One of my greatest fears when I had children was that I’d never be as good a mum as my own mother was. I can remember when I had my first child – a son, Eddie – in July 2009, I cradled him in my arms and promised him I’d try to be every bit as kind and selfless as she was.
Then aged 62, my mum Lynne had been my best friend growing up. I was an only child and Mum was devoted to me. While my dad Leighton was working overseas as an engineer, Mum and I would bake cupcakes together, and when I became an adult, we would go on holidays and lunch dates. Even when I married Dale, then 31, in January 2006, not a day went by that I didn’t see or speak to Mum.
When Eddie was born, and later Rosa, in January 2013, Mum babysat while I worked at my corporate sales job.
But when Mum popped round one day in October 2015, her face etched with worry, I immediately panicked. Mum revealed she’d just been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. She told me not to cry, she wanted me to be strong, but it took all my resolve not to break down.
Suddenly I felt like I was 13 years old again, when I’d found out for the first time that Mum had a lump in her breast.
I can remember being terrified that she would die, and so relieved when an operation to remove the lump had worked. Only now, here we were 28 years later, going through it all again – the cancer was back. I hadn’t even known she was going in for tests, so it was a huge shock.
Esta historia es de la edición January 31, 2022 de WOMAN - UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición January 31, 2022 de WOMAN - UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Fast&fresh DINNERS
Healthy meals to keep you satisfied on busy weeknights.
Health checks that could SAVE YOUR LIFE
We service our cars and boilers to make sure they run smoothly, so why not our bodies?
FEEL SEXIER in 60 seconds
Try these instant tricks to lift your libido and get turned on fast
Destination SWAPS
Change your favourite resorts for these great-value, lesser-known places
5 steps to the PERFECT HALLWAY
Try these makeover musts to transform the often-overlooked space into an entrance you can be proud of ai
The secrets WE KEEP
Two women explain why they realised it was finally time to speak up
Our split made us STRONGER!
Bernie Jones loves her husband more after their break-up 4
Can our beloved NHS BE SAVED?
With waiting lists for surgery reaching new highs, we investigate the lengths patients are going to in order to receive treatment
WANT TO SEE BEHIND THE CASTLE GATES?
It’s an interesting development that King Charles has increased public access to Buckingham Palace and opened up Balmoral Castle for the first time.
'The divorce SPEAKS FOR ITSELF"
Singer-turned-actor Billie Piper on her turbulent past and becoming the woman she is today