Loose Women panellist Brenda Edwards has opened up about how her battle with breast cancer and the sudden death of her son, Jamal, have deeply impacted her life.
The 55-year-old former X Factor star, who has been cancer-free for nine years, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 at the age of 46. The chemo she needed to fight breast cancer in 2016 caused her early menopause.
In a candid interview with The Mirror, Brenda shared how her experience with cancer has made her appreciate every day and face a "life of uncertainty."
"Having cancer changes anybody, because you face a life of uncertainty, so it does make you appreciate life every day," Brenda said. "I’m very grateful for what life brings me.
"I’ve always been a go-getter, but now I’m even more so. If you don’t try, you’ll never know. You might succeed, so I’ll try almost anything."
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The second she felt a new lump she headed to the hospital for tests, accompanied by fellow Loose Women star Coleen Nolan.
Brenda added: “Once you’ve had it, you’re told that if there’s anything else, no matter how big or small, to flag it.
“It’s nice to have someone like Coleen [Nolan] because she’s so funny. If you’re in a waiting room and thinking of what could be, Coleen is the perfect person to distract you and keep your mind off the worst.”
Three of 59-year-old Coleen’s sisters, Bernie, Anne and Linda, have had breast cancer. Bernie died in July 2013, aged 52, and Linda, 65, is fighting secondary breast cancer which has spread to her brain.
Brenda's life took another devastating turn when her son Jamal died in February 2022 at the age of 31. Jamal, a well-known music entrepreneur and founder of SBTV, died from a cardiac arrest brought on by cocaine and alcohol.
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Brenda has been open about her grief, sharing her heartbreaking journey on Ashley Cain's MTV show Faces, where she recalled being with Jamal when he died.
"I was with Jamal when he passed, me and his sister, and I can say he was so peaceful, but it was a gut-wrenching moment for me," Brenda shared.
She also discussed the emotional pain she felt when the news of Jamal’s death was shared online just hours after his passing, admitting that she will never come to terms with the anger she felt over losing control of the announcement.
"I was very angry after seeing the news had broken on social media," she revealed. "I don't think I will ever come to terms with the disrespect."
