormouth Maybelle in ‘Hairspray The Musical’ during the time when she found what she describes as a “frozen pea” sized lump in her breast, while taking a shower.
And when she got her diagnosis, the star said she had to take her phone along to record everything the oncologist was telling her, as she went “completely blank,” and also went alone.
Brenda told The Sun: “When I was told I had cancer I went into a blank, and so when I went to see my oncologist, I took a phone with me, and I said ‘please can I record this because whatever you’re about to say, I won’t remember it.’
“And I recorded everything and I’m so glad I did, because I had so many questions later on.”
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After her diagnosis, it was full speed ahead for Brenda, as the talented performer would have “chemo on a Thursday and be on stage on a Friday.”
But the self-proclaimed positive star tried to keep things as jovial as possible, by playing what she coined as her ‘chemo playlist’ in her car, as she drove to get treatment, which went on for six months.
She shared: “The doctor said ‘here’s a course for your treatment,’ and from that moment I went right I want that treatment, let’s do this.
“I did my own research, and I also went through salmon and spinach like it was going out of fashion. I was like, ‘if it’s good for Popeye, it’s good for me too.’”
Brenda was afraid that the chemotherapy would impact her musical abilities though, as a tube was placed very close to her vocal chords.
She explained: “I had a port put into my neck to administer the chemotherapy. The tube was near to my vocal cords. And one of my side effects from the chemotherapy was dry mouth.
“And I’m a singer, so I was eating lozenges, honey and lemon glycerin lozenges. I was using mental minty mouth spray. I was drinking so much water, you know?”
She praised her Hairspray cast and Loose Women co-stars for all their support during what Brenda has said was an especially “rough” time.
Luckily, Brenda didn’t experience the disease spreading anything further, but, looking back at the journey that led her to now, she admitted: “It wasn’t easy.”
She continued: “I needed to be strong for me though, and yes there was always down days, every day I’d wake up and be like, ‘well, the cancer is still there.’
“It was very hard when I was telling my family and my friends about it when I was diagnosed.
“I wanted to make sure that I was armed with enough information so I could give the answers. In the end, I found it therapeutic to be able to talk about it.
“But it’s rough, and it’s rough for different people who are affected by it, and I still have side effects from it today.”
The star, who was 46 at the time of her diagnosis, mentioned that one side effect was going into early menopause.
“I have hot flushes like it’s going out of fashion,” Brenda continued, adding: “I feel like I’ve literally come out of a shower and it’s embarrassing, but what am I going to do about it?
“So instead, I have about 25 fans and I shove them down my chest and that’s how I get through.”
Now, Brenda has decided to join forces with the UK’s leading cancer care provider, GenesisCare, to drive awareness of the symptoms of secondary breast cancer.
Speaking about her involvement, the star explained: “I, like 72% of other women who have had breast cancer, was unaware of the symptoms.
“I didn’t know that I had breast cancer in the first place, so, you know, it’s very it’s been very educational to me.”
The inspirational campaign that Brenda is a part of aims to drive better awareness of the disease and the importance of focusing on symptoms beyond the breast.
Brenda joined two other women, Natalie and Anna, for a photoshoot, both of whom had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
She said that neither of the ladies knew the symptoms at the time, with one just complaining of a headache, while the other had back pain.
Brenda explained that this is why she wants to raise awareness, adding: “Secondary breast cancer knows no bounds and does not limit itself to the body part that gives it its name. It’s a vicious and pernicious disease and we want all women and men who have recovered from breast cancer – as well as the wider public – to be aware of the symptoms so if the worst happens, they’re armed with the knowledge and support they need.
“Whilst secondary breast cancer cannot be cured, early diagnosis can open up more treatment options that will both prolong and enhance your quality of life and enable you to love life longer.
“Information is power and a picture can speak a thousand words in terms of impact and influence. I hope the Second Chance photography exhibition prompts all breast cancer survivors, like me, to flag their medical history to their GP, no matter how small or insignificant their new symptoms may seem.
“It could be a small piece of a much bigger jigsaw puzzle and catching it early can lead to better treatments, resulting in a longer life span as well as a better quality of life.
“I amliving my Second Chance everyday, and I want to make sure there are many more quality days to come.”
Brenda Edwards is fronting the new GenesisCare Second Chance campaign which aims to raise awareness of where in the body secondary cancer is most likely to strike and the symptoms to look out for.
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