More than just a game: Cricket, Cancer and COVID…

We’ve taken a different approach with today’s episode — one that goes beyond cricket, but speaks to the heart of our club and community.

In this special edition of Housecast, we share the story of the Moorhouse family — Fran, Bethany, Grace, and Gary — who open up with incredible honesty about the journey they’ve been on. While the COVID pandemic was a difficult and uncertain time for all of us, what the Moorhouse family has endured in its aftermath is something truly profound.

Their story is one of unimaginable challenges, personal battles, and the strength they’ve shown in facing them together. It’s raw, emotional, and deeply human. Through tears, laughter, and reflection, they talk about what they’ve been through, how it’s changed them, and how it’s shaped their purpose moving forward.

After we finished recording, the family told us that just having the opportunity to sit down and speak openly as a unit was therapeutic in itself — and we believe it will be just as powerful for listeners to hear. This isn’t an easy listen at times, but it’s an important one.

As a club, we’ve always stood for more than just sport. We want to use our platform to raise awareness, to spark conversations, and, most importantly, to encourage people to take action when it comes to their health and wellbeing. If this episode makes even one person stop and get checked, then it’s been more than worth it.

Please give this one your time. Share it. Talk about it. And if you’re struggling, or something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it. There’s strength in speaking up and seeking help.

You’ll find support resources and important links in the episode notes below:

Check and Change Programme

Future Dreams

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
You do anyway whilst we're stillrecording I think.
Is he going alright after he's failed appearance?
Who, Pat Oh yeah, he said. I forgot to mention this,
actually, yeah. He said he wasn't sure that he
was supposed to come on because he just thought it was a length
lead podcast now where we talk about all the other clubs he.

(00:21):
Got his head kicked in. Morden Morden send more house to

(00:45):
save the house. Hello everybody and welcome to
the house cast lower house cricket clubs legendary
award-winning podcast. Bit of a special show tonight in

(01:06):
that maybe slightly ground breaking, but I'll come to come
on to that in a minute I'll first of all go to the first Co
host who's just sat in the corner of this room on my mobile
phone because he's got technicalissues.
Joe Martin, are you still there?I'm.
Still here Jess? I also have other issues.

(01:27):
What are there? Well, I.
Don't think they're for this. Point, OK, are you going on?
Are you still there? So let's for the listeners,
you're in the West End room at Low House Cookie Club.
Change the passcode on the Wi-Fi, is that right?
Yeah, yeah. And I can't connect.

(01:48):
I can't. It won't let me connect to
anything. These things happen.
Yeah, of course. Sorry, I've still not got that
key cup. Yeah, no, I had to borrow
Francois all. Right.
So we'll go over to to speak to Gary.
Gary's on the the podcast with us.
Hi, guys. Hey Jazz, how are you doing?
All right. Thank you.
Yeah, very good. And thanks for helping with the

(02:09):
recording then, because Joe Martin normally does all this.
So it's just a little bit of an issue now with the recording,
but it is being recorded. So that's all good.
Spring not far, I don't. Know it's been all right.
Nice. I don't same up there, I guess,
but nice weekend. Some sunshine, cold at night,
but yeah, feeling at it, right. Way lighter.

(02:30):
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we're looking.
Forward to it, can't wait to seea bit of cricket coming.
Yeah, yeah, exactly. It's not cold here all of a
sudden, even during the day. But then I think Wednesday it's
going to go go a lot warmer. But yeah, get to the right side
of the of of the winter and get into spring.

(02:50):
So I've got. Some guests on here that I think
it might be unique, but Gary's just brought up a topic that
there might have been a further female on the House cast
previously, But we're in the theMorehouse family at the moment.
We've got Fran Morehouse on Bethany and also Gracie's, I

(03:15):
believe, hiding in the background having a glass of int
on. So if we can, I'll just go.
Probably best in age order. So Fran, lovely to see you.
How you doing? I'm.
Very well. Thank you.
Yeah, thanks for having us all. This is a little bit strange.
Usually, Gary, I usually get a bit of peace for an hour and a

(03:36):
half, two hours while Gary's on the podcast.
And I'm thinking, oh, great. If you catch up on EastEnders.
He said you listen to it all thetime.
All the time, Jess, All the time.
You can't stop laughing. It's really good to to get you
on Fran and, and to you know, I'm really looking forward to
this episode. It's something we have done a
little bit of planning for, but it'd be so good to to get into

(03:58):
it all. Also from I believe down near
Florida Way, we've got Bethany. Hello, Bethany.
Hiya. You all right?
Yeah, I'm in Grand Cayman, but close.
In Grand Cayman, right? Brilliant.
What time is it there? It's currently 2:23 PM.

(04:21):
Right. 2:23 PM. Oh, great, Bethany, it's so good
to see you there and congratulations on your new
role. Bethany's just been appointed
the cruise director of CelebrityCruises.
Is that correct? That's correct.
Brilliant. What great work.
And it's, and it says in the article that I've looked at,

(04:43):
you've now been in the entertainment business for for
nearly two decades. How on earth has that happened?
I have no idea. Very close to two decades, but
they started me young. Did these parents of mine?
I remember Dana. All right, but we'll come on to
that. I remember you haven't done stop
performing. In fact, if you and Joe Martin

(05:05):
would have been around at the same time, they're pretty mean
duo there. They would because I don't know
if you like my best name. Joe used to dress up.
Yeah. I remember.
As we were around at the same time, I was there for the very
famous Joe Beneduccio recording.Oh, Karaka, it's so far.

(05:26):
Just as an aside. We Teddy, my grandson constantly
has me putting that on in the car and he sings along to Joe
Beneduccio. Who'd have thought it?
So why? What's the age difference
between you and Joe Martin? I couldn't tell you.
Joe Martin, I don't know. It's not.

(05:53):
How old are you? I'm 32 now.
Joe. There's a maximum of one year
between us. So you could have performed
together. I'm sure we.
Probably did. You could have put a ball gown
on. Joe would have had his on his
dicky board. But like Spread Astaire and

(06:14):
Ginger Rogers. Yeah.
We missed the trick there. Yeah, exactly.
You did. You did.
He could have been on those cruises with you.
So anyway, Bethany, real congratulations on on that
promotion and so good to see youback in, you know, that that
cruising world. I know you love doing it and
it's you're getting some great experience.

(06:35):
So, so fantastic. And we can't leave you out.
Grace, can you shout hello? Has she gone shy?
I agree. Yeah.
Good. Thank you.
We're laughing. I've probably not seen Grace for
10 years or so. And then middle of COVID,

(06:57):
obviously it was one of the we were out of one of the
lockdowns, and I went down to help out, to do some staining of
some decking and I saw the younggirl on her hands and knees.
Scrubbing away at the. Decking and painting it.
And it was only Grace Morris. It was, yeah.
A lovely day together, fish and chip dinner.
Yeah. Yeah, we.

(07:18):
Were very stunning, very hot that.
Day I. Remember it was a lovely day and
then on the lawn mower did the grass.
That's it, yeah. Put my headphones on, had a
lovely time. Fantastic.
All right, it's brilliant. Good to see you there, Grayson.
Joining, joining. And so this episode we've asked,

(07:44):
you know, certainly Fran and Bethany to come on and with,
with Gary just to talk through some of life experiences, which
I, I wanted to get out there nowI understand and speaking to
Gary about the journey that certainly Fran's been on family
before we before we go into that, let's just go into a

(08:06):
little bit of background becauseGary came down to the club in
1990. What were your thoughts then?
Fran? What, what were you, what were
you anticipating at the club? And how did you find it when you
first came down? Right.
Well, I was still in 1990, stillunder strict orders because I

(08:29):
met Gary in 1985, which actuallywas 40 years ago last Saturday.
And I remember him saying to me clearly, not only a few weeks
afterwards saying, listen, he said, I love my sport.
I love my team sport. Bearing in mind, I met him in
the day after he'd broken his leg.
So I saw him quite a while afterthat for quite most days after

(08:52):
that because he was on crutches and he couldn't go and play any,
any football or cricket or golf.And I always thought he was
going to finish with me after the six weeks once he got his
cast off. But I think I always remember
him saying, in fact, I'm pretty sure we're driving up Centenary
way or something. And he said I love my team
sport. He said, so please don't ever
stop me from doing team sport, He said, because there's going

(09:14):
to come a time where I can't do it, injury or, or I become
rubbish or anything like they said, just don't stop me from
doing it. That's all I asked you and I
took it with a pinched salt. So, so I think I started my
cricketing career in 1985 when Gary played at Lucas.
And you know, we, we, we had some good times up there and

(09:36):
made a lot of friends and kind of learnt how to be a cricket
partner. And and then he ended up going
and starting playing cricket at at lower highs just before we
got married in 1990. Yes, I forgot you've been a
Lucas gas. We've never really discussed
that. That could be another episode.
I think we did touch on it briefly about Rib League and

(09:57):
stuff like that in in in one episode.
But yeah, yeah, that was that were interesting times.
And I think it's fair to say then from, you know, we weren't,
you know, I, I put that medley debut a little bit before that,
but we weren't winning anything.But you came down and, you know,
absolute no regrets. The kids were there with us.

(10:19):
We had some fantastic nights, you know, Adam, Amy and Bethany
and Grace to be asleep on the onthe couches or on the the
seating that was around the side.
I've really fondly memories of that and the girls you know,
your two girls growing up, Bethany, Can you remember much
about those early years being when when you first came down

(10:42):
and. Absolutely.
It's actually probably some of the most vivid memories I have
of, of childhood growing up on, you know, on the cricket and
exactly like you just said, being put to sleep, 2 chairs
pulled together. 123 in the morning.

(11:06):
Yeah, no, I mean, I don't remember that, but yeah, walking
around the pitch with David Wrenin the collection box, you know,
getting collections for everyoneback in the day when the
scoreboard was wasn't digital, turning the overs or, you know,
turning the overs around. And it was such a family bond.
And it and it also has come backfull circle more recently in the

(11:29):
past few years of, you know, really reconnecting amid what's
been going on. But yeah, it's even down to even
outside of cricket itself, you know, memories of Matt Hope
taking me and Amy to our first live concert scene steps at the
me own Arena. And I think I still have a bump
on the back of my head for when he I ran up to him and in the

(11:53):
bar and he he tried to catch me but instead threw me over the
back. Of the bar.
I'm not really sure what happened there, but I've
definitely got the the bump to remember it by.
But yeah, even, you know, out ofseason, being around everyone's
houses and, you know, being withNikki, you're all the hopes.

(12:14):
Like it was very much a family affair and whether in season or
out. And I have some incredible
memories. You know, we could talk forever
about it, couldn't we? You know, like you said, you
mentioned David ran there and all the other people that that
you know as and you know, your mum and dad will will, you know,

(12:36):
will confirm this. And it's similar now that the
kids could go down. You didn't really need to keep
your eye on them, you know, or be, you know, you knew that you
were always aware of everyone, knew who everyone was, but it
was almost like a big playground.
How old were you when Matt dropped you?
I could still remember that. Do you remember?
I don't, I couldn't tell you howold I was.

(12:58):
I I think it was probably beforeGrace was born.
So I'm maybe about 6 or 7. And.
But yeah, like you say, you know, we just would, you know,
run wild around. And I think I have memories as
well of being given orders from all of you who like to climb
over the back wall into the parkto go to the Chinese across the

(13:20):
road to bring everyone back food.
Yeah. Yeah, definitely have memories
of that. But yeah, no, so many, so many
things. It always seems sunny.
I know that's a really old person things to say.
You know, it was always sunny going back in those days, but I
remember it. There'll be paddling pools out
and you know, and we played our cricket hard, but then we'd have

(13:41):
a few parts afterwards. And like you said, it was
sometimes got very late before, before the kids were walking up
and taking home. So yeah, some fantastic
memories. Joe Martin can, I mean, you
would have obviously you were a young kid when you were down at
the Cricket Club and, and enjoying everything that we're
going on. Can you?
Have you got anything you want to add to the I don't want you

(14:03):
just sat in the corner of the room?
No, I don't. Thanks, Joe.
So we'll move on to the the mainparts of of why we've got this
podcast together. You know, a really difficult
subject. I find a difficult subject, but

(14:26):
a number of years ago Fran got diagnosed with with cancer.
OK, obviously people were there and there's lots of supporting
going on and those, you know, clearly a lot of help, which
Gary's talked to me about. But Fran is willing to come on
and talk about that. And the reason we've come to

(14:47):
wanting to get this onto a podcast for people to listen to
is to for people to benefit and for people to listen and maybe
learn themselves. I think, Fran, first, if I can
just go on to how this has come about because of your appearance
with Bethany and the choir on the Lorraine programme.

(15:09):
Just talk me through how that came about.
And then if you're OK with it, I'd like to then to go back in
time and talk through, you know,the journey that you've had
from, you know, your first diagnosis to, to write up
tonight. So tell us about that Lorraine
experience. How did that go?
Yeah, I mean, who knew that I just something so hard to get

(15:34):
your head around and and an illness like that could end up.
Well, last year we spent the year singing with Alfie Bo and
Joss Stone and who else best Marty Pelo, and we sung for the
King. And I can't even sing, you know.
I mean, I know Bethany and Grace, if that's their genre,

(15:56):
but we clearly get it off the daft.
But I just, I just went with it.Yeah.
So back in, it's actually five years this week since I was
diagnosed. And I remember because it was,
I've been in on the 18th of on the 18th of March 2020 for the

(16:20):
results of a biopsy. But before that, the way the way
I found out was I used to get ready for work in the morning
and I put the Lorraine show on and I'd get myself a cup of tea.
I didn't start work till later. So I I could put my makeup on
and I'd watched Lorraine shower and they've been doing these
campaigns and it was called change and check.
And they'd launched these stickers and they were putting

(16:42):
them in and changing rooms with all this, just little pictures
of signs of changes to look out for, for breast cancer.
And, and they were doing other things like they took a big
double Decker bus called the boob bus and there were
travelling range just raising awareness and then keep showing
these little stickers in changing rooms about how to, how

(17:04):
to look out for signs of change.And I kept thinking, oh, I need
to, I need to check. And, and you know, a lot of
people don't know is that my mumwas diagnosed at 50 but died at
55 of ovarian cancer. So I was always more mindful of
that thinking I need to look outfor signs of ovarian cancer.
And so I've gone for my mammogram, I've turned 15 in

(17:27):
September, gone for my first ever mammogram as they send you
for when you when you turn 50. And it was fine.
That was September. And then come February, I've
been watching the programme again and I thought, no, I need
to start checking regularly. And and this one day I noticed
something that's strange and youknow, I'll be quite open and
honest. And I said to Carrie, what's it,

(17:48):
What do you think this is? And this is I was that a
failure? Other one?
No, that feels fine. So I feel the same to me.
So, so that was that. Anyway, a couple of weeks later
I felt it again and I think I'vebeen feeling it a little bit
more during the weeks and, and Ithought, no, that's, that
doesn't feel right. So I'd gone into work, there was

(18:08):
nobody in the office and so I ran my GP and I said I think
I've found a lump or something different, you know, kind of
make appointments, come in and she said can you come down in 10
minutes? I said yeah, it's fine.
So there are whilst within 10 minutes and she says yeah, I can
feel something. She said we'll send you for the
two week turn around appointment.
So I was there within within 10 days and Gary came with me and I

(18:34):
wasn't nervous at all all the way through.
I wasn't really nervous. I just knew that I was in the
right hands. I knew what was happening needed
to be done. I needed to check it.
You know, you, you do have to face your fears at times in
life. And this was one of them.
And I thought if it is going to be anything, then we'll get,
we'll get it sorted. And, you know, we, we and Gary

(18:56):
were there in the waiting room and just chatting.
And yeah, I was a little bit nervous at times, just I could
feel my heart racing a little bit.
But I knew I was going to be allright.
And, and the consultant had checked it and he said, well,
look, you've had your mammogram in, you know, like four months
beforehand, 5 months beforehand.He said, I can feel what you're
feeling. He said, but you know, you've

(19:17):
told me you were going through some menopausal symptoms and
it's probably hormonal changes. So it's probably going to be
that. So I'll send you down for a
mammogram, but I don't think they'll do it because you've
only just had one and they don'treally like to do them so close
together. Anyway, somebody was watching
over us. We did have the mammogram and

(19:37):
they just said underneath what Iwas feeling in the consultant
was feeling that was some sort of hormone change.
But underneath that they saw something that just didn't look
right. So they took a biopsy.
And from there on in, they took the biopsy.
And probably looking back now, the terminology or the words
that they were using, they were kind of saying, you know, it

(19:59):
looks a bit nasty, you know, youknow, we really need to check
this out and. And so we waited for the biopsy
results and went back, as I say,it was the 18th of, of March.
And they said, yeah, it is a breast cancer.
It was a grade 3 breast cancer and which is one of the fastest

(20:20):
growing ones and we need to takeit out.
And I remember at the time it was like, so this was five days
before lockdown, but they said we don't know when we're going
to be able to do this. And because we don't really know
what's happening. Anyway, luckily it was only, it
was cancelled from one day to the next, wasn't it?
And we were in by the end of March and, and had lump ectomy

(20:42):
taken out and yeah. And, and, and so after that they
then decided because they'd donethe biopsy and, and looked at
the type of breast cancer it wasthat they, they thought I needed
some further treatment of, of chemotherapy and, and
radiotherapy and had a doctor called Doctor Bliss.

(21:05):
He was the oncologist and he wasa lovely name and he was a
lovely man. And he said to me at the time,
he said, have you ever thought about a genetics test?
And I said, well, I have over the years, I said, and I've
spoken to, to GPS and about it and said, oh, no, you're not at
risk because you've not enough people in your family that have
had breast cancer, which there wasn't, there wasn't really many

(21:27):
people that had had it, obviously.
But the thing the red flag for him was mum had had ovarian
cancer and the two can be linkedif it's a genetic, genetic
situation. So I carried on with the
chemotherapy and at that point, you know, things were quite
tough and going through chemotherapy and we were in the
middle of lockdown. The girls in the industry that

(21:49):
they were in the entertainment industry, just short.
You know, Grace was in Mamma Miain the West End.
The theatres closed, literally she was on stage one minute and
they decided no closing and thatwas it.
All the theatres shot. Bethany was on a cruise ship so
she was stuck in isolation for quite a while.
And then he tried to come home and I was, I was isolating at
that point. I was in chemo.

(22:12):
But they came back. I think Bethany managed to to
stay for what a month and then headed out and did her own thing
working in the community to get better care in the community
living in a caravan and and Grace helped at home with Gary
and Major in having chemo. OK, Fran, can I just let's just

(22:32):
have a little recap on, on a fewbits of points there because
that it's really interesting me that, you know, I was away.
Your mum had passed away quite young.
When did you start identifying it to the doctors?
You know about your mum? Did you tell them straight away?
I'd always spoke to the GP aboutmum because I'd always started

(22:55):
having regular blood tests probably from mid 40s up until
then, just to check over, is this an easy blood test that can
be done to see if there's any changes?
You know, like most women that were getting into, you know, the
late 40s, early 50s, I was goingthrough menopause symptoms.
So I've gone to a specialist, even then to a consultant who

(23:17):
specialised in in menopause and talked about HRT and and I told
her about mum and she she again said, Oh no, it's, it's you
know, the risk is quite low if Iwas to go on HRT.
So, yeah. And again, I've talked about
genetic testing with them and all of them had said I think
you'd like to if you like to seeat least three with breast

(23:39):
cancer relatives, both relativesbefore they start thinking.
But you know, it was, it was just the weirdest thing.
How this genetic test was offered to me during
chemotherapy and I was really scared at the time really scared
because I was in the middle of chemo and feeling the worst I
could feel and all I could thinkof was if if this came back then

(24:03):
they're going to feel and they were all sort of two sisters and
two daughters and they they ended up being positive to this
altered gene. If I was to have this altered
gene, because at that point I still didn't know, then they're
going to feel as bad as I'm feeling at the moment because I
was so I'll, but you know, both Gary and my dad, you know, dad

(24:23):
obviously don't. He's got two other daughters and
Gary with his daughters. He just said, no, I said, you
need to do it. You know, it's, it's a lifeline.
You know, knowledge is power when they want to know.
I wasn't forcing them. They'd.
So anyway, I, I, I had the genetics test and strangely, I,
it came back, it was the morningof my last radiotherapy and, and

(24:46):
they rang and said, you do have the altered BRCA 1 gene, which
means you've got a 90% higher risk of developing a breast
cancer and a 60% higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.
So that then became, it wasn't just me then that was going
through this. It was Elizabeth, my middle

(25:09):
sister, Rebecca, my youngest sister, Bethany and Grace with
them both. They're all faced with finding
out if they also carried this gene, which they then went on to
their their journeys of finding out if they did or not.
So yeah. I mean, from that, I mean you go
back, you know, we forget about the likes of COVID and how

(25:33):
people manage and you know, the males manage out of it all.
But when you throw COVID into itas well, you were still getting
the treatment and that was stillhappening, albeit a lot more
difficult, I guess. Yeah, I mean, we were in our own
little bubble. You know, Gary was working from
home and I was in the middle of Kemar.

(25:55):
Gary couldn't come into the hospital with me at all, so he
just dropped me off. The roads were just like a
desert. There was nobody ever going.
And then, you know, bringing it back to cricket, which I
remember, I think it was Bethanythat might have reached out to
Adam at the time. And, you know, things were,

(26:16):
Gary's been a knight in shining armour.
You know, he's got me and Bethany and Grace, we threw all
these things at him. It was if he's not looking after
me, you know, going through all the treatment, he was shaving my
head. He was, he had a spread.
You know what he's like for a spreadsheet.
He had a spreadsheet for every medication, every time and
everything that needed to be done.

(26:37):
He was absolutely incredible. But I could see, you know, at
times that things were really difficult.
Just to me, it's like you said, it's, it's the partners that
find it hard. And I think Bethany had said to
to Adam, you know, this podcast you're doing, you know, might
want to reach out to me dad. And and again, I remember being
led in bed, not feeling great atall.

(26:59):
And hearing Gary would speak to you guys on the the podcast, it
just brought me so much comfort knowing that he got that that
outlet to be able to try and, you know, do something great.
Yeah, and, and, you know, I remember the comments, me and
Gary had odd conversations aboutit.
But, you know, once again, certainly blokes don't talk

(27:20):
about things like this, do we? Just we don't, we would rather
put our head. But that is really comforting.
And, you know, great work, Bethany, and speaking to Adam
and getting that out there because a lot of people were
doing darlings around that time as well, weren't they?
But because of the podcast, it was good to to get that going.
Bethany, if I just come to you for a minute or two, so you're

(27:44):
obviously aware I'm taking it, I'm taking your mum's not hiding
anything from you. You're hundreds of thousands of
miles away dealing with what is,you know, the COVID
restrictions. How was it for you at that
period then in the early times with your mum when you come to
go back and see it? Well, no, she, they were very

(28:11):
honest. They didn't why, But they did,
they didn't share the information straight away.
So by the time that I did get the call, I was in a shipyard in
France. We were actually launching a
brand new ship. So we didn't have any guests on
board, but we were, we were working out of a shipyard
basically the ship was still being built.

(28:34):
And, and she called and I alwaysknow there's, there's, there's
been a couple of occasions that,you know, I can count on one
hand where I'll get a message and it's like nothing serious,
but call me when you can, you know what, you know, whatever it
is, or I've, I've got a few missed calls, like within a
certain amount of time, it's like, right.

(28:54):
OK, so I called back and she said that she'd been, she'd
found something, but it was likea month previous that she'd
found it. She had, you know, she hadn't
told me, but that she was going in for results on that day.
I think this is my memory is a bit of a blur and some, some of

(29:16):
the things. But then I believe it was later
that day that she called me and she said she said, OK, yeah,
they've, you know, it is breast cancer or she's got confirmation
that it was breast cancer. And in that moment, and I'll
never forget it. And I don't think I'll ever
forgive myself for it. But in that moment I was like,

(29:40):
right, OK, then thanks for letting me know.
Bye. Honestly, I just, I don't know,
because I'd come out of a rehearsal of something already
anticipating that she was going to call me And, and I, so I, so
I went back into this rehearsal and I sat down and it was a

(30:01):
rehearsal of somebody singing Robbie Williams Angels.
And they were practising this like incredible aerial routine
with these amazing Acrobat performers singing Robbie
Williams Angels. And I just sat back down in the
room and I was watching this happen to that song.
And then I was just like, what? Like what?
What? Like what?

(30:22):
What she what did she just? Say so I ran back out, called
her back and was like, I'm so sorry.
Like, you know, like, and then obviously got emotional.
And then my first instinct was to speak to my, my managers on
board. And I was just like, can I get
home? But because it was so we'd
already been given directives that we couldn't leave the ship

(30:44):
because there was in France, especially at the time, like the
government was in shutdown and Ididn't know if I left, if I
could come get back to the ship and ready, ready for when it was
launched. You know, like mum and dad have
never been one to pull me and Grace away from anything, you
know, like they're, they're verysupportive and you know, it We,

(31:05):
it was just a decision of do I fly back?
But was it safe to fly back? Like we just didn't know what
was going on. And then within a couple of days
after that, I want to say maybe a few days after that, we got
COVID on the ship and we all gotisolated into our rooms.
So even if I wanted to, I wasn'teven allowed to leave my cabin
because we had COVID on board. And what a, what a position, you

(31:29):
know, you know, the exactly the same for, for, for grace as well
that all this is going through your mind.
And, you know, lots of people have got stories from COVID
which show, you know, horrible and horrendous, but this this
has got to be up there. So from the the genetic testing,
OK. And obviously, you know, I take

(31:52):
it the specialist to making you aware of everything that could
happen, what this is about and and the chances of it.
That was all being open and honest with you.
Yeah, yeah, totally. So for me, what that meant was
that there was to be more surgeries.
So then went back in and had andthe timelines are all all mixed

(32:14):
with everybody else's because Elizabeth and Rebecca and two
sisters, Bethany and Grace endedup having their bloods done for
their genetics test. 8 of eight of all of us.
There was only Grace that came back negative.
So she's clearly got her dad's genes, Elizabeth and Rebecca and

(32:37):
Bethany, their, their genetic results came back that they were
also BRCA 1 positive. So they also carried this risk
quite high risk of getting breast cancer and ovarian
cancer. So for me, my path then over the
next couple of the next year wasto have I ended up having double
mastectomies over is taken out once all the chemo and the

(33:00):
radiotherapy was finished and Elizabeth and Rebecca, they
started their but it was it was a case of preserving life at
that point. You know, they made the
decisions. You don't have to do this when
if you find out that you're BRCA, you don't have to have the
surgeries, but they decided to have mass double mastectomies

(33:22):
and have their own risk taken out to reduce that risk of
getting the the breast cancer inovarian cancer.
Bethany, you had your test and Ithink it was about, was it
about, I can't remember, was it the April?
Then you were going back to worka few weeks later, but you got
your results and it came back that you were positive.

(33:45):
I went back to work two days later.
It was Grace's birthday. Yeah.
So I'll let. You take it from there, from
that day where you got your results.
Yeah, so I got my results. They had very much said to us
that, you know, like it'll take some time.

(34:06):
We didn't really know what sort of time frame, but I knew that I
was going to be going back to work.
This was April 2021. I knew I was going to be heading
back out to a ship to go to do return to service.
And, you know, COVID had startedto die down.
The cruise industry was getting back on its feet.
I was so excited to get back outthere, but obviously was waiting
for these test results. So the genetics nurse had called

(34:29):
and said that she wanted to set up a FaceTime, like a, you know,
a Zoom call. And me, mum and dad were on it
together. And, you know, she basically
said that it, you know, you are positive.
And I'll never forget, forget like immediately my dad's hand
just, it was just like a very gentle, like tap on my back, you
know, as if to just reassure me that he's here and it's OK.

(34:50):
And, you know, we're going to get through it together.
And but she at the time I was 2028 and she said to me, she
said your increased risk isn't going to, we're not worried
about you because your increasedrisk isn't going to come until
you get to about 40. So we're going to keep an eye on
you, but don't feel the need to rush into any preventative
surgeries such as mastectomies and euphorectomies with the

(35:13):
ovaries and things like that. And I knew two days later I was
on my way back to the ship. So I flew back out to the ship,
did all of that, launched the ship.
It was incredible. Did it out of out of Greece.
We still had lots of restrictions.
Crew members weren't allowed on and off the ships and, and maybe
about four months, four months later, something like that.

(35:38):
And I started to get a rash on my chest.
And when I tell you, I have never ignored anything more in
my life, even though I, I had all of this information, I had
all of this knowledge. I, you know, like we, we coined
the phrase, you know, knowledge is power.

(35:59):
And that had said, you know, it's a family mission.
Now, if we know all about these genes and you know, we can, we
can do things that were preventative.
It was like I'd gone back to my life.
I'd seen what had gone on with mum and everything that
everybody had gone through with COVID, like I was back doing
what I wanted to do. And yeah, it it, it took some
very special people with definite push pushing messages

(36:25):
from mum back home to when I saythey dragged me to the medical
centre on board by my ears, I mean it.
So we, I got down there and I explained the situation in the
family history and about my, youknow, the genetic mutation with
the BRCA 1 gene. And they said, OK, well, we're
not sure that the rash is anything but because of your

(36:47):
history, like we're going to send you to a doctor in the port
just to get checked out. We can do a scan, all of that.
So they ended up getting me off the ship in Dubrovnik in
Croatia. And I went to a hospital right
by the port. It was a marine Academy
hospital, obviously English, it wasn't their first language.

(37:09):
So there was, they were, they were amazing, but there was a
barrier there. So they did a, an ultrasound on
the side where I had the rash and they said it's fine, nothing
there. I was like brilliant.
And they said, you know, whilst we're here, let's check on the
other side. So I checked on, they checked on
the right side, and I could feelthe lady, the radiologist

(37:29):
getting deeper and deeper. And I had my back facing the
screen at that point, so I couldn't really see what she was
looking at. And I just said, is everything
OK? She said, there's definitely
something here. I was like, OK.
And then, you know, she had conversations with whoever and
she said, yeah, we need you. We need you to do a biopsy.
And they'd found a mask that wasvery close to my chest wall.

(37:52):
So, you know, I even asked her in the moment I said, should I
have felt this? Because I was very conscious at
the time of everything that had happened with my mum and from
the Change and check campaign, from the Lorraine show, we were
all checking. So I was like, why should have I
missed something? They said no, it was so deep on
your chest, while you wouldn't have felt this.
And so let's do a biopsy. So I went back on the ship and I

(38:17):
had to wait a week until we got back to Dubrovnik because I was
still working, obviously, but I was just a blur at that time.
Like I don't even really remember that week when I'd got
back on board. And a week later I went back to
the hospital. But I had to take all of my
things with me my whole life. I travel with, so, you know,
like suitcases worth. I had to pack everything up not

(38:38):
even knowing what was going on and they said if everything like
we've got a hotel for you, if everything's fine, when the ship
comes back to Dubrovnik, you'll just come back.
To work. And you'll be fine.
But if not, you've got everything with you to go home.
So I got to the hospital, they did the biopsy straight away.
And it was shortly after that I was about to leave to go to the

(39:02):
hotel. And they said, no, we're going
to keep you here and we're not going to get the results back
for a few days, but we need you to stay here.
So that was kind of like a my first sort of, OK, something's
going on. So then I was there.
That was a Monday. It got to the Wednesday.
And the radiologist who'd been looking after me, she came in

(39:23):
and she said tomorrow is when the lab are going to call with
your results. But it's my day off, so I'm not
going to be here. So I just want to let you know,
like, the Doctor's going to takecare of you.
He'll come in and let, you know,around 11.
AMI said, OK, fine. And then the next morning comes,
I'm on the phone to my mum. And I said, oh, there's a knock
at the door. I'm going to go like, I think
this is it. And I just wanted to do it on my

(39:44):
own. Like, you know, it was scary
enough. And also being on your own in a
foreign country, not knowing what was going on.
So the Doctor walked into the room and behind him walked in
the radiologist in her civilian claws.
And the first thing that came into my head was why you here?
You told me this was your day off.

(40:06):
So, you know, immediately I was like, OK.
She's. Come for support basically and
he sat down next to me and he said all of these big words like
metastatic carcinoma and and I just had to stop him.
Obviously, you know it was language barrier as well.
So I just said to him, I was like, are you telling me I have
breast cancer? Is that what you're saying?

(40:26):
And he said, yes, that's what I'm saying.
And it's going to be a really hard time for you.
He said, you know, and explainedthe diagnosis.
And and then the only thing I remember is he took out of his
pocket one singular Ferreira Roche and he gave it me.
He was like, here, eat this, youknow, have a bit of sugar.

(40:48):
And I just sat there eating thisfor a rush.
I'll never look at them the sameway again and I hate this for a
rush. And I was just like, what is
going on? Like what's going on?
And then luckily they organised me a flight home and I got on
the plane from Dubrovnik about 5PMI landed at Heathrow 7:30 PM
and mum and dad were there at the airport to pick me up and it

(41:09):
was very emotional as you can imagine.
And then the next day we went tothe hospital by by where we live
and they just confirm the diagnosis and you know, we went
from there really. Cracky Bethany What, what an
experience like, like you said, you know, with the Ferrero
Rocher and then the different country that you're in, it's

(41:32):
almost like a dream that that isnot real, isn't it?
That, you know, it felt. So surreal and a lot of it,
especially after chemotherapy and anybody that's gone through
chemo, chemo brain is real, you know, and you lose sort of
memories or whatever. So peace doing things like this
is, is nice because, you know, you start, you piece things

(41:54):
together again. But yeah, it is what it is.
Yeah, well, you say that I think, Well, I certainly, you
know, can't it's even start to begin to what you're going
through or what you're feeling and how you're managing it.
So at this stage, Fran, where are you at with your treatments

(42:14):
when Bethany's flown back on that evening from Dubrovnik?
Well, I'd finished chemo and radiotherapy and I was waiting
for, I think I'd, I was just about to have my ovaries taken
out when Bethany was diagnosed and she came home and start she,

(42:36):
she had. So you had to have fertility
treatment and chemotherapy and then whilst Bethany was in the
middle of chemotherapy and Gary had to shave her head again and
so he was getting a dab hand at shaving heads.

(42:57):
So yeah, there was a lot going on with the fertility treatment
and a chemotherapy. And then I was having, I had
double mastectomy when Bethany was in the middle of
chemotherapy and the house became a hospital again.
And it The thing is just, you know, I had to say this every
single time and I'm sure every parent would have gone through
it all again if Bethany didn't have to go through it, But she,

(43:20):
she, you know, she had some tough times.
But looking after now, you know,we're so proud, you know, and I
don't don't want this to to be, even though we've gone through a
lot and and there's a lot of us that went through it all at the
same time. We're all good.
We're all really good night. And, and that's, that's the main

(43:40):
thing is because we luckily somebody made me watch the range
or made me kind of check and, and learn how to look out for,
for changes that had a massive knock on effect.
It's not necessarily by, oh God,I've got to check to see if I'm
genetic. You know, I've got an altered
gene that, that that's just beenthe strangest thing.
And, and it's, it's, it's not rare, but it's not, it's not

(44:04):
talked about. Enough.
No, but yeah, the. Knowledge of it.
Yeah, yeah. It is unusual that all of us
have been affected by it, but I feel blessed that we have
because it was totally differentback what when did mum, Well,
mum died when you were 20, you were 26.
Now Grace that she was 1999 and what she went through and with

(44:26):
her treatment compared to what we've been through with our
treatment, God, science has changed so much, so much and the
just in the way that you are able to cope to get through the
treatment compared to that, you know, mum went through the
treatment and really suffered that.
But you know, we are doing really well.
The the message is to really just keep you just know you're

(44:50):
normal and look for any changes and act on it and, and not be
frightened of it because early detection is key and and it is,
it's not a life sentence anymore.
Isn't it a breast cancer if you find it early?
That's the thing if you find it early.
And that's what I mean, we said this, you know, when we had
discussed it before the, we started recording Fran, you
know, people who, who listen to this, if it helps one person, if

(45:16):
it helps 100 people, they pass the message on.
You know, we don't. Unless it's, you know, affecting
you or you listen to a story like this, people will not.
And I think, you know, obviouslywe're on your podcast and it's
like we've said, I'll be open. I said, what do you want us to
come on? You guys talk.
You talk about cricket, you talkabout, you know, why do you want
to talk about us and boobs, you know?

(45:38):
But listen, guys, whoever, whoever's listening, you know,
it's not just women that get breast cancer, it's men as well.
It's you. You will have daughters, you'll
have nieces, you'll have grandchildren.
But whatever, anything, you know, just make, make them be
aware. And and Gary's a major advocate
for it. From.

(45:59):
My side, I would like to say like a big thank you to, you
know, the, the law house family as well for the support that you
guys have given us, but also forfor my dad as well, because he
has just been, I'll get emotionally, he has just been
the most incredible support. And I can't even imagine what it

(46:23):
would have been like for him seeing his wife go through it
and then his daughter. And he's just the most amazing
person in the whole entire world.
Brilliant area. And when you know, like you've
said, just a little phone call, you know, if people are
listening and it's, it's not just about cancer, you know,

(46:44):
talk about things as you've, youknow, whatever made you contact
Adam Bethany and then all of a sudden, you know, who knows Gary
will have managed it anyway. He's a good, you know, he's a
good, tough, strong man. But doing something like this,
you know, won't have harmed anything.
And again, as you've said, as you said, Frannie, it's just to

(47:06):
get a message out there. This is, we don't want this to
say doom and gloom, doom and gloom.
This is a good time story, what you've been through with
something that you know people can, can pass on and pass on and
pass on and under Lorraine Sure.Just tell us what that was like
with the the performances, because it seems so much fun.

(47:27):
It's it's a difficult subject, but Lorraine to manage all the
choir was fantastic. Was it almost like stardom?
Was it almost like being on, youknow, being in show business?
I know you 2 girls are anyway. Well, this is it.
You know, I've worked in TV now,so I know what it's like, but I

(47:48):
think we ended up being asked togo on the show because I'd
contacted. There's a lady I was following
on Instagram called The Titty Gritty and on to me.
I've been in conversation with her because she was doing a talk
about she'd have breast cancer. She had a big following and they
talked about different subjects.And this one particular time

(48:08):
they were discussing reconstruction.
And I had to make a decision at one point whether to stay flat
or have reconstruction or what type.
But because I'd already had radiotherapy, there was some
difficulties on choosing the right the right path to go down.
And so I was asking her some questions and we talked about,
she talked, I said about the change and check campaign

(48:29):
helping me find the breast cancer.
And then she, I realised who shewas.
She told me she was and she was the features editor for or
features producer for the Lorraine show.
She contacted me separately and asked me a few questions.
And so I had told her about the family and the genetics.
And so I think they probably thought, oh, hang on a minute,

(48:49):
this I'm just the change and check campaign hasn't just
helped one person, it's helped awhole family.
So they asked us, I think we went on the programme in 2022.
They came down to the house and filmed us there.
We had, we had a great, a great day together.
And, but we talked about the subject and, and did the

(49:12):
recording and then they asked usto go, I think that year to, to,
for the campaign to help raise awareness again.
It was, I think the year before when I'd seen it as well.
They, they did, they walked someof the ladies that had already
found their breast cancer through the campaign walked over
the O2 building because it looked like a big boob.
And as I said, they'd done this big boob bus, they'd travelled

(49:33):
the country. And then the year that we went
and they asked us to go along, they did a big hot air balloon
because it looked like a boob. So it was all those sorts of
things. So we got involved then.
And then the following year she decided to do a choir.
So I got involved with the choirand I've met some amazing women

(49:55):
that have had all different sorts of types and stages of
breast cancer. And the aim was then to be in a
position to start just again raising awareness.
They have a platform, they have the Lorange Hall platform.
And we were honoured to be able to be with these ladies to, you
know, share our stories with everybody and, and to encourage

(50:18):
people to just again, look for the signs of breast cancer and
go and get checked. And through that, I think 2324
especially was so busy because we did the choir one year where
somebody wrote a song for us andit's ended up getting to #1 in
some chart. I mean, back in our day, it was
just Top of the Pops and that was it.
But now you've got singles chart, download chart, iTunes

(50:39):
charts. It's well, I think.
I can't remember which song it was, but we beat the beat.
It was gold, It was. Golden and it was I remember
because me Jazz had an interaction.
Do you remember with this radio?So we don't it just on was

(51:01):
singing this song and it was called Golden and it had been
written for the choir about justlike the uplifting nature of,
you know, like life during or life after and the positiveness
that you can find within yourself and from it.
And it did really well in the charts to the point that it got

(51:22):
to #1 on the UK charts and on iTunes.
But Dad and Grace have this thing that they listen to on
Radio 2. What's it called?
Dad, Mystery Voice. And that week's Mystery Voice,
Dad and Grace were like, you know, arguing about whatever.

(51:45):
And I said that I thought it wasGary Oldsman or whatever it was.
So I had emailed in to Radio 2 just to basically see if I got
it right. Grace and my dad would be really
mad that I got it, and they didn't.
It was basically one of those. And then while she's speaking to
the producer of the, it was Dermot O'leary's Radio 2 show.

(52:09):
While she's emailing back and forth, if you're like, correct
to go on. He was like, can you tell me
something? You know, what have you been up
to this week? So I said, Oh, well, we've just
performed with Alfie Boll at theRoyal Palladium about this, you
know, singing this song called Golden.
And he was and then he was like,excuse me, like so, so basically

(52:30):
then they brought they brought me on to talk about not just the
song, but also about the campaign.
So I was on demo Lewis Radio 2 show, I think it was a Saturday
and, and started like, you know,I got a bit carried away talking
about the campaign. And next news I get to text from

(52:51):
Jazz saying I'm lying in bed having a cup of tea.
Is that you that I'm listening to on radio too?
They didn't even give your name.I could tell the voice your
Burley twang was still there. You talk a little bit posh name
but I could tell it was you. But it was.
It was. Yeah, it was wild.

(53:13):
And in one of those things that you just you're not expecting
and you just wrong with it because it's all about the
awareness, you know, whether it was us doing the actual show
itself in the Palladium, 2000 people in the venue went home
and checked their boobs or all those people that then on that
radio show then checked their boobs.
I even think I told him in the moment, Dermot, check yourself

(53:36):
because men can get it as well. I think said that.
But yeah, it's just, it's been wild.
Yeah, no, it sounds it and it's,and I suppose it's little things
like that and the the will and it's, you know, it'll, it'll
store ball when there's people listening and then it goes to
different parts of the country and we'll all.
And that's why I'm, you know, I really wanted to do this and

(53:58):
really wanted to get it out there.
So Joe Martin's back with us. Joe, you've had a traumatic
evening. Yeah.
I can't really say it's been howit's stressful relative to what
what we've been talking about talking about, but I'm I'm not,
I'm not good under pressure. No.
So Joe's been using the club's free Wi-Fi.

(54:18):
No, no, no, don't, Jess. Don't be like that.
That's not why I use it. I use it as a.
It's got good acoustics. Matt Stanley's cut him off and
he's Have you ran home or are wein the car?
No, I drove home. And he's drove home to get back
on the The House cast. I needed the heated seats on as
it was gold. How was it?
Oh bless. Have.

(54:39):
You missed everything we've beentalking about.
Then, if you've driven home, youdon't.
Have no, no, no, no. I'll listen to the recorder.
And it's not most of it. He only went 10 minutes ago.
Gary, I'm going to come to you in a minute just to see you know
your side of it. I know what you like.
You're only you won't be on for for for long just talking about

(54:59):
it. But I just wondered, Grace.
Yeah. What about you, you know, it's
it, it, it must be so, you know,difficult for you to go through
all that. And then you got the, the
negative test and everything howwe use, you know, going through
everything. Honestly, it's all a blur.

(55:22):
Really. It was a really.
Crazy time in general. Obviously I'd been working in
London and then that got shut down immediately as soon as
Boris said to avoid pubs, clubs and theatres.
You know, where'd you go? Back to Devon, Back to Devon and

(55:45):
literally the three places I spent most of my time in 2020.
But yeah, so came back home and just kind of immerse myself in a
bit of family time and obviouslythen mum had a diagnosis through
and it was just kind of you get into a routine of going on your

(56:08):
daily walk and then disinfecting.
The shopping when it gets. Delivered to the door and then
just kind of, I mean dad did most of the the heavy duty work
and proper looking after mum. But yeah, just seeing seeing one
of your parents in in the place where they're just not well and

(56:34):
they're struggling not only physically, but, you know,
emotionally and mentally as well, which mum, you know, I
think you pride yourself on justkeeping strong mentally as well
as physically. So that was tough.
And then I think I can't remember how far into your chemo

(56:56):
you were when I moved to burn you only.
Survived 2 rounds. Two rounds of chemo, but it was
because everything was opening up again and well, not
everything, just it was kind of like.
What was it? Eat out to help.
Out or something. And I think you'd said like on

(57:17):
one of your kind of good days, like, you know, you should
either go back to London or see if you can move in like with
your auntie North and like, so then you can actually go out and
and start doing things. Because we were still isolating
completely, even from the postman.
It was just like, just leave it at the door.

(57:39):
And I kind of grappled with it for a while, but then I thought
the I feel bad even now, like they know they were fine.
So I just off to Burnley I went but I think.
Eat out to help out and you wentand got made friends with Tony
Woodworth. Boy, can he eat out.

(58:00):
Yeah, yeah, literally. Oh God, yeah.
I ended up going because I thinkit was just in general for me
personally as well, I think it was best thing to do.
It was the right thing to do. So I went up and live with my
aunt and just helped out. My uncle was working for like

(58:20):
SES and they needed someone at the door saying you have to walk
this way, it's a one way system.That's it.
So I was doing that few days a week and then I went and mowed
the lawn at lower house once once every two weeks or once a
week or something. Paying to the deck in.
Yeah, paying to the deck in. So Stan had me, you know,

(58:42):
working. But it was really nice actually,
because he told me that my granddad used to come and mow
the lawn and then dad used to come and mow the lawn.
Or what? What is it?
Mow the pitch? I don't know.
The field. Yeah.
And then I was doing it so. I like, I like lawn.
It's fine. Yeah.

(59:05):
You can tell how young Grace waswhen we moved away from Burnley.
She doesn't quite have the rightterminology down.
No, I've. Got a mix?
Yeah. I was going to say earlier when
you said oh what? Like what memories do you have
of lower house? I don't really have too many
other than like refusing to leave the pitch at the end of

(59:26):
the day and then Mum and dad just driving off without me and
then me running after the car. And I'm definitely Dad was
batting on the day I was born when Mum.
Went into Laura. But can we actually talk about
this? Because recently me and Grace
when came to the club and we were having a conversation with

(59:50):
Blaze and Lindsay about this dayand Lindsay Blazard pulled up
the day that Grace was born. And like, you know, like the I
don't know how you say it scorecard.
Yeah. And we're actually, we're
actually are questioning it now if he actually was still out
there batting because Jess answered the phone to my mum
saying he's still doing really good.

(01:00:11):
Fran, sorry, I can't go out and get him.
Back off to pitch. 2-3 times I said Jessica was to broke.
We tell Gary in fact he's just batting.
He's just batting. He's rang again.
I think I said something like, just get yourself a sweet cup of
tea. You'll be all right.
You'll be all right. He's doing what?
What? When's your birthday, Grace?

(01:00:34):
25th of April. What year?
Yeah, it was like 9990. 9. Something we're supposed to do?
A doc. Don't be batting that one 116

(01:00:56):
they. Didn't.
You're right. I didn't.
Left eventually, I didn't miss it.
So that's all that matters, yeah.
Exactly, I forgot all about that.
We could have got that out from the start.
Now that is that's a great story.
I love that. And we'll go, Gary, I just want
to find out you know your side and how things were and how you

(01:01:19):
know you've you've got through and you're managing note.
And then we'll just go around the room just for even including
you, Joe Martin. I know you've you're here as a
as almost like a supporter. Well, I've had a shocker Jazz.
You've had a shocker, you know, we can finish on, you know, the,

(01:01:40):
the, the happy notes of where, the where they're at.
I mean, a little story from me. I'll not forget.
When my mum passed away, Bethanysent me a fantastic note.
And then Bethany and Gary came all the way to the funeral.
You know, it's things like that that you won't forget.
So strong, so brave. So Gary, how were you?
How were you through that? What were your feelings?

(01:02:01):
And how are you now? Well.
We're all good now, Jess, you probably don't have time to
process too much of it, to be honest.
For you, from you, from your ownpoint of view, you're concerned
about obviously those who are directly affected going through
it and, and wanting to find out as much as you can.

(01:02:23):
And a lot of the time, and they do say, you know, they'd say to
Fran, you know, make sure you somebody's coming with you
because you'll be in a day. So it's up to like me, you
almost have take notes and then pro and then reminder stuff and
explain stuff later. And so there were a lot of that
going on where you just having to do as much research and, you
know, listen to what all the consultants are saying because

(01:02:43):
you haven't sort of remind or repeat, you know, about what
what the various stages are and what the process is.
So yeah, we're, it was, it were heartbreaking to see it, see
both of them go through it and everybody around them who
connected. And in a way, I thought about it

(01:03:04):
a lot over the years sort of thing, almost in a way, COVID
sort of helped because it forcedyear forced us to be very
insular. We were sort of forced to, you
know, not go out, not, you know,literally I couldn't even go
into the hospital to drop it offa tree.
We had to sort of wait outside and then and then, you know,

(01:03:26):
bring back afterwards and things.
Well, as you think those people who would going around their
normal lives are having to try and work or they're having to
like run kids to school or do all this the shopping or
whatever it is, you know, just getting on my life generally
that trying to do all that on top of it.
You know, it must have been, youknow, even harder still.
So, you know, I'm not saying COVID were a good thing, far

(01:03:48):
from it. But you know, perversely, I
think there were there were a period of time there until we
got into our own routine and stuff where because we were
forced into a particular situation, it almost didn't
realise it at the time. But looking back it almost sort
of, you know, define what we hadto do.
But as Fran said, you know, I have nothing but praise for the

(01:04:11):
NHS. The first surgery they went to
the, it was literally I think lockdown was like 22nd of March.
Was it something like that for an surgery total of 30.
And they closed the theatre downin the, in the General Hospital
in Torbay. And Fran literally was the, and
they moved it, they hired a private hospital, the theatre.

(01:04:33):
They took over the NHS, took over the theatre so that anybody
going for surgery was well away from anybody else going into the
hospital for COVID treatment andall that sort of exposure and
stuff and things like that. And they moved the the oncology
ward out to a different hospitalor a gym, yeah, again, sort of

(01:04:55):
thing away from and, and you know, for an organisation that
size and sometimes that slow, you know, being able to move the
way they kicked into action there.
Now we're experience of it at the time.
I've nothing but praise really. The breast clinic nurses,
fantastic. The, the, the surgeons, the
oncologists, the consultants, you know, what they were having

(01:05:19):
to just go through as well, generally within their work,
their work environment being completely turned on his head to
still perform a higher level of services that account for
critical care. So, yeah, you know, don't ever
forget that when we sat in A&E for a couple of hours thinking
why has nobody been to see me and stuff like this when when it

(01:05:41):
comes to it, you know, they these people are worth the
weight in gold. So, so yeah, that was that was
all tough. And then I think the secondary
thing with the genetics was likea Oh my God, I thought we would
see in a bit of light, you know,and this is not ever going to go
away. This is like, you know, here to
stay sort of thing that's alwaysgoing to be that threat, if you

(01:06:02):
like in underlying in in in the back.
But this translating, you know, the advancements in the medical
research and the treatment and the the the the statistic Jol of
it because the statistical data that they pull together now,
it's amazing. Literally they sat down with and
I can't imagine this happening 1015 years ago it would have

(01:06:23):
been you are doing this, but they literally sit you down.
They pump a load of data and infant questions into into an
application and it's called a predictor, Scott and it and it
and it as cold as it sounds, it gives you your chances of, you
know, life beyond five years, 10years, etcetera.
If you take this drug, it will give you an extra 2% or if you

(01:06:45):
if you don't want, but there areside effects.
So all that information and all that that helped to guide you
through it. You didn't once think that you
were being bamboozled by scienceor being left left on your own
or isolated anyway in from a medical sense.
You always felt you you could ask the right questions and get

(01:07:06):
the right information and be a part of that decision making and
understand all the impacts. So so yeah, we're great.
And let's say I think podcast came along at a great time and I
sort of jumped on just as a guest briefly once and then we
had a chat and it would just guess Well, yell out every now
and again and lat 120 episodes later, he's become a thing.

(01:07:30):
And there were there were loads of people down at the club.
I'm not going to name name them all, you know, Matthew, just
been an odd text message or, youknow, some somebody, you know,
create a beer on Monica. And it was just like a word of
just support and how's it going?And even even knowing that when
the girls went N when restrictions were relaxed a bit
more that somebody were looking out for them and just, you know,

(01:07:54):
making sure they were all care and stuff and all that is born
out of the club. Because, you know, we're turning
up there in 1990. We want to Add all that sort of
environment and, and support andeverything else.
And and equally from Grace and Bethany have been able to go
back independently since of their own, you know, and catch
up and reconnect with people. And and I have another group of

(01:08:17):
friends there and they don't need me playing cricket on me
and Fran going down, you know, as an excuse to go there
themselves anymore. So, so it's been fantastic in
that sense, yes. And also, you know, going back
to the community and you think how it was when we started going
down and how it's evolved and, and you don't realise the

(01:08:40):
friends that you're making at the time are lifelong friends
and you might not see them everyday, you might not see them for
years. But when I once I've been
through my cancer treatment and you start talking to other
people, again, not naming names,but there's other people from
the club that I've recently beenin contact with over the last
couple of years that they're either going through their own
cancer treatment and you're justthere for each other.

(01:09:02):
You, you all of a sudden you're there and you're just helping to
support and give advice. Or yeah, when I was on that
treatment, this, this really helped or that and we might not
spoke to each other for years, but doesn't matter.
No, no, no, it doesn't. It's, you know, they, like you
said, you're just friends for life When you get into a
community like it is, I mean, the story that you've told

(01:09:27):
today, you know, all four of you, really, it's just
outstanding. It's, I find it really quite
touching that you talk through this and that people will
benefit, You know, they definitely will benefit just
from listening to you, you know,which has got to be positive
steps and, and the way you are now, the way you're handling

(01:09:48):
everything. So just really like to thank the
four of you for, for coming on and, and going through this
story. Joe Martin, I'll, I'll sort out,
you know, the editing of it as best we can, but I, I can't
thank you enough, You know, to, to Gary, Fran, Bethany and
Grace. I really appreciate it.
I'll go round just to see if anyone's got any last comments

(01:10:10):
before we finish. I'll you know, I'll end up with
with you Joe Martin because I just want to have a little 2
minutes about cricket. So, Gary, final words from
yourself. Yeah, thanks for the therapy
session, Jazz. It's been absolutely, absolutely
wonderful it. Really has been therapy.

(01:10:32):
Yeah. No, seriously, you know, this
platform I think in is sort of giving us and the club a chance
just to sort of do a few things and connect with a few more
people and just update stuff in general.
So yeah, thanks for pulling it all together and and giving

(01:10:52):
everyone a chance to just bring some of the stuff that we
mentioned and from time to time all together into into one
story. Yeah, well, I've, you know, as
best you can enjoy something like this.
It's been a really good, you know, I hope for me and to
listen to, you know, to the the journeys you've been on best in
it. Any final points from yourself

(01:11:13):
before we before I go to your mum and then Grace and Joe?
Just thank you for the invite and also the opportunity of
spreading awareness because there's there's no other reason
that, you know, we want to talk about any of this other than to
make people aware, to check themselves for early detection,

(01:11:35):
but also to spread awareness of not just for breast cancer, you
know, all cancers, but I know there'll be many people
listening. It's not just about if they've
been through it themselves, but everybody knows someone that is
going through something or has been through something and it
affects everybody differently. And if what we've discussed here

(01:11:57):
today can help anybody, then I, I just, I just really, really
hope that that's the case. So thank you so much for the
opportunity. Oh, no, you're welcome.
And here, here to that, Fran, your final points.
I don't quite believe that all four of us are sassy.
Are all that being dotted aroundthe world talking about what
we've just gone through over thelast five years?

(01:12:20):
No, it it turned our world upside down.
And at times we really didn't know how this was going to going
to be, you know, watching your child go through something like
that. But we can honestly say, you
know, we're at the other side and we're now thriving and and
enjoying that new how we how youlook at life differently and and

(01:12:40):
appreciate absolutely everything.
And I think Gary mentioned it yesterday when we said, oh, you
know, talking about what we might chat about or what we
might want to share and think we've shared a lot.
But what, what, you know, we do do this campaign and when we get
an opportunity, opportunity to be involved in it is, is
literally it's awareness to check, you know, to check
yourself and, and go and addressanything if it looks different.

(01:13:05):
But also, if you are wanting to donate anything, it's it's not,
if you do want to donate anything to any council
charities, the main one that needs working is secondary
breast cancer. Because at the moment, like Gary
said yesterday to me, primary breast cancers, you know, the
science is moving really, reallyquickly.
It needs to pick up on secondarybreast cancer because a lot of

(01:13:26):
people don't realise that secondary breast cancer is
incurable. It can it, you can sustain it
for quite a long time, but there's still not a cure.
So that's the next big thing. I'm sure it's in the pipeline.
In fact, some, you know, there'sthere's a lot of people that
talk about it. So if you ever get an
opportunity to to, you know, focus on any support sort of
charities, it's for secondary council charities really.

(01:13:48):
But yeah, it's just been amazingto to sit back.
You know, I'm looking at Bethanyon the screen and wearing a lot
of pride. I am of her and Grace, you know
how she's, you know, we've all been through so much and coming
out the other end thanks to the law heist community, you know,
just for keep keeping it's all in your thoughts and looking

(01:14:09):
after the girls when they came up, when they'd nowhere to go.
Yeah, it was great. That's no, it's fantastic.
Thanks, Fran. Grace, have you got any little
words for us before we shoot off?
I'll probably see you this summer at some stage down there,
but. No, just thanks for letting me
sit in. And it's not, you know, it's not
about me. I'm really proud of these two

(01:14:32):
and my dad as well for just being living proof that there's
life after all of this. And the, you know, the it's
just, it's not like mum said earlier on in the in the chat,
like it's not a if you're lucky,it's not a death sentence
anymore. If you have that, that that

(01:14:54):
horrible news. If you have the early detection
and up the house. Here we go, good last, the house
good last. And Joe Martin, have you
anything you want to? I just want to ask a few bits
about cricket. Anything you want to say about
this this last hour, hour and a half?
It's been fantastic. Thanks for organising chairs.

(01:15:17):
Fantastic facilitation as ever. The Morehouse family are amazing
people, so thank you for sharingeverything that you've spoken
about tonight. Grace The decking needs
repainting, so. I.
Charge £50 an hour now, so I'll.Send you an invite.

(01:15:38):
Well, let's stand and sort that.And yeah, no, I just think that
if you really can listen to the messaging from, from Bethany,
please do everything you can and, and make sure that you stay

(01:15:59):
safe and kind of check and, and if you need to go and see
someone, go and do it even if, even if you don't think it's
anything that was. Well, yes.
You can't use anything to. Well, you know, there we go.

(01:16:20):
Cricket, Jazz. Sorry.
Yeah, anything to report from nodo to norm normally tells
there's nothing at all. No, I don't have any.
I don't think I have anything toreport.
What? What would you like to know?
Is there any official news aboutany players that might be coming
back to play that moved away to the other side of the world?

(01:16:43):
Is that is that official or not?Hassan Khan's not coming back
well, well's not well's not coming back to play.
No, no. I don't know Jez.
Honestly, you're asking the wrong person.
Can you believe that, Gary? How much Nets going Joe?

(01:17:04):
Yeah, they're OK. Good turn out.
The first week was a good turn out, the second, second week
we're flagging a little bit, butthey'll be there.
Flagging after two weeks. Well, I, well, I was there, you
know, but but yeah, I think it was just one of those, one of

(01:17:25):
those nights. I'm sure there'll be what's
there next this week. I'm sure, I'm sure.
So let's conclude the episode. Thanks ever so much to everyone
who's contributed to this. You know, if people want to get
in touch, you know, just contactmyself or or Gary through
whatever means you'll have our details.

(01:17:47):
We've got the the Twitter account.
If people want to direct messages about anything in this,
any support around it or any help, please, please seek it
out. Don't forget to subscribe and
like and everything else that you do with the House cast
podcast. And don't forget, we need to
support our sponsors for the podcast and also for the

(01:18:11):
players, all the players and I've sponsored.
So please try and support the sponsors and thanks very much
for everyone. And listen to the next episode,
which will be the March draw. And we will look to be having a
guest on on the build up to the season because Joe Martin never,
never contributes to it. So thanks everyone and and good.

(01:18:33):
Well, hold on Jess, I contributeto the other stuff.
Yeah, you do. Morden Morden, send more house

(01:18:59):
to save the house. Come on, the House.