Lesley Stephen, 51, from Edinburgh, is one of seven women heading up a campaign for Breast Cancer Now during Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I have been invited to take part in a national campaign for M&S to raise awareness of and money for the UK’s leading breast cancer charity, Breast Cancer Now, during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I’m joined by six other inspirational women who have also been affected by breast cancer: Emi Lou Howe (38), Hayley Rock (40), Helen Peedell (52), Katie Hughes (33), Laura Otrofanowei (32) and Heather Shekede (43).

During October, M&S will donate 20% of pink bra sales to Breast Cancer Now to help fund lifesaving research.

All seven of us were invited by M&S to take part in the campaign, with each woman modelling one of the pink bras which will donate to the charity. Our images will be used across UK stores and the M&S website and social media channels to promote the campaign.

I know from personal experience the importance of research into preventing and treating breast cancer

To kick-start the campaign, we’ve drawn on our own personal experiences to create a short film entitled Love, Laughter, Life and Breast Cancer: In Our Words. The 60 second video curates the words of each of us to describe our individual attitudes and approach to a life affected by breast cancer – focusing on the experiences, people and things that matter to them.

I know from personal experience the importance of research into preventing and treating breast cancer.

I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in early 2014. At the time of diagnosis, the cancer had already spread to my lungs, liver and bones. I began chemotherapy treatment but in 2015 discovered I had three brain tumours and started full brain radiotherapy.

After a family holiday, which I believed was my last, my consultant offered me the final place on a trial for a cancer drug that was in very early stages of development. I have been on this treatment for 20 months now and it has been very effective.

I got involved in this campaign to raise awareness of secondary breast cancer – many women don’t realise that when the disease spreads to other parts of the body, it cannot be cured. I wanted to be the voice of those women who are on permanent treatment, and often too ill to speak out.

It was also a chance to spread a message of hope – I have been on a clinical trial for almost two years and I am doing incredibly well. Science is catching up with cancer, and having secondary breast cancer isn’t necessarily the death sentence it once was, especially if you are proactive and take part in trials and research.

It was such an amazing and fun experience taking part in this campaign. I met six inspirational women and feel privileged to have taken part in this campaign with them. Together we hope to raise a heap of money which will fund lifesaving breast cancer research.

To find out more about the campaign, click here.