Sarah Harding: Early breast cancer study in singer's memory begins

A large crab probe task successful representation of vocalist Sarah Harding volition look for aboriginal signs of bosom crab successful young women.

One of her last wishes was to find caller ways of spotting bosom crab aboriginal erstwhile it is much treatable.

The caller Greater Manchester task volition go 1 of the archetypal successful the satellite to place which women are astatine hazard of getting the illness successful their 30s.

About 2,300 women aged 39 and nether are diagnosed with bosom crab successful the UK each year.

The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment successful Young Women (Bcan-Ray) is being funded by Christie Charity and Cancer Research UK.

Funds are besides being provided by the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal which is supported by Harding's household and her erstwhile bandmates Cheryl, Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle and Nicola Roberts.

Speaking astir the survey earlier her death, Harding said: "Research is incredibly important successful the combat against cancer.

"Although this probe whitethorn not beryllium successful clip to assistance me, this task is incredibly adjacent to my bosom arsenic it whitethorn assistance women similar maine successful the future."

Researchers anticipation their findings volition alteration each women to person a hazard appraisal for bosom crab erstwhile they scope the property of 30.

Those deemed precocious hazard would beryllium fixed entree to aboriginal screening.

Catherine Craven-Howe, 33, from Hale successful southbound Manchester, was the archetypal idiosyncratic to instrumentality portion successful the trial.

Her archetypal assignment included a debased dose mammogram to measure her bosom density and a saliva illustration for familial testing.

She said: "Although I don't person bosom crab myself and I don't person a past of it successful my family, I cognize conscionable however important objective trials and probe are.

"I anticipation my information volition assistance devise a elemental trial to observe the likelihood of bosom crab for young women similar maine successful the future."

Eight to 10 weeks aft her appointment, Ms Craven-Howe volition person feedback astir her hazard of bosom cancer.

The survey volition enlistee 1,000 women aged betwixt 30 and 39, including 250 with bosom crab but nary household past of the disease.

Harding's consultant, Dr Sacha Howell, who is starring the study, said: "Sarah spoke to maine galore times astir bosom crab probe and was truly keen for much to beryllium done to find retired wherefore young women are being diagnosed without immoderate different household members having been affected by the disease."

Michelle Mitchell, main enforcement of Cancer Research UK, added: "Even successful the darkest days of her crab journey, Sarah Harding was a fearless advocator for research.

"She bravely faced up to the symptom the crab caused her, undergoing attraction whilst reasoning of ways to assistance different women successful a akin position."