Age is a challenge to the mind and the body but like every challenge I’ve ever met, I have risen to it. There is an entrenched belief in society that getting flabby and sedentary and disconnected from life is an inevitable part of the ageing process. But that’s just not true.
Some say that age is just a number and for others it’s the excuse to put their feet up and let life pass them by. Speaking personally the last few years of my life have been the best, and the busiest. The world is a wonderful place to be in at this time of life, and I can’t see any reason to waste time by doing nothing.
I suppose it was the prospect of losing my life, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the height of my fame in 1987, that instilled in me the determination that having been given a 2nd chance in life I would never again waste another day.
It was quite by chance that my cancer was discovered thanks to the Daily Mail. I was 47 at the time and in the early stages of the menopause, having hot flushes. When I read an article in the paper about a trial for hormone replacement therapy, I thought I’d volunteer. I was particularly interested in the claims that it could improve bone density and stave off osteoporosis. Green Goddesses need strong bones!
Before I could take part in the trials some medical tests including a mammogram were required. That mammogram probably saved my lifeAGE IS A CHALLENGEbecause it showed that I had breast cancer. I underwent a bi-lateral mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction. Today I am fighting fit!