By Helen Vaughan
Helena McAlpine is a former TV presenter who has high energy and is outgoing, but now she is back in the public eye for a whole different reason.
This week she was diagnosed with breast cancer, aged thirty one.
“It wasn't until one day last week when I was just in the shower, doing what girls do in the shower, and my hand just brushed against something and I thought that's not me, it just feels out of the ordinary,” says Ms McAlpine.
At first, she didn't do anything about it but last Friday, she went to the doctor with an ear ache and within an hour her doctor had done a series of tests and by Tuesday this week she received a phone call she'd been dreading..
“Bless, are you sitting down?” said the doctor.
‘No I’m standing up and I'm not going to sit down so let rip, tell me,” said Ms McAlpine.
The doctor said “I'm very sorry, it's come back positive, you've got cancer, and I was standing watching traffic drive by, and I said right, ok and the first thing I thought was I have to call somebody, I just have to make a phone call, I just have to let the people who matter know.”
Helena is a fun, social person - and that hasn't changed. She publicly announced her diagnosis on Facebook.
“Status update on Friday was well hasn't this just been an interesting week for those of you who know, stand by for some test results.”
75 per cent of breast cancers are diagnosed in women aged over 50. Helena has no family history of the disease and her chances of having it are supposed to be point 5 per cent.
“I don't know, I don't feel that different, I actually don't feel that different at all, I'm not going to deny I am a little bit scared, I'm scared that should it have spread and I would have to have chemotherapy, that makes life hard, it doesn’t make it easy,” says Ms McAlpine.
The breast cancer foundation says younger women shouldn't ignore the risks.
“I think in your twenties and in your thirties you need to say ‘are my breasts normal?’ Every now and then, just be aware of any changes and if you do find a lump, get it checked,” says Ms McAlpine.
Helena says it's been a tough year, stress hasn't helped - she was made redundant earlier this year and split from her partner. Her father's been ill and she's suffered from depression.
Her prognosis is still up in the air but she has two lumps in her left breast and will have surgery in a fortnight.
But despite all the bad news - what's unique about Helena is her relentless spirit and courage
“I have a magnificent pair of mamaries, there's absolutely no doubt about it. I don't understand why I haven't been awarded prizes for quite frankly one of New Zealand's greatest racks, but they've done their dash, they've served me well. Yeah, leave on a high, what's a boob, seriously, what's a boob,” says Ms McAlpine.
“This is my opportunity to say hey, 31-year-olds, 25-year-olds, don't wait, check, constantly constantly check, I'm not saying that we found it in time for me, we don't know if it's got into my lymph nodes or anything like that, but this is my chance to say, hey team, don't wait,” she says.