I’mscaredmygirlwill havemycancergene

in the same situation one day. How can you tell your own daughter about something that may kill her, or stop her chances of having children?

At what age do you tell them? I don’t know. I just don’t want her to hear it from someone else.

I hope to help other women who are going through anything similar. As part of that, earlier this year I decided to show my surgery scars in a bikini on Loose Women.

At first I said I wouldn’t do it. But then my husband Hugh said: “You can’t be telling people about this on Instagram and talking about it and not showing them what’s happened.”

Last month, I canoed 23 miles in Chester with teacher Josephine Torrington, who has the BRCA1 gene. She had a double mastectomy and may have her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as well.

I try to do my bit but in terms of raising awareness of cervical cancer, no one has done that better than my late friend Jade Goody.

She told people: “If I had caught it sooner, I may not be dying.” And because of that, thousands of girls’ lives have been saved. Hopefully, when girls like Faith get older, they will have other healthcare options.

The HPV vaccine is now available for all girls from age 12 up to their 18th birthday on the NHS, which helps protect against cervical cancer.

It’s vital there is more cancer research funding so girls don’t have to face the same decisions I’ve to.