IT would be fair to say it's been a difficult year for Darwen woman Sheila Rainford.

Diagnosed with breast cancer in February, she underwent a mastectomy a fortnight later and in the months following separated from her husband, lost her home and was threatened with redundancy.

But inspirational Sheila, 52, of Westmorland Close, has refused to sit around feeling sorry for herself - and has instead launched herself into starting a new charity.

"I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February. It was a huge shock - it came from nowhere," said Sheila.

"I've never been a sickly person and when you hear the word cancer you immediately think you're going to die."

After a mastectomy Sheila began a course of chemotherapy, which she has almost completed.

And despite being impressed with the support she has received from the breast cancer nurses, Sheila felt there was a huge hole in the process of gaining information - one she will attempt to fill.

"The thing about breast cancer is everybody knows a little bit but you don't know it all until you have it," she said.

"It's not that easy to extract information either and you go into such shock at the beginning that it's quite hard to ask the right questions.

"I wanted to speak to someone who had been through it themselves before I had the operation but there was no-one."

And so Sheila and three friends - wedding shop boss Jan Pettitt and the landladies of the Punchbowl pub in Darwen, Sue Otley and Lorraine Lewis - are hoping to set up a charity called East Lancashire Pink Ladies.

The charity will give those diagnosed with breast cancer the opportunity to talk to women further along the road to recovery about their experiences.

"Very early doors I realised that my hair was going to fall out and that I'd need a bandana, but I didn't know where to get one from," said Sheila.

"It's enough to cope with the operation and coming to terms with the diagnosis without having to run around trying to find a bandana and a wig.

"If I could have spoken to someone who had been through it they'd have been able to advise on where to get it from."

Sheila also wants the charity to offer support to women who don't have family who help them through.

"If people are divorced and don't have children they won't have people to come and visit them.

"We want to be in a situation where, when we know there's a lady in hospital with no visitors, we'll get someone to visit with a bottle of Ribena and a bunch of flowers and just sit and have a chat."

To set up the charity Sheila is relying on help from volunteers who she hopes will come forward.

She needs someone to design a logo and is hoping someone will help set up a website.

She is also looking for advice from anybody who knows about setting up a charity, perhaps with an accountancy background.

To kick-start fundraising Sheila is holding a World's Biggest Coffee Morning event for Macmillan Nurses at the Punchbowl on Sunday, October 1, from 10am to 11.30am.

And she is also raising funds to take part in a Breast Cancer Care charity trek through the rainforest in Phuket, Thailand, in February - arriving back a year to the day of her mastectomy operation.

To raise the £3,000 sponsorship she needs to go on the trek Sheila is trying to organise a Pink Ball before the end of the year - and is looking for venues to come forward to offer a room for about 200 people.

Sheila said although 2006 has been a difficult year, she is determined to use her experiences to help others.

"I've been to hell and back this year," she said.

"I separated from my husband of 11 years, left my home and am living off £70 a week sick money.

"I've had to go bankrupt. It's just been one thing after another.

"If I manage to get through this then I can do anything.

"Now I really want to make a difference to people.

"For the last 10 to 15 years I have been quite selfish, always wanting a bigger car, a new kitchen.

"Now I want to make a difference. This has inspired me to help others.

"If that's all I do for the rest of my life I'll be happy.

"But to get this off the ground I need people to come forward to help."

If you can help Sheila call her on 07849423165.