Karen shares her breast cancer experience to support our Tickled Pink campaign

Checkouts colleague Karen Lovell from our Havant store is proud to be supporting our Tickled Pink campaign and has this message for anyone undergoing breast cancer treatment: "Don't give up, you can fight it."

Karen Lovell from Asda Havant supports Tickled Pink

Forty-eight-year-old Karen, who was diagnosed with breast cancer 13 years ago, says the message put out by Tickled Pink and our charity partners Breast Cancer Now and CoppaFeel about the importance of checking yourself regularly is so important.

She said: "I would check yourself every time you have a bath, basically. If you see or feel anything untoward then get in touch with your doctor. The sooner the better."

Karen, who has a 17-year-old daughter Jasmine, says finding out she had breast cancer back in 2009 came as a complete shock.

She said: "I was going round a roundabout and I felt something dig in on my seatbelt. I knew something wasn't right as you know your own body. I had a doctor's appointment that morning for something else so I got them to check that out too and it went from there."

Karen had a mammogram at hospital and a biopsy and she was told it was breast cancer.

She had surgery to remove her left breast and also a back muscle before undergoing a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.

Karen said: "I'm part of a support group so I find it easier to talk to people who have been through it. It's hard when you are going through chemotherapy. I've lost a few friends along the way. It's not easy, but don't give up. You can fight it."

This year Karen, recently completed the 10km Race for Life in Portsmouth with her dad, Philip, and raised £295 for Cancer Research UK. She also received an extra £240 top-up grant from the Asda Foundation.

Sara Osborne, Asda Havant's customer trading manager, said: "As well as being an avid participant in Race For Life, raising much-needed money for Cancer Research UK, Karen also supports our community champion Katy with raising money for Portsmouth Breast Friends.

"Karen’s positive approach to supporting and raising money in the local area is something we really do appreciate. Almost all of this is in her own time too."