WORLSEY & ECCLES SOUTH MP BARBARA KEELEY BRAVELY BATTLED WITH BREAST CANCER AS SHE BATTLED FOR HER PARLIAMENTARY SEAT

The 67-year old MP & Shadow Mental Health Minister revealed that in the months in the run up to the General Election last year (Dec 2019) she had undergone treatment for breast cancer after finding a lump and being subsequently diagnosed with the disease earlier in May of that year.

Whilst the veteran MP battled to retain her parliamentary seat of which she has held since 2010 - she was also secretly & bravely fighting a much more important battle for her life after a shock diagnosis resulted in the MP having surgery to remove the tumour and lymphatic nodes during a recess of Parliament in May.

She spoke about how fighting an election campaign whilst recovering from radiotherapy was tough to deal with.

"The radiotherapy leaves you feeling very fatigued and you are never quite sure when one of those waves of fatigue is going to hit you.

Ms Keeley said she had gone public about her illness to raise awareness about self-examination for breast cancer and we could not agree with her more on the importance of regular checks.

Keeley told members of her local CLP on her Facebook page:

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"Tonight in our discussion on the General Election result I was able to talk to my Worsley and Eccles South Constituency Labour Party about how tough the campaign was for me, given that I was recovering from treatment for cancer.

"After I found a lump last April, I had a diagnosis of cancer confirmed on May 2nd.

"I was able to have surgery to remove the tumour and some lymph nodes in the May Recess.

"This was followed by 3 weeks of radiotherapy in July.

"I carried on working through the radiotherapy but it does bring with it a lot of fatigue.

"A General Election campaign in the cold and dark in November and December was very tough but I got great support from my agent Emily McDermott and my team Jennifer Gregory, Drew Carswell and Simon Dixon.

"Thanks also to our treasurer, John Davies, and to many members and councillors who helped in the campaign including Colette Weir, Adrian Brocklehurst, Brendan Ryan, Joe White, Ed, David Jolley, Nigel Greensitt, Elizabeth Camerownviews, our Constituency Secretary Jack Youd and Chair Councillor John Walsh.

"Thanks to all these and all our councillors and members for their help.

"Thanks are also due to my surgeon and oncologist and their teams at Guys Hospital in London for their great care and to my wonderful husband Colin Huggett for all his support.

"And thanks to all my supportive friends at work, but particularly Diana Johnson and Thangam Debbonaire."

Adding on Twitter:

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"I want to emphasise again and again the importance of self checking, which is how I how I found the lump that proved to be breast cancer.

"I'm so glad it was caught in time and that I am now, hopefully, cancer-free."

 

Her Tory opponent, Rabbi Arnold Saunders, said he was "very shocked" at the revelation as he spoke of his admiration of his opponent.

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"Hats off to her. I am full of admiration for Barbara. I hope she stays well"

 

Hopefully, the treatment worked well and she will make a full recovery.

We can not over-stress the importance of regular breast check-ups and screening both by yourselves and by your doctor.

Early diagnosis and treatment can save needless deaths from occurring. Barbara pops in on our Facebook Group 'SalfordOnline' from time to time and we would like to wish her a full and speedy recovery.

We can only echo the words of Rabbi Saunders when we say we have huge respect for her, to battle an election is a huge task in itself, to do it whilst under treatment for Cancer is nothing short of phenomenal. Northern Lasses are made from strong stuff.

Photo: Barbara Keeley