A MOTHER is supporting the launch of a pioneering cancer helpline.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust’s telephone helpline is the first of its kind for anyone in the country affected by cervical cancer, which kills around three women in the UK every day, and sees one woman diagnosed every three hours.

Marie Challenger, 48, from Rishton, has given her backing to the new service which is being paid for by the chaity.

She hopes other women will not repeat the mistakes she made.

Marie knows only too well the need to speak to somebody, and to not ignore your cancer fears.

She said: “In my 30s I had problems with bleeding from my cervix and the pain was worsening. They sent me to Royal Blackburn Hospital where they took samples, about 16 years ago.

“But I didn’t go back, so a lot of it was my own fault, not facing up to it.

“I just thought it will go itself and put it out of my mind because it was very scary.”

When eventually diagnosed her cervical cancer was at an advanced stage three level.

She said: “I was diagnosed in 2005 and I was successfully treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

"But that does not mean it was an easy thing to go through and the fear and the need to talk don’t stop when the treatment does.

“I coped with it by not accepting it. I didn’t make a big thing of it. I said ‘oh, it’s only cancer, it will go’.

In November the mum-of-one received the news she was five years ‘all-clear’.

But the cancer has left its mark, the chemotherapy damaging her body to the point that she now has just 35 per cent use of one of her kidneys.

She said: “This could have been avoided. I look back and I can’t believe I ignored it.”

The helpline number is 0808 802 8000.

For more information visit www.jostrust.org.uk.