Sue Cleaver – Prevent Breast Cancer’s New Patron

You wanted to know what a breast cancer free future means to me, but it’s what it means to the world. Think of all the women, the mothers, the daughters, the sisters, the aunts and the cousins worldwide impacted by this horrible, horrible illness.

We’re proud to announce actress Sue Cleaver has joined Prevent Breast Cancer as a patron. She will work alongside Coronation Street co-stars, Sally Dynevor and Victoria Ekanoye, to help raise the charity’s profile and awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and the importance of screening.

Sue, who has played Eileen Grimshaw on Coronation Street since 2000, is currently starring as Mother Superior in the stage musical Sister Act, and we were lucky enough to steal a few moments of her time between rehearsals for a chat about her new role with Prevent Breast Cancer and life in general.

Commenting on becoming a patron, Sue said:

Breast cancer affects so many of us in different ways and there’s very few of us around who haven’t been impacted by breast cancer. I’ve known about Prevent Breast Cancer for many years and always admired the work the charity does to find out more about the prediction and prevention of breast cancer through research. Lots of people I know have been affected by breast cancer – many of them far younger than you would expect – and I wanted to do more to help raise awareness of the many issues that can affect our risk of developing cancer.

Sue has also appeared on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and is a returning panellist on ITV’s Loose Women:

I’m having a little sabbatical at the minute, and I’ll be back filming Coronation Street in June. Eileen is very much still there.

Commenting further on her break from the soap and everything she’s achieved since:

I believe it’s really important to get out of your comfort zone, as it’s too easy to sit and watch the world pass you by, because we never know what’s around the corner. We should grasp life and face it head on and if that means doing things that are bit scary, then it’s important to face those fears. Things happen and come to you at times when you’re not in your comfort zone, and there’s growth to be found in those times.

Prevent Breast Cancer’s vision is to make breast cancer a preventable disease for future generations. Research has shown that breast cancer can be caused by a range of risk factors, including those you can’t control, such as your genetics, breast density and age, and those you can influence, such as diet, lifestyle, and activity levels.

Sue is a great believer in the importance of putting health first:

I never miss my mammogram and I check myself regularly. Diet is important, and I gave up drinking two years ago, which has had a huge impact on my life. I’ve always been quite a healthy eater, and I’ve never been a processed food person at all. I definitely enjoyed my red wine with dinner and just by cutting that out I noticed a huge difference in my health. I love swimming and go several times a week. I also enjoy my aqua classes and get myself on the treadmill. No way am I a gym bunny, but I challenge myself.  I thought I hated the gym, but then I realised I don’t hate the gym, I just told myself I hated it.

We asked Sue what a breast cancer free future would mean to her:

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, and I have people close to me who have been impacted by it, including Sally and Victoria, and so Prevent Breast Cancer has always been a charity close to my heart. You wanted to know what a breast cancer free future means to me, but it’s what it means to the world. Think of all the women, the mothers, the daughters, the sisters, the aunts and the cousins worldwide impacted by this horrible, horrible illness.

As a charity, we’re confident that with Sue’s support, we can reach even more women and we look forward to seeing what we can achieve together:

I’m proud to be joining Prevent Breast Cancer as a patron and I’m really excited about helping share the charity’s message with more people.