Loose Women’s Brenda Edwards says having cancer has made her ‘appreciate every day’ as she admits she ‘faces a life of uncertainty’

Loose Women panellist Brenda Edwards has said breast cancer has given her a whole new perspective on life.

The former X Factor star, 55, who has been cancer-free for nine years, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 at the age of 46.

For Brenda, having cancer has made her “appreciate every day” as it has left her with “a life of uncertainty” after the difficult times she has endured.

She told me The mirror: ‘Having cancer changes everyone, because you have to deal with a life full of uncertainty, which makes you appreciate life every day.

‘I am very grateful for what life brings me. I have always been a go-getter, but now I am even more so. If you don’t try, you’ll never know. Maybe you can, so I’ll try almost anything.’

The former X Factor star, who has been cancer-free for nine years, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 at the age of 46

Brenda also credits her co-star Coleen Nolan for going to the hospital with her for tests when she felt a new lump, from which all was clear.

She said: ‘Once you’ve had it, you’re told that if there’s anything else, no matter how big or small, you need to mark it. It’s nice to have someone like Coleen because she’s so funny. Coleen is the perfect person to distract you and take your mind off the worst.’

Brenda discovered a lump under her right breast in late 2015 and began chemotherapy for six months before undergoing 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 what symptoms to look out for.

Secondary breast cancer, also known as metastatic breast cancer, is when tumor cells that 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 certainly one of them, but for me it was trying to be as positive as possible.’

‘72% of breast cancer survivors don’t know which parts of your body secondary breast cancer can occur, so know what to look out for.’

Adding: ‘The most likely areas to be affected by breast cancer are your head, your brain, your lungs, your skin and your liver.’

She said: ‘Having cancer changes everyone because you face a life of uncertainty, which makes you appreciate life every day. I am very grateful for what life brings me. I have always been a go-getter, but now I am even more so’

Brenda also credits her co-star Coleen Nolan for taking her to the hospital for tests 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, you need to mark it. It’s nice to have someone like Coleen because she’s so funny. Coleen is the perfect person to distract you and take 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 the onset of menopause, which still affects her today.

In 2021, Brenda revealed that she once broke down on stage during a production of Hairspray after learning she had stage three breast cancer.

She recounted the heartbreaking moment her co-stars all started crying one night while singing “I Know Where I’ve Been.”

Brenda was a guest on Martin and Roman’s Weekend Best and explained why that particular song is so “poignant” to her.

“When I did the show in 2016, I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and I did the show and sang that song,” she said.

‘It’s like ‘There’s a road we’ve been on, we’ve lost so many along the way’ and those words came up and the cast all started crying.

‘Tracy Turnblade, she held my hands with tears and I was like, “Honey, I can’t sing and cry, you gotta stop this, please stop it.”

‘The main change was there was no singing at all because I was just in tears, the first four five rows they were in tears and I’m sure they said, ‘Wow, this is really good acting’ because no one knew, I wouldn’t have done that.’ I didn’t say anything about it.’

The audience, unaware of her diagnosis at the time, gave her a standing ovation.