AT THE age of 65, Celia Webber has a lot to be thankful for.

She’s faced a lot of heartache over the years, watching her mother and only sister die from cancer, and has even battled the disease herself.

Luckily, she was able to beat the illness and has now devoted her life to supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer – a world-class UK research charity which funds research into finding a cure for the disease.

“I am lucky to be alive,” said Celia, from Ellesmere Port.

“And this is mainly due to a set of circumstances which meant my breast cancer was discovered in its early stages.

“My mother died from ovarian cancer in 1971 and my sister and I were devastated but to make up for our loss, we worked together to bring up our young families.

“Sadly in 1993, after years of minor gynaecological problems, my sister, who was my only sibling, was also diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

“Despite this death sentence, we had three magnificent years together, sharing and caring for each other and our children.”

Realising there could be a hereditary problem, Celia decided to have her ovaries removed as a precaution, and she and her friends and family assumed she would be safe.

“Shortly after this, my wonderful sister died,” she said.

“Despite all the treatment she had, some of it really aggressive, her cancer just had not been caught early enough.

“I visited a geneticist who told me that breast cancer and ovarian cancer were linked and, although I hadn’t reached menopausal age, I was advised to have a mammogram. Sure enough, when I did, they found the early stages of breast cancer so I then had the works – a mastectomy and chemotherapy.”

Tests revealed Celia had inherited a mutated BRCA2 gene and when her and her sister’s children were subsequently tested, it was discovered all five of them had also inherited the mutation.

“For the girls, this means that, without intervention, they have an 80% chance of getting breast cancer in their lifetime,” said Celia.

“For the boy, he is at increased risk of getting prostate cancer and time will tell if they are affected and have passed the fault on to their children.

“Since my treatment I have learnt so much about breast cancer. The earlier the cancer is found, the better the chance of beating it.

“One in eight women in the UK will get breast cancer in their lifetime – it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, with about 48,000 new cases every year.”

Celia added: “With my family history, it’s understandable why I support Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

“Breakthrough’s award-winning TLC campaign (Touch, Look and Check) reminds women to check their breasts on a regular basis, identifying any alterations.

“Remember that early intervention is key, and if just one person reading this can benefit from hearing about my story, we may well have saved a life and saved a family the anguish and heartbreak that my family have been through.”

For more information about Breakthrough Breast Cancer, visit www.breakthrough.org.uk or ring its Freephone information line on 08080 100 200. For help in checking your breasts, view its app www.ibreastcheck.com.