Former nurse Pam gets behind Sam's Tickled Pink education drive

Pam, who's making an excellent recovery after having a mastectomy in January, has got to know Sam really well over the last few months, as she calls in most days to pick up her groceries.

And with Sam planning a series of events as part of our Tickled Pink campaign to encourage women and men to regularly check themselves for anything unusual, including visits to local schools, former care home nurse Pam wants to share her personal experience to drive the message home.

Tickled Pink raises awareness and money for Breast Cancer Now and CoppaFeel – and Pam says its work is invaluable.

She said: "I've always supported Tickled Pink, as it's such an important cause. The scale of breast cancer is enormous – every family knows someone who's been affected by it."

Pam was diagnosed with breast cancer after spotting a little discharge from her left breast in October. She was quickly seen by her doctor, and underwent a mastectomy in January. Pam, who's 45 and lives a 10-minute drive away from the store in Law Hill, is making an excellent recovery.

She's called in at Asda most days since her surgery, and says the warm welcome she gets from colleagues like Sam makes all the difference.

Pam said: "They're all friendly in that store – everybody's been asking after me. You go into other shops and they don't talk to you, but the Asda Kirkton store is brilliant.

"Sam in particular is a lovely person. I'm in there every day just to get out and because it's easier to just carry a few things at a time, so I normally call in at Asda on the way back from seeing my mum and dad, Mike and Beat.

"I feel like a fraud because I don't need chemo after my mastectomy, so with all the focus on Tickled Pink I want to help. There's no point dwelling on things – you've got to be positive, and you've got to get on."

Sam says Pam's positive attitude is inspirational.

She said: "Pam has continually supported any Tickled Pink fundraising in store and as a former nurse she understand how important it is. I was really touched when she offered to help, particularly after what she's been through recently. She's an amazing woman."

Sam started talking to girls about Tickled Pink, and giving out information to them, last year. She's hoping to arrange a number of visits to local schools this year to spread the word.

She said: "I think it's important to start raising awareness quite young, when your body's starting to change, and Pam has offered to come to schools with me to chat to the girls and share her experience.

"Getting the message right at the beginning is important, and makes regularly checking yourself normal and not something to be embarrassed about. We keep the visits light and friendly and let them have a laugh, as I think that's what makes you most likely to remember the message.

"As well as visits to schools we'll also involve children who come into the store with their mums when we're running Tickled Pink events, as it's such an important message. And breast cancer affects men too, so I'll always involve boys too."

Sam's planning a series of fundraising and awareness-building activities in our Dundee Kirkton store in March – showing support for Tickled Pink and coinciding with Mother's Day.

She said: "It's a time when women are well and truly in the limelight, so when better to think about everything involved with being a mum, including everything that so many mums, daughters, sisters, aunts and grannies have been through."