Loose Women panellist Brenda Edwards has said how having breast cancer has made her have a whole new look on life.
The former X Factor star, 55, who has been cancer-free for nine years now, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 when she was just 46.
For Brenda, having cancer has made her ‘appreciate every day’ because it has made her ‘face a life of uncertainty’ following the tough times she’s endured.
She told The Mirror: ‘Having cancer changes anybody, because you face a life of uncertainty, so it does make you appreciate life every day.
‘I’m very grateful for what life brings me. I’ve always been a go-getter but now I’m even more so. If you don’t try, you’ll never know. You might succeed, so I’ll try almost anything.’
Loose Women panellist Brenda Edwards, 55, has said how having breast cancer has made her have a whole new look on life
The former X Factor star, who has been cancer-free for nine years now, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 when she was just 46
Brenda also credits her co-star Coleen Nolan for going to the hospital for tests with her when she felt a new lump, which was given the all clear.
She said: ‘Once you’ve had it, you’re told that if there’s anything else, no matter how big or small, to flag it. It’s nice to have someone like Coleen because she’s so funny. Coleen is the perfect person to distract you and keep your mind off the worst.’
Brenda found a lump under her right breast at the end of 2015 and began six months of chemotherapy before having a mastectomy and breast reconstruction.
She spoke to MailOnline as part of 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.
Secondary breast cancer, also known as metastatic breast cancer, is when tumour cells which started in the breast move to other parts of the body.
Speaking about her own battle with the disease Brenda said: ‘Some things are out of your control, cancer is definitely one of them, but for me it was trying to be as positive as possible’.
‘72% of breast cancer survivors are unaware of what areas of your body can be effected by secondary breast cancer to know what to look for’.
Adding: ‘The most likely areas to effected by breast cancer are your head, your brain, your lungs, your skin, your liver’.
She said: ‘Having cancer changes anybody, because you face a life of uncertainty, so it does make you appreciate life every day. I’m very grateful for what life brings me. I’ve always been a go-getter but now I’m even more so’
Brenda also credits her co-star Coleen Nolan for going to the hospital for tests with her when she felt a new lump, which was given the all clear
She said: ‘Once you’ve had it, you’re told that if there’s anything else, no matter how big or small, to flag it. It’s nice to have someone like Coleen because she’s so funny. Coleen is the perfect person to distract you and keep your mind off the worst’
The star, who was in her mid forties at the time of her diagnosis, added that one side effect was going into early menopause which still impacts her now.
In 2021 Brenda revealed she once broke down on stage during a production of Hairspray after learning she had Stage Three breast cancer.
She spoke about the heartbreaking moment her co-stars all began to cry while singing ‘I Know Where I’ve Been’ one night.
Appearing as a guest on Martin and Roman’s Weekend Best, Brenda explained why that particular song is so ‘poignant’ for her.
‘When I was doing the show in 2016 that’s when I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer and I did the show and I sang that song,’ she said.
‘It’s like “There’s a road we’ve been travelling, lost so many on the way” and those words came up and the cast all started crying.
‘Tracy Turnblade, she was holding my hands with tears and I was like: “Babe I can’t sing and cry, you need to stop this, please stop it”.
‘The key change, there was no singing whatsoever because I was just in tears, the first four five rows they’re in tears and I’m sure they were like “wow this is really good acting” because nobody knew, I hadn’t said anything about it.’
The crowd, who at the time were not aware of her diagnosis, gave her a standing ovation.