VILLAGERS in Pensilva are backing a campaign by resident Ann Lucas - who was diagnosed eight years ago as having inoperable cancer - to raise £1,000 for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer campaign.

Ann, 45, has defied doctors' predictions, for when she diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in l992 it was thought she only had months to live. Since then she has undergone a mastectomy, numerous courses of chemotherapy of varying strengths, has been given radiotherapy treatment, has fought on when the cancer spread elsewhere, and has spent a period in Mount Edgcumbe Hospice.

Throughout she has remained as positive as possible. During the years of treatment she has raised money for other Cancer campaigns. This time she aims to bring in £1,000 for Breakthrough – and friends, family and fellow Pensilva residents are helping her.

Friends

Pensilva Stores have donated tubes of Smarties which are being filled with lps, 5ps or 20ps, and the shop together with Liskeard's Formative Fun is selling campaign 'Crocus' pins. Also available are pens donated by Avon.

Friends of Ann's are organising an invitation supper at Pensilva's Millennium House on November 24, a raffle is to be drawn nearer Christmas for which prizes are being sought, and at a surprise auction items will be gift-wrapped before being sold.

Ann will sell home made jams, chutneys and pots of crocus bulbs at a craft fayre at Millennium House on December 16, and her daughter Claire, 17, and her friend Becky Beesley will raise funds at St Austell college on November l by wearing their bras outside their clothing. Millennium House is also to be the venue for a special Easter bingo session.

Doctors at Derriford Hospital have told Ann she ought to write a book outlining her fight against breast cancer, which in her case is hereditary as her mother died from it, as did her grandfather and five of his sisters. Her ordeal began when she found a pea sized lump about ten years ago. Although not diagnosed as cancer initially, as a mammogram gave an 'all clear', doctors discovered the truth when her breast became inflamed and doubled in size. After undergoing a strong dose of chemotherapy, a lower dose eventually worked. But she later faced breathing problems when the cancer returned to her lungs, as well as a lump in the other breast, ovarian cancer which led to the removal of her ovaries and womb and cancer spreading to her abdomen and pelvis, and her abdomen filling with fluid. After facing such trials - along with husband Mike, daughters Claire and Amy, 15 and son Christian, 12 - she says she is more relaxed than she has been for years, and takes life as a series of challenges.

'At the moment this campaign is my challenge.'