Sylvia Chisnall is a brave woman. Tomorrow she will be strutting her stuff down the catwalk - despite having had surgery for breast cancer, writes Gemma Simms.

The mum-of three, who is in her 40s, is taking part in Fashion Focus 2000 in aid of Abingdon-based charity Action Against Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer is certainly in the public eye at the moment, with EastEnders' Peggy Mitchell going through a traumatic time following a mastectomy, and now Coronation Street's Alma Baldwin finding a lump on her breast.

It can be devastating for women and more money is constantly needed to help fund research into breast cancer. Helping a charity like Action Against Breast Cancer is important to Sylvia, who lives in Carterton. She discovered a lump on her breast in November.

Her mother had already died from the disease six years ago so Sylvia was understandably worried.

"I became anxious after finding the lump, especially because my mum had died from breast cancer, but I was told my possibilities of getting it were quite slim because Mum had got it in later life.

"It was only a small lump on my right breast but then I found one on the other side too. The lump on my right breast had a different feel to it, though, more knotted and textured," said Sylvia. Her husband Phil noticed the lump was still there a few weeks later and although it hadn't changed in size they decided Sylvia should see her doctor.

"We were both apprehensive when we saw my doctor. He referred me to the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Oxford, where they wanted to take fluid from the lumps to extract cells."

Although Phil and Sylvia were trying to be positive, Sylvia already knew the signs weren't good - there was no fluid to extract, only cells, so her hopes of the lumps being mere cysts were already out of the window.

"It wasn't pleasant having the cells extracted through a syringe. Afterwards, I knew in my heart what it was and Phil was very concerned. "Then the consultant came back and confirmed my worst fears. He told me I had breast cancer. It was still a total shock to me when he said it and I just remember thinking, why me?" said Sylvia.

"It was like my life had stopped. It really felt like my world had come to an end. I started wondering whether I would see another Christmas and how fast the cancer would grow."

Sylvia was referred to Oxford's Churchill Hospital, where she underwent chest X-rays to make sure the cancer hadn't spread, and then had an operation.

Surgeons carried out a lumpectomy and removed her lymph glands - but they saved her breasts. "I remember waking up and thinking, I'm still alive but I wonder what I've got left. I wasn't in any pain at all and when I looked down, I was delighted to see both my breasts, although I was quite bruised.

"But I still felt like a woman at the end of it all."

A week later, Sylvia went back to see the surgeon, who was then able to give her the full results of her operation.

He told Sylvia her lump was only a centimetre long. He'd removed it, along with surrounding tissue, and there were no cancer cells in the lymph glands.

"I was so relieved. I'm now taking Tamoxifen tablets for the next five years and am currently having radiotherapy as a precautionary measure."

In June, Sylvia is hoping to get the all-clear. Her story looks like having a happy ending but many don't, and that is why she is going to model a variety of outfits on the catwalk.

"The more we all support functions like this, the closer we will get to finding a cure to help us all," said Sylvia.

*House of Colour presents Fashion Focus 2000 at the Four Pillars Hotel tomorrow at 7.30pm. Tickets, at £6.50, are available from Lisa Whiteside on 01993 881476.

Story date: Monday 03 May

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.