Janette Cass, whose mother, Norma Sigsworth, died from breast cancer in 2006, was open and frank about her mother’s illness, and the effect it had on her family.

She explained that her mother suffered a fall as she was going into the garden, which caused bruising, and then a lump appeared in her breast.

She said: “Mum had always said that if she discovered a lump in her breast she wouldn’t want to know, but going through her illness she was amazing.

“As a daughter, I was used to her being the parent, but I knew I had to be strong for her, because if I crumbled then she might too.

“Although she was just my mum, I can only describe her as a giant while she was undergoing treatment.”

Mrs Cass says that her advice to anyone who has a friend or relative suffering from the disease is to maintain a semblance of normality.

She said: “The most important thing for her was that everyone kept normal.

“It is bad enough going through the treatment without everyone around you treading on eggshells.

“I was living in Devon at the time, so I flew up every weekend so we could have some time together, but we would just go shopping or to a café, just everyday stuff.”

She admits it was very difficult at times.

“Even though she was my mum, sometimes I had no idea what to say to her,” she said.

“You don’t know what is going on in someone’s head.

“Telling them to keep their chin up isn’t enough, because nobody can understand the trauma they are going through.

“Mum had a lumpectomy, but the cancer came back after chemotherapy. She didn’t react to the news in the way you might expect – she just kept on fighting.

“I think it is a biological thing that when you are facing something that difficult, something switches off in your brain.

“Even right at the end, two weeks before she died, she was able to come to my brother’s wedding in a wheelchair.

“Because of that, I would say to anyone who has breast cancer that if there is something you want to do, just do it, whether it is meeting a friend or standing on top of a mountain.

“It gives me great comfort to think my mother got to see my brother so happy on his wedding day.”

Mrs Cass will be helping to oversee a spa day, which is being held at the Verbena Spa in Helmsley from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Friday.

Entrance is £20, £10 of which will go towards fighting breast cancer, and included in the price is a coffee and patisserie, every guest to have their nails filed and varnished – only pinks allowed, and to be entered into a prize draw for a Pink Ladies Spa Day.

A talk on providing help and support for people affected by breast cancer will be given by a cancer care nurse.

As well as the pamper session, reception staff plan to bring in homemade cakes with pink icing, pick champagne will be served in the restaurant, and all the staff at the hotel, including the chefs, cleaners and owners, will be dressed head to toe in pink.

Mrs Cass said: “These events are important, because it’s not all doom and gloom.

“More women are recovering from breast cancer, as a friend of mine has, and raising awareness can only benefit women with the disease, and their friends and families.”