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Patricia “Tricia” Penrose was born 9 April 1970 in Kirkby, Merseyside and is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Gina Ward in ITV1′s long-running 1960s drama Heartbeat, a role she played continuously from 1993 to 2010. She has also appeared in The Royal, Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Boon, Justice and Dancin’ Thru the Dark.

After Tricia’s own heartache, finding out the devastating news that her beloved Mum, Sue had been diagnosed with lung cancer nearly 2 years ago, Tricia is one of the many celebrities fronting, along with her very brave Mum, the‘Be Clearof Cancer’ campaign which raises Lung Cancerawareness. The campaigners want people to be more aware of the symptoms and to encourage people to go to their doctor to get checked out.Sue now is thankfully in remission and we pray that she recovers fully from this horrendous disease which devastates so many lives around the world.

Other celebrities supporting the campaign are; Ricky Gervais, Robert Powell, Nilesk Shukla, Lynda Bellingham, Duncan Bannatyne, Jenny Frost and Terri Dwyer.

Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said:

“Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer in this country but worryingly many people don’t know the signs and symptoms that could save their lives. The earlier lung cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance of survival”.

I have had my own personnel trauma when I lost my beautiful Mum to ovarian cancer. She was diagnosed in December 2003 and died in August 2004. She had symptoms for years but was only treated for a blocked bowel and kept being sent home with fibre drinks and laxatives. If we had known the symptoms of this type of cancer, her life could have been saved. 

I have spoken to Trish at length about my own experience of cancer and tried to give the best advice I could to help her through such a dreadful experience for anyone to go through with a loved one. It helped me so much to hear from friends who had experienced ‘Cancer’ to understand how to cope, and more importantly to be strong for the person who is living with it.

Professor Sir Mike Richards, National Cancer Director for England, said:

“It is vital that cancer patients get treated quickly so they have the best chance of surviving. We have made early diagnosis central to our Cancer Outcomes Strategy. Earlier diagnosis of Lung Cancer combined with the best treatments could help save an additional 1,300 lives a year.”