Beverley Charman was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was just 35.

A divorced mum to nine year old Jack, she went from planning Christmas, to facing the loss of her breast, in just a matter of days.

But five years of fear have turned Miss Charman into a survivor, and she now helps other breast cancer victims prepare for the fight ahead.

Miss Charman, who is now 40 and lives in Banbury explained: "During the last five years I went from being shellshocked, to terrified and then angry about what was happening to me.

"At the beginning I resented my consultant, Carl Griffiths, for telling me I had cancer.

"But two weeks ago he gave me the all-clear.

"Now I know he has saved my life."

Miss Charman works for Debenham's in Banbury.

She recalled: "It was November 2002 and I was in the bath on a Friday evening when I felt something like a hard marble, in my breast.

"It didn't hurt, but I worried about it all weekend.

"I'd had relatives who'd had breast cancer and my aunty had died of secondary cancer when I was pregnant with Jack.

"I phoned the doctor's surgery on Monday morning and got an appointment at the Horton Hospital for the next day."

At the hospital Miss Charman saw a consultant, then had a mammogram and then a needle test, which drew fluid from the lump.

She said: "Two hours later the breast cancer nurse came to me and took me into the consultant's office.

"He told me I had breast cancer."

She said: "I thought they were going to say it was a cyst and that I'd go and see my mum, tell her about it and that would be it.

"Now I didn't know what to do next.

"The nurse wanted to call someone for me, but I didn't want to tell my mum or dad like that.

"I drove to my parents' house and told them and they were terribly upset.

"Right away I knew I didn't want a lot of people to know I had breast cancer.

"I told my sister and I had to go into work and tell personnel, but I felt I didn't want people to know.

"I knew that if people started ringing me up, I could start crying and not be able to stop.

"At night I would worry about what would happen to Jack if I died."

"Jack was my main concern and I didn't want to scare him anymore than I had to. I knew I had to be strong and fight this cancer."

Miss Charman discussed the options with her consultant, who advised her, because of the awkward position and size of the growth, to have the breast removed. She went in to have her breast removed just nine days after learning she had cancer.

Two weeks later, just before Christmas 2002, Miss Charman got the call she had been waiting for.

"My parents were with me when Mr Griffiths phoned to tell me the cancer had gone," she said.

"We all cried again, but this time it was with joy."

Incredibly, Miss Charman required no further treatment, or drugs, but her ordeal wasn't over.

She said: "I felt disfigured. I didn't think anyone would ever want me again and I didn't care about myself for a while.

"I discussed the options for reconstruction with the surgeon, Mr Oliver Cassell, and we decided on a Free TRAM Flap procedure."

TRAM stands for Transverse Rectus Abdominus Muscle. In this op, the muscle, skin and tissue is completely removed from the abdomen and transplanted to the chest. The blood vessels are cut and then reattached to blood vessels in the chest area using microsurgery techniques.

Fourteen months later, she went under the knife for a second time.

She said: "I won't lie, the operation was a biggie and I felt terrible for weeks afterwards. But I was amazed the first time I saw my new boob, my flat tummy and my new belly button!"

Miss Charman was offered the opportunity to talk to other women who had reconstruction, before she had surgery.

"Since then I have also had nipple reconstruction and I now feel more feminine."

She said: "This helped me a lot and because of that I put myself forward as a contact for women going through the same thing.

"Since the I've spoken to a lot of women, showed them the results of my surgery and hopefully prepared them for what to expect.

"No-one wants cancer, but you can fight it and win."

Miss Charman can be contacted at: b_charman@btinternet.com

CHARITY ACTION

Cancer Research UK is the major funder of breast cancer research in the UK and has its own research centre at the JR Hospital in Oxford.

The charity is organising events throughout October and is also helping people organise their own. For more details go to: www.cancerresearchuk. org/breastcancer or ring: 08701 602040 for a fundraising pack.