Loose Women star Brenda Edwards was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 after finding a lump the size of a pea - and is now urging others to know the warning signs
Loose Women's Brenda Edwards has issued an urgent call to action after her own "pea-sized" lump alerted her to what turned out to be breast cancer.
Brenda, 56, was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2016. It led to six months of gruelling treatment, including a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.
Now cancer free, Brenda wants to encourage others to know the warning signs to look out for. But insists she is feeling fine almost a decade on.
Speaking to Woman magazine, she said: "My health is fabulous babe! I'm 10 years free of cancer."
Life is back on track for Brenda as she focuses on living fully, yet she remains passionate about using her experience as a beacon for others. With pride, Brenda praised Loose Women's initiatives, like the one supported by Sarah Ferguson.
The Duchess of York joined forces with the hit ITV show in 2023 to encourage women to attend their mammograms. Sarah opened up for the first time about her own breast cancer diagnosis, reports Surrey Live.
Brenda says it was a friend opening up that led to her own diagnosis a decade ago. She told Woman: "It was after a conversation backstage with one of my friends who had just been diagnosed, and I later discovered what felt like a lump the size of a pea on my breast when I was in the shower.
"It shows we need to keep talking to each other about it. You think, 'That might be me,' and decide to check."
Brenda expressed her deep gratitude, stating she is "very grateful" that the conversation led to the discovery. The star had previously admitted to initially ignoring the lump, pushing it to the back of her mind during a hectic stint as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray The Musical.
However, upon noticing it again one day, she decided it was high time to seek medical advice. "When I first felt it, it was what I can only describe as a frozen pea," she shared with OK!
"But this time it was more noticeable. I immediately rang my doctor and she referred me to my local hospital for a mammogram, which then turned into a biopsy, which was really tough and emotional for me.
"There was so much going on in my head, the first thing at the forefront of my mind was my children and 'what if?' I'm usually a positive person, let's be joyful, you know? And then there was this cloud over me. It was two weeks of waiting [for the results] and that's the worst two weeks of your life."
Choosing not to inform her son Jamal or daughter Tanisha, Brenda attended the consultant appointment alone. She recalls that breaking the news to them later was "the worst thing" and that the "colour drained from their faces".
A decade later, Brenda emphasises the importance of consulting your GP should you discover a lump. She advised: "You owe it to yourself to take action. As scary as it is, you've got a much better chance of survival if it's caught early.
"Please don't be scared to have that conversation. If you're not having a conversation with your GP, have a conversation with someone in your family or a friend and I guarantee that person will say the same thing I'm saying. Get yourself checked out and get rid of the fear."
