Doing a TV show saved Jules’ life
THE ALARM’S Mike Peters said his decision to be the focus of a documentary saved his wife’s life.
BBC Wales’ programme team were well into the production schedule – with the attention very much on Mike – when a fateful conversation took place between Jules Peters and producer/ director Emyr Afan, chief executive of independent production company Avanti Media.
Mike said: “Making the programme really saved Jules’ life.
“When we were doing Snowdon Rocks last summer, and Jules and Emyr were walking back down from the summit of Snowdon, and got talking about the charity bike rides
“Emyr had been doing to raise breast cancer awareness. He impressed on Jules the importance of testing yourself and Jules said, ‘of course I test myself’. But Emyr insisted and said no, really go deep - really test yourself deeply. It was the next morning that Jules found the lump on her breast.”
Mike is convinced that any further delay in getting the lump checked out might have had tragic consequences.
“As Jules has only just turned 50 this last month, it’s only now that she would have qualified for the test that maybe would have detected it through a mammogram,” he said.
“If Emyr hadn’t made the film - if he hadn’t given Jules that advice that day - it might have been undetected for another year, I might not have a wife now, and our sons Dylan and Evan might not have a mother.
“So from our family we’d like to thank Emyr deeply, and all the production team, for keeping Jules alive.”
In spite of going through such a difficult time, the couple decided to keep making the documentary.
Mike and Jules: While We Still Have Time, turned out to be very different to what was originally planned – a powerful and honest story of a woman with breast cancer, her personal journey through diagnosis, surgery and treatment.
Jules said: “We’ve known Emyr for a long time, so I trusted him, and that’s why we originally decided to make the BBC Wales programme with Avanti. And, in the end, I’m so glad I did it - it really helped me through, I don’t think I could have done it without Emyr and the team, it was like having therapy on tap.”
The couple are no strangers to cancer. The previous summer, Mike relapsed for a third time, 20 years after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The programme includes contributions from close friends, including U2’s Bono, who said: “They’ll win this fight and the most important thing is that they have long lives because they’ve a lot to contribute”
Mike and Jules: While We Still Have Time is on BBC One Wales on May 22 at 9pm, followed on BBC Two Wales at 10pm with Mike Peters: The Alarm Live - highlights from this year’s 25th Anniversary of The Gathering from Llandudno - the annual event attended by Alarm followers from all over the world.