Sally's Saucy Stories

Product Information

She is to have reconstructive surgery. "I think when it comes to breast cancer, each woman will decide for herself whether she feels she needs reconstructive surgery.

Andrew has handled it brilliantly. He was one of the first people I told, because not only is he a colleague, but he's become a great friend. He's been 100 per cent supportive. He's the only person who's said: 'How are you feeling' when I got to work and if I say I'm having a bad day he takes on everything for me.''My youngest child Hattie - who’s 12 - gets a bit embarrassed though when she see the scenes. She’s like: “Oh God, that’s disgusting!” with her little hands in front of her face. Denise did slap me for real though! I just said to her, ‘Let’s not mess about, just go for it’. So she did and slapped me really hard. It was great fun because I hadn’t had that drama before. From then on I got story, after story. The impact of it has brought up emotions in me that I didn't know I had. And that's going to go on. Every day I learn something about myself which I never thought I would. I have got upset by doing it, as anybody would I suppose, but it's been a good thing because it's making me talk about it and helping me come to terms with it." It's going to make me feel better with my partner and give me the confidence I need in the job that I do."

Now that the operation is imminent, though, she does admit to doubts and fears. "I'm getting very nervous. You think of this operation in the future, the future, the future. Now I'm thinking 'I'm perfectly healthy! Why am I doing this' Because I am perfectly healthy. Later, I kept asking for appointments with the doctors and nurses to talk about it. I must have been a real nuisance, but I had to know - that this didn't have to be life-threatening." I just listened to what he said, but I didn't understand anything he said. We were expecting the phone call and my partner, John Paul, sat next to me and looked at me and he couldn't hear but he said I just went completely red in the face, and he knew something wasn't right. I changed totally. One project that she has committed to, with breathtaking candour, is the recording of the next few months of her life by BBC South's Southern Eye unit. Filming has already begun.I will be a different person; a much more open person - much happier, in a funny sort of way. "I'm not an aggressive sort of person at all, but when I'm on television there a particular image I suppose that is taken on. It's not the true image of me." Afterwards, I just burst into tears - uncontrollable crying for about five minutes. So much, John Paul couldn't get anything out of me for ages, which was awful for him." Sally's not looking forward to the sedentary life she'll be forced to lead while she recovers. A natural out-doors type, with a love for sailing and travelling, she knows it will be hard. Sometimes I think, did I ever let her know that I cared about her? Did I tell her enough? Maybe we don’t say enough to people we care about because we take it for granted that we are going to see them again the next day. Maybe we should nurture them more. Most Read

Through all of this, Sally continued on screen, night after night, as before. Only a handful of her colleagues were told.

For me, I'm in my early 40s and I have a new relationship which is very important to me. I've discussed this with my partner at length and I want to have reconstructive surgery. Yes, I've got cancer cells. But when you're perfectly healthy and feel well, it just seems radical to be doing this." That's the practicalities sorted out. Emotionally, though, she's been wrung out - and she knows there's more wringing to go.