Sarah Beeny puts up Christmas decorations with just TWO days to go – amid breast cancer battle

Sarah Beeny took to Instagram on Friday to share a snap of herself putting up some last-minute Christmas decorations, just 48 hours before the big day.

The presenter, 50, who is currently battling breast cancer, kept things casual in a green sweater and jeans as she adorned her bannisters with foliage and pine cones.

In her caption, the beaming star quipped: ‘Trying to get most of the garden attached to bannisters…….!! X.’

Busy bee: In her caption, the beaming star quipped: ‘Trying to get most of the garden attached to bannisters…….!! X’

It comes after Sarah was praised by her fans as she visited the Institute of Cancer Research to learn about genetics amid her own battle with the disease.

The broadcaster took to Instagram on Monday evening to share a photograph of herself with Professor Clare Turnbull as she visited the cancer research organisation.

She sported a white ICR lab coat as she posed alongside the NHS consultant in clinical cancer genetics as she spent the morning at the institute.

Sarah, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in July, was praised by her 248,000 followers as ‘amazing’ and an ‘inspiration’ for raising awareness for cancer research.

‘Inspiring’: It comes after Sarah was praised by her fans as she visited the Institute of Cancer Research to learn about genetics amid her own battle with the disease

Taking to the comments section, one person wrote: ‘Love the way you are researching the heck out of this insidious disease xx.’

While another added: ‘Looking fabulous Sarah and great to be talking to breast cancer/genetics professor Clare Turnbull.’

A third said: ‘They do great work!’, to which Sarah replied with: ‘So interesting!!! Genetics research is mind blowing!!’

A fourth commented: ‘Sarah you are a pioneer too and an amazing lady,’ and another added: ‘Hang on in there Sarah, a great inspiration to so many. Keep on going.’

Visit: The broadcaster spoke to Professor Clare Turnbull during her visit to the cancer research organisation

The Institute of Cancer Research in London is one of the world’s most influential cancer research organisations and looks into cancer genetics, cancer biology and personalised medicine.

Alongside her post, Sarah wrote of her visit: ‘Absolutely fascinating to talk #genetics with the brilliant Professor Clare Turnbull this morning – thank you so much @icr_london loved wearing a lab coat! Xx #cancerresearch #breastcancerawareness #breastcancer.’

Sarah, who is currently filming a documentary on cancer research, has previously spoken about finding a lump in her breast before her diagnosis in July.

She recently admitted she spent decades worrying that she would get breast cancer before her diagnosis after her mother died from the disease.

Diagnosis: Sarah, who is currently filming a documentary on cancer research, has previously spoken about finding a lump in her breast before her diagnosis in July

Sarah’s mother Ann tragically died from cancer 40 years ago at the age of 39, when Sarah was just 10 years old.

Appearing on Loose Women to speak on TV for the first time since her diagnosis, Sarah said she spent decades ‘waiting’ to get breast cancer after her mother’s battle with the disease.

Explaining how she spent decades worrying about cancer, Sarah said: ‘My mum died when I was 10 and I’ve just always assumed that I would get breast cancer.

‘Anyone else who’s lost a mum would feel this – she died at 39 so when I got to 39, I was like, ‘Here it is, this is it, this is the moment’. And then I got to 40 and was like, ‘Oh no, that wasn’t it – that’s not it!’.

Family: Sarah’s mother Ann tragically died from cancer 40 years ago at the age of 39, when Sarah was just 10 years old

‘So 40 was a bit of a bumpy moment, because I wasn’t sure what you do at 40 when you’re not dead. Then life went on and then I hit 50 and then I was diagnosed, and I thought, ‘Oh there it is. It was just waiting’.’

Reflecting on finding a lump on her breast, Sarah said it was initially dismissed as nothing to worry about, until she returned to the doctors to get it checked a few months later.

‘My mission, that I would like everyone to know, is that you should trust your own body,’ she said.

‘If you do have a lump and they say it’s all clear, if it doesn’t feel right go back again for another opinion.’

Fear: Appearing on Loose Women to speak on TV for the first time since her diagnosis, Sarah said she spent decades ‘waiting’ to get breast cancer after her mother’s battle with the disease

Sarah also opened up about how she has coped with losing her hair from chemotherapy, saying she thinks it is ‘wrong’ people are made to feel ‘shame’ about it.

In September, Sarah started chemotherapy and lost her hair after her four sons – Billy, 18, Charlie, 16, Rafferty, 14, and Laurie, 12 – had already chopped her shoulder-length hair to a shorter crop.

Sarah, who shares her sons with Graham Swift, explained: ‘It’s weird because I was trying to work out why losing your hair is so traumatic, because it shouldn’t be. It’s only hair isn’t it?

Hair loss: In September, Sarah started chemotherapy and lost her hair after her sons – Billy, 18, Charlie, 16, Rafferty, 14, and Laurie, 12 – had chopped her shoulder-length hair to a shorter crop

‘I think it’s wrong we should feel so much shame… I thought, I have a tannoy and an option to speak about this, and I think if it helps one person.

‘Maybe just because I feel it’s a bit empowering for me and maybe it’s a bit empowering for someone else to look at it and go, ‘Okay, you know what, I can just go out with a bald head too’.’

Sarah is currently filming a documentary about cancer and specifically her mother’s diagnosis 40 years ago, looking at how much treatment has improved since then.

The Macmillan Support Line offers free, confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. Call 0808 808 00 00 for support.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and affects more than two MILLION women a year

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Each year in the UK there are more than 55,000 new cases, and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it strikes 266,000 each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer develops from a cancerous cell which develops in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts.

When the breast cancer has spread into surrounding breast tissue it is called an ‘invasive’ breast cancer. Some people are diagnosed with ‘carcinoma in situ’, where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule.

Most cases develop in women over the age of 50 but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men though this is rare.

Staging means how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.

The cancerous cells are graded from low, which means a slow growth, to high, which is fast growing. High grade cancers are more likely to come back after they have first been treated.

What causes breast cancer?

A cancerous tumour starts from one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply ‘out of control’.

Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the chance of developing breast cancer, such as genetics.

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most breast lumps are not cancerous and are fluid filled cysts, which are benign. 

The first place that breast cancer usually spreads to is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this occurs you will develop a swelling or lump in an armpit.

How is breast cancer diagnosed?

• Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may do tests such as a mammography, a special x-ray of the breast tissue which can indicate the possibility of tumours.
• Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under the microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.

If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to assess if it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the liver or a chest x-ray.

How is breast cancer treated?

Treatment options which may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments are used.

• Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or the removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumour.
• Radiotherapy: A treatment which uses high energy beams of radiation focussed on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells, or stops cancer cells from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.
• Chemotherapy: A treatment of cancer by using anti-cancer drugs which kill cancer cells, or stop them from multiplying
• Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the ‘female’ hormone oestrogen, which can stimulate the cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments which reduce the level of these hormones, or prevent them from working, are commonly used in people with breast cancer.

How successful is treatment?

The outlook is best in those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small, and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumour in an early stage may then give a good chance of cure.

The routine mammography offered to women between the ages of 50 and 70 mean more breast cancers are being diagnosed and treated at an early stage.

For more information visit breastcancernow.org or call its free helpline on 0808 800 6000