'It took cancer to change my toxic life'

Survivor Alex Simms on how her diagnosis kickstarted a major overhaul that would make her happier and healthier

- WORDS: SUE LEE

Alex with her family

Mum-of-three Alex Simms says her life used to be toxic — she was exhausted, anxious and binge-eating.

But she says a shock breast cancer diagnosis “cured” her.

Alex, who prefers her nickname La, was offered a routine mammogram at the age of 46, instead of waiting until 50, as part of a local trial targeting younger women. She was shocked to discover she had an invasive ductal carcinoma in her left breast.

But she said: “I know it may sound strange but I would 100 per cent go through the hell of it all again because it’s brought me to where I am today — to a happier life.”

La, now 55, from Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, admitted: “I actually missed the mammogram appointment because one of the kids had a sports match. I didn’t worry about it. It was voluntary after all.”

Given another appointment a few days later, La, who is mum to Lily, 22, Maisy, 20, and 14-year-old Harry, said: “I just rocked up and didn’t think anything of it. There was no cancer in the family, I breastfed the kids — I wasn’t worried. I didn’t even ask when I'd get the results.”

But a week later, a letter arrived calling her in for more tests at a local hospital and encouraging her to bring someone with her.

After a further mammogram and subsequent biopsy, doctors broke the news to Alex and her husband Jason, 54, a TV executive, that she had breast cancer, probably at stage two.

“I walked in and there was a little room with a sofa and tissues and I remember thinking, ‘Oh, that’s where people go when they get bad news.’ A few minutes later, I was there.

“It was a total shock and my world fell apart. I was told the cancer was so deep-rooted I would never have felt a lump and if I'd waited until I was older to have the mammogram, I may not have survived.