HAVING lost her dad to cancer and seeing her mum struggle to cope after a serious fall, Angie Ayres didn’t think things could get much worse ... until she was diagnosed with cancer herself.

But through the gloom, love blossomed for Angie when a teenage friend she had known since her teenage years, Phil Gilbert, helped see her through a very difficult time.

The part played by Phil and other close friends who helped Angie, 52, face the fear of going through cancer is at the heart of a new ground-breaking TV advert from Cancer Research UK.

Angie is one of several patients filmed at Southampton General Hospital who feature in the charity’s new ‘Right Now’ campaign, which launched on ITV on Christmas Eve.

Filming took place during a week in November at the Southampton General Hospital, capturing real-time footage of doctors, nurses, cancer patients and their friends and family.

Filming also took place at the Leeds Cancer Centre, the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and St Bartholomew’s Hospital London.

The powerful films – which show real patients in real-life moments – are a call for everyone to take action in the battle against cancer.

One of the adverts features Angie with a long-time friend during treatment at Southampton General Hospital.

Phil, aged 51, was unable to attend all her hospital appointments due to work commitments and her friend, Angie Todd, kindly offered to attend some with her.

Angie also felt the need to attend alone on occasions to gain support and information from other cancer patients who were going through treatment and understood how it felt.

Cancer Research UK’s ‘Right Now’ campaign shows the reality of cancer for patients like Angie, their friends and family.

Angie, from Portswood, was diagnosed with breast cancer in March, 2015. It was discovered soon after Angie returned to live in Southampton – where she grew up – from Wales to look after her mum following a serious fall just months after her dad, George Ayres, died from cancer aged 83.

Angie said: “I found all the travelling very difficult on top of my full-time job.

"I was running myself into the ground trying to sort everything out, so I decided to move back to Southampton – and I thank my lucky stars every day because moving saved my life.”

After registering with a new GP, Angie was invited for a mammogram which revealed highlighted she had an aggressive breast cancer.

She had a lumpectomy and follow-up surgery and completed more than six months of gruelling chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment on Christmas Eve.

Angie said: “After my dad died I never thought in a million years that I’d get cancer too.

"I was scared going through chemo, but it was much better having friends there.

“It has been a hell of a journey and Phil saw me through the bad times”.

As teenagers, Phil and Angie were both “mods” and shared a love of northern soul music.

Their shared interests kept them in touch as friends for 35 years but they became close after Angie’s dad died in November 13.

“It feels like it was meant to happen. Phil has been my rock.

“We have always had a connection. When I started coming home more often, when my dad and then my mum took ill, friends and family were very supportive and Phil was one of them.

“I feel extremely fortunate my cancer was caught and my experience means I understand all too clearly why Cancer Research UK’s work is so important and why I wanted to be filmed and play my part in the campaign”.

Helen Johnstone, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Hampshire, said: “We’re so grateful to Angie for her support.

“We would also like to thank the staff at Southampton General Hospital for allowing us to show the reality of cancer – for the various patients battling the disease, and also the doctors, oncologists, nurses and support staff who are working tirelessly, every day, in order to help them.

“Every week more than 850 people are diagnosed with cancer in the South East*.

"Our campaign shows that research is working – people like Angie are getting their lives back.

“Her experience highlights the importance of research in helping to find better, kinder and more effective treatments and the power we all have to help make a difference.

"There are so many ways to get involved – from signing up for Race for Life to giving time to volunteer in our shops.

“With continued support from people in Hampshire we can find more cures faster.

"The time to act against cancer is right now.

“We hope everyone who sees the campaign will feel moved and be inspired to get involved, in whatever way they can, to help us beat cancer sooner.”