'Lorraine Kelly saved my life': Mother-of-two diagnosed with breast cancer after seeing symptoms on Daybreak star's TV show

Settling down in her kitchen with a cup of tea one morning last October, mother-of-two Mandy Brazil sat back and switched on Lorraine.

It is a routine she has performed hundreds of times before - but this time it would save her life.

After watching a special edition dedicated to spotting hidden signs of breast cancer, Mrs Brazil became concerned she might be showing symptoms of the disease and immediately booked herself an appointment with her GP.

Mandy Brazil, 47, was diagnosed with breast cancer after seeing the symptoms on a special edition of morning TV show, Lorraine. After watching the programme she immediately made an appointment with her GP

Mrs Brazil (pictured before her diagnosis) realised she had the symptoms mentioned on the programme - these included a nipple suddenly inverting, dimpling around the nipple and pain in the breasts or armpits

Tests subsequently revealed she did, in fact, have a tumour and after chemotherapy and surgery she is now celebrating defeating cancer because she caught it early.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF BREAST CANCER?

A lump or an area of thickened tissue in the breast.

A change in the size or shape of one or both breasts.

Discharge from either nipple.

A lump or swelling in the armpit.

Dimpling of the skin of the breast.

A rash on or around the nipple.

Changes to the appearance of the nipple.

Pain in the breasts or armpits.

Source: NHS Choices

Mrs Brazil, who owns a lighting business with husband Glen, 51, says she owes her survival to Lorraine Kelly and Dr Hilary Jones, the on-screen expert with whom she discussed breast cancer on the show.

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‘If it hadn’t been for me watching that edition of Lorraine I might have waited to go to the doctor and the cancer would have spread without me knowing,’ she said.

‘I now say that Lorraine and Dr Hilary saved my life.’ 

Mrs Brazil, 47, had ignored her symptoms for months until she watched the ITV show that morning last autumn, in which Lorraine, 53 - who has long supported cancer charities - urged viewers to check themselves for abnormalities.

As part of a ‘breast awareness week’, the show discussed hidden symptoms - such as women suddenly developing an inverted nipple, dimpling around the nipple and unusual pain in the breasts or armpits.

Mrs Brazil (pictured with husband, Glen, before her diagnosis) has endured surgery to remove the tumour, chemotherapy and radiotherapy

Mrs Brazil, from Redditch in Worcestershire, was concerned she had two of the three symptoms and booked an appointment with her GP. 

She was then referred to a specialist and had a mammogram which revealed she had a 10p-sized cancerous tumour behind her right nipple.

She was treated with chemotherapy and had the tumour removed by operation in November.

As a result of catching the cancer early, Mandy avoided having a full mastectomy.

Yesterday she described the moment it dawned on her that she might have breast cancer.

Mrs Brazil says she owes her survival to Lorraine Kelly (left) and Dr Hilary Jones (right). During the show, Lorraine discussed breast cancer with the on-screen expert

‘I generally always have the telly on in the background in the morning while I’m pottering about in the kitchen and settle down with a cuppa to watch Lorraine.

‘At that time they were doing a breast awareness week and Dr Hilary Jones was being interviewed and explained the symptoms and warning signs.

‘I knew myself there was something wrong but had tried to ignore it up until that point - I didn’t have any lumps so I thought it couldn’t be cancer.

‘But they started talking about three different symptoms and I realised that I ticked two on the list.’ She added ‘Watching Lorraine and Dr Hilary gave me the nudge I needed. I said to my husband: “I need to get this looked at”.

‘I thought: “I’ve got to face up to this” but when I got the news that they had found a tumour my feet didn’t quite touch the floor.

‘They found cancerous cells in my lymph nodes so got me straight on to the chemotherapy.

Mrs Brazil is going to appear on Lorraine next week to thank the presenter and Dr Hilary Jones for saving her life

‘Luckily my body responded really well to the treatment and I only had to have a lumpectomy rather than a breast removal which was a huge relief.’

Last week Mrs Brazil completed an intensive course of radiotherapy to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back.

To mark the end of her treatment, her daughter Kelly, 26, is running in her local Race for Life this Sunday to raise money for Cancer Research.

And next week, Mrs Brazil is joining Lorraine on the sofa to thank her and Dr Hilary in person.

‘I’m so grateful to them. I think I’ll give them both a big hug. I just hope women everywhere check themselves regularly. It takes five minutes but can save your life,’ she added.