A breast cancer survivor is urging women to attend routine appointments as part of breast cancer awareness month.

Shirley Bannister, who lives in Great Lever, was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, a non-invasive breast cancer, in December 2019 after attending a routine mammogram appointment.

The 62-year-old said she only attended the appointment as she was persuaded by a friend, but she is now encouraging all women to attend these appointments if invited by the hospital.

She said: “At the time honestly I just couldn’t be bothered sorting it out.

“Just always seems like mither trying to attend the appointment around work and everything else.

“But a friend kept telling me I had to go so I did eventually.

“Only a week later I got a letter asking me to come in for another appointment ­— straight away I thought this can’t be good.”

She attended the appointment after the mammogram on October 22 2019 at the Evergreen suite at Bolton hospital where she was told there was some cause for concern.

Miss Bannister said: “It was really surprising as I had no symptoms, no lumps or bumps, nothing.

“I hadn’t told any family or friends at this point, it was hard enough to deal with in my own head, it wasn’t a nice place to be in at all.

“Next I had to go through the biopsies which were really awful and after that on November 14 it was confirmed I had cancer.

“I shed a few tears but thought I just need to crack on with this. They said I needed surgery to remove my left breast and that this could be before or after Christmas."

Shirley decided to wait until after Christmas for the surgery as she didn’t want her family looking after her over this time.

She said: “I didn’t know how much pain I would be in and I didn’t want to put my family through that.

“I even started to have thoughts that this could be my last Christmas so didn’t want to be in pain for it.”

Shirley then turned 62 in January and carried on working as a funeral arranger whilst this was all going on, before her mastectomy on January 13.

“I could just be sat in a corner crying about it but I have been given a chance by catching it early, some people aren’t given a ray of hope.

“Going through all this made me realise that you never know what someone is going through, you could be passing people on the street all the time that are struggling but you would never know.

“The week of waiting after the mastectomy was the hardest as you just don’t know what the journey is going to bring next.

“It was the first time I properly cried. Just the thought I could be told I was terminal was horrible.

“It wouldn’t have been my luck to be told it had gone away and I feared the worst.”

But on January 22 Shirley was given the all clear.

Shirley added: “Everyone at the hospital was amazing. They treated me like family, from the reception to the doctors.”

She has also made a plea for people to get checked, and to not ignore the letters.

Shirley said: “I’m so lucky I went when I did because I could have easily put it off a year and been told then that I am terminally ill.

“I was given a chance, I am definitely one of the lucky ones ­— you’ve just got to take it head on because it’s life changing either way.”

Tracy Collard, cancer screening improvement lead for Bolton NHS foundation trust, said these appointments can really help save lives.

She said: “We’re so grateful to Shirley for sharing her story which may encourage others to have their breast screening when invited.

“During breast cancer awareness month we are raising awareness and this highlights the importance of booking your mammogram appointment when you receive a letter asking you to contact us.

“Eligible ladies are aged between 50 and 71 and are invited every three years to come along for breast screening – it really can save their life.

“Thanks to Shirley and we’re glad she is now all clear and well.”