Kay Burley has ultrasound and mammogram EVERY YEAR

Kay Burley, 56, is a 30-year veteran of TV information. After native BBC radio, she moved to TV-Am and have become a Sky Information anchor in 1988. Twice divorced, she has a son, Alexander, 23, and lives in London.

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO BETTER YOURSELF

I grew up on a Wigan council property within the Sixties. My mum, Kath, and pop, Frank, labored extraordinarily exhausting in a close-by manufacturing unit.

I grew up on a Wigan council property within the Sixties. My mum, Kath, and pop, Frank, labored extraordinarily exhausting in a close-by manufacturing unit

They instilled in me a strict self-discipline that you just all the time should get off the bed within the morning and do your job — it doesn't matter what it's — to one of the best of your means. There was by no means any skiving off college if I feigned a tummy ache.

Additionally they handed on to me a conventional working-class hatred of debt. No matter it was, in the event you couldn't afford it, you simply didn't get it. Easy as that.

Once I went into journalism in my late teenagers, Dad took discover and have become a mature pupil, later happening to show enterprise research at an area school. It proved to me that it's by no means too late to higher your self.

Essentially the most tough time in my life was simply after my son, Alexander, was born in 1993.

Essentially the most tough time in my life was simply after my son, Alexander, was born in 1993

My marriage to his father was breaking apart, so I used to be coping with that upheaval, and my mom's most cancers returned.

Mum was initially identified with breast most cancers when she was 50, and was given the all-clear after being cancer-free for 5 years.

Nonetheless, it got here again unexpectedly when she was 58, and she or he died simply six weeks later.

My father additionally died younger. He had a coronary heart assault in 2000 when he was 66. He had been a reformed smoker, however he began it up once more.

Given how younger my dad and mom had been once they died, I do fear about myself. I'm a worrier by nature.

Given how younger my dad and mom had been once they died, I do fear about myself. I'm a worrier by nature 

There's a protracted line of most cancers in my household and I'm within the high-risk class in contrast with the nationwide common. I like to ensure every little thing is accurately. I've an annual ultrasound, MRI scan and mammogram.

They're not nice procedures, however I'd fairly be one of many apprehensive effectively as a result of these precautions give me a combating probability of catching it early on.

Being a journalist, it's in my nature to need to have all of the info — I don't need to die of ignorance.

• Kay Burley is supporting Most cancers Analysis UK's Girls of Affect initiative, cruk.org/woi 

Tweet