Nolan Sisters saved my life
Superfan Gail’s tribute to singing sisters who helped her fight cancer
GAIL Jones has seen the Nolans perform over 100 times but the superfan has more reason than most to adore the singing sisters – because they saved her life.
The 55-year-old mum-of-four and gran-of-eight has told how the late Bernadette Nolan helped identify a cancerous lump that could have killed her.
And brave Linda Nolan, who is herself battling incurable cancer, helped Gail stay strong while she faced up to fighting the disease.
Gail, from Manchester, said: “I remember so clearly when I saw Bernie backstage and she made me promise I’d always check for lumps.
“I kept that promise for 10 years but I never expected to find anything.
“When I found the lump and the doctors told me it was cancerous, I felt like my world was falling apart.
“But Linda has helped me through it. Even though she’s facing incurable cancer herself, rself, she’s helped me through gh every step of my treatment. -
“From Bernie’s advice all those years ago, to all the support I’m receiving from Linda now, the Nolans truly saved my life.”
Gail has been a fan n of the sisters for almost 40 0 years but her life-saving moment came in 2010 when she popped backstage to chat to the singers after one of their concerts.
Lead singer Bernie, who was 52 when she died of the disease in 2013, had just been diagnosed with breast cancer.
And she made her friend and fan promise she would always examine herself regularly.
Gail kept her word and has checked her breasts for lumps every week since they had the conversation – and Bernie’s advice paid off earlier this year when Gail found a lump. She was diagnosed with breast cancer around the same time brave Linda discovered that she has incurable cancer of the liver.
The pair have now helped each other through their cancer treatments.
Linda, 61, said: “I love that Gail felt she could approach me. It’s so important to have contact with someone else who’s going through the same thing.
“I had no idea how far our friendship went back until I got the message from Gail. I’m very touched by what Gail has said about us but I always remind her, ‘You’re the one going through this – you need to remember how strong you are as an individual’.
“My message is the same as Bernie’s was: Always check your breasts!”
Community carer Gail, who lives with wife Susan Jones, 56, became a fan when she was 16 and first saw the group perform live.
The Nolans, who formed in 1974, had seven major hits, including their 1980 smash I’m In the Mood for Dancing. They have sold 30 million records around t the globe and are one of the world’s biggest selling girl groups.
Gail befriended the s sisters – Linda and B Bernie as well as Anne, 70, Denise, 68, Maureen, 66, and Coleen, 5 55 – after meeting th them after shows.
B But she had a particularly larly special bond with lead s singer Bernie, who died after battling cancer for three years.
Gail had her lymph nodes removed in September.
She is now three weeks into her chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments – and the doctors believe her surgery has removed all the cancer.
She said: “Because of Linda’s support, I’m so much stronger than I ever thought I’d be.
“Bernie saved my life when she told me to check my breasts for cancer.
“Now Linda has saved my life by helping me through it.”