'If I hadn't lost weight and checked out my reflection, I'd never have known I had breast cancer'

As the mum-of-two admired her new svelte figure after losing three stone and dropping from a 38DD bra size to a 34C, she spotted a lump on her breast.

Lisa immediately went to her GP and has now completed life-saving treatment after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

The 43-year-old, said: “The doctors told me if I hadn’t have lost the weight, they would never have found the cancer.

“Who knows if or when I would have discovered the tumour. It might have been too late.

“Losing weight has saved my life. If it wasn’t for feeling so fabulous, I’d never have spotted the horrible thing growing inside me hidden under fat and I’d be underground now.”

Lisa, who with husband Nathan, 33, has a son Kai, seven, and daughter Elsie-May, five, said she felt so happy to have children later in life, that being content meant she piled on the pounds, at her heaviest tipping the scales at 12st 12lbs for her 5ft 3½in frame.

A self-confessed fast food junkie, she says at times she would eat McDonalds for breakfast, McDonalds for lunch and a large Domino’s pizza with alcohol for dinner.

However, her love of junk food left her body conscious.

“I absolutely hated my body. I have big mirrored wardrobes in my room and I’d literally run past them. I felt disgusting.”

Lisa before her weight loss

Lisa, from Bitterne, joined Jo McDonald’s Slimming World group in Bitterne and by eating healthy food such as eggs, chicken salad, plenty of fruit, and homemade curries she reached her target of 9st 6lbs in just seven months.

She said: “For the first time in a very very long time I could see my ribs!

Before then I didn’t realise what my breastbone was!

“I was so pleased with myself at having lost all that weight, I couldn’t stop checking out my body – and I am so glad I did.”

It was only because she lost the pounds that she was able to see a lump in her right breast when she looked in the mirror, which had been hidden under layers of fat.

Soon after discovering the lump last October, Lisa was diagnosed with cancer.

“I felt so chuffed to reach my target weight, but then suddenly, bang, it was complete devastation. My whole world flipped and I freaked out, it was my worst nightmare – even although two weeks earlier when doctors said they weren’t sure, I knew it was cancer.

“It turned out the lump I felt originally was just fatty tissue and the tumour was in another part of my breast.

“It was the worst day of my life.”

Lisa underwent surgery to remove the tumour and two lymph nodes, but discovered on Christmas Eve the surgery would have to be repeated to ensure all the cancerous tissue on her breast had been removed.

“I was gutted, but so happy when the results confirmed there had been no cells left behind. Doctors are confident they have got everything now.”

Lisa didn’t need chemotherapy because her cancer was caught early.

But she has just finished a five-week course of radiotherapy after waiting for several weeks to recover from surgery.

Lisa says having breast cancer has changed her outlook and is thankful she lost weight.

“I am so lucky and thank my lucky stars and all the support of my family and friends that I will kick cancer’s butt.”

Lisa, who is well-known in Swaythling where she runs her own business, Solo Hair Designer, and has taken very little time off work during treatment and has even had a tattoo inked of the breast cancer pink ribbon with the word ‘survivor’.

She added: “My life has always been hectic with two beautiful young children and it still is.

“But now I treasure every second and don’t let little things bother me as much. You can’t stress the small stuff.

“My family have been amazing.”

Lisa is taking part in this year’s Race for Life. Her team including her son and daughter is called Lisa’s Boob Buddies and she hopes her personal experience of cancer and the power of research will encourage other women to take part at Southampton Common over the weekend of July 4 and 5.

Lisa, who raised £600 within four weeks, said: “I’m determined to do everything I can to recruit an army of women to join me at this year’s event.

“By standing together in the bid to beat cancer, we can fight back against this devastating disease. I can’t wait to take part in Race for Life and show cancer that hell hath no fury like a woman in pink.”

Race for Life

WITH her renowned fighting spirit Lisa is calling on women to form a pink army and join her in the Race for Life this summer.

The mum-of-two joined hundreds of shoppers get an early taste of the power and passion of Race for Life when she attended a Battle HQ event in Southampton’s WestQuay on Sunday.

Shoppers had funky face paint designs, bold tattoo transfers and nail art to get their battle look ahead of the 5k, 10k and Pretty Muddy challenges.

To enter Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, go to: raceforlife.org or call: 0300 123 0770.

To support Lisa go to: justgiving.com/lisablue