Breast cancer survivor, 47, unveiled as face of Estée Lauder campaign aiming to highlight the long-term psychological challenges faced by women diagnosed with disease 

  • Paula Beetlestone, 47, from Borough, London, is star of new campaign
  • Paula was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2013
  • Describes the period after recovery as a 'mental rollercoaster'
  • New campaign speaks to all breast cancer 'survivors'

By Bianca London for MailOnline

Published: 08:45 EST, 1 October 2015 | Updated: 09:24 EST, 1 October 2015

A woman who survived breast cancer says she is 'privileged' to be the star of a new campaign highlighting the long-term psychological challenges faced by women diagnosed with the disease.

Paula Beetlestone, 47, from Borough, London, has been unveiled as the star of The Estée Lauder Companies UK's new ad campaign, which at first appears to be for a new fragrance, but in fact is launching Afterwards - the beauty giant's new campaign.

The campaign aims to speak to all breast cancer ‘survivors’: those that have recovered or are still having treatment and also the friends or family members that love, or have loved and lost, someone to breast cancer.

Paula Beetlestone, 47, has been unveiled as the star of The Estée Lauder Companies UK's new ad campaign, which aims to speak to all breast cancer 'survivors': those that have recovered or are still having treatment and also the friends or family members that love, or have loved and lost, someone to breast cancer

Paula Beetlestone, 47, has been unveiled as the star of The Estée Lauder Companies UK's new ad campaign, which aims to speak to all breast cancer 'survivors': those that have recovered or are still having treatment and also the friends or family members that love, or have loved and lost, someone to breast cancer

Paula was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2013, aged 45, and is currently managing her condition whilst on medication letrozole, a hormone therapy drug (which reduces the amount of oestrogen in the body), after undergoing a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She also requires further reconstructive surgery. 

Paula has a faulty BRCA 2 gene where there was a high risk of her developing ovarian cancer. She took preventative measures and chose to have her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed. Paula and her husband have a young son who is six years old.

With a history of cancer in the family, including breast cancer, when Paula found large lumps on her breast she wanted to get them checked out as soon as possible. 

Paula was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2013, aged 45, and is currently managing her condition whilst on medication

Paula was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2013, aged 45, and is currently managing her condition whilst on medication

Her grandmother (on her mother’s side) had breast (and possibly ovarian cancer) and passed away from the disease, her mother’s sister had breast cancer and died of an unstated secondary, her mother’s brother died of cancer, and her mother’s aunt survived breast cancer and died naturally.

Within two weeks of discovering the lump she was in hospital, where she had mammograms and various test assessments, including the gene test, due to the large percentage of her family who had been touched by breast cancer. 

Although Paula was not always systematic with checking her breasts, she would do so on occasion, and stated that it can be hard to get in to the habit of checking, but advises women to do so regularly.

The new ad campaign, which at first appears to be for a new fragrance, but in fact is launching Afterwards

The new ad campaign, which at first appears to be for a new fragrance, but in fact is launching Afterwards

Paula wanted to wait for an official diagnosis before telling her family about the tests and the lump. Her main priority was looking after her young son, so she did not want to worry about the situation, as she thought that if it was breast cancer, causing herself stress was the last thing she needed.

When the diagnosis came through, it wasn’t a bombshell to Paula because of the family history, Paula said: 'I thought "Right, OK, let’s get on with it". It wasn’t a surprise, I have a child, I need to deal with this and get on and do it. What could I possibly gain by procrastinating?'.

Everything happened quickly for Paula, but she was determined to adapt her life in order to carry on working and being a wife and mother .

She received constant support from the consultants, nurses, her husband, and family and friends. 

When Paula and her husband told their son, they gave him a story book called ‘Mummy’s Lump’, which explained breast cancer and the treatment processes in a simple and straightforward way; that mummy is not very well and will be having an operation so might be away for a little while.

Paula remembers the little acts of kindness she received from the staff during operations, such as a nurse who brushed her hair and cleaned her teeth to make her feel more like herself. Throughout treatment, she was determined to keep as active as possible, for example by taking walks everyday to the hospital throughout her treatment.  

Paula will feature here on the Piccadilly Lights, described as 'the world's most prestigious advertising location' from October 1st

Paula will feature here on the Piccadilly Lights, described as 'the world's most prestigious advertising location' from October 1st

Speaking about her journey, and starring in the new campaign, Paula said: ‘It’s a privilege to be the face of this important campaign. My journey was far from easy, I was juggling a job and a four-year-old child starting school and having to come to terms with a very different future'

Speaking about her journey, and starring in the new campaign, Paula said: ‘It’s a privilege to be the face of this important campaign. My journey was far from easy, I was juggling a job and a four-year-old child starting school and having to come to terms with a very different future'

The 'afterwards', she admits, has come as a bit of a shock. She describes the period as being a 'mental rollercoaster', one day she’d be feeling fine, and other days, she would be completely exhausted. 

'I didn’t give afterwards the same mental and physical focus that I gave myself during treatment,' she said.

'Instead I tried to throw myself back into normality as I wanted to show family and friends I was better after they’d been so supportive when I needed it.' 

Having lost her hair during chemotherapy, she has embraced short hair ever since. Paula treated herself to a Hermes scarf, after working out how much she’d be saving on haircuts, and has since got a taste for buying scarves. 

Make-up during chemotherapy was fantastic for Paula, and really helped to put colour back into her face to make her feel presentable and strong again; 'it really does make a difference'. She also went along to Look Good Feel Better, a charity offering self-help skincare and make-up workshops for women undergoing cancer treatment.

Paula pictured with ambassador Liz Hurley at last year's launch of The Estee Lauder Companies' UK Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign

Paula pictured with ambassador Liz Hurley at last year's launch of The Estee Lauder Companies' UK Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign

Speaking about her journey, and starring in the new campaign, Paula said: ‘It’s a privilege to be the face of this important campaign. My journey was far from easy, I was juggling a job and a four-year-old child starting school and having to come to terms with a very different future. 

'There is so much practical advice I could pass on to someone going through a diagnosis and beyond, as well as their loved ones. Little things help so much - such as gifts of plain food to combat chemo nausea, or a well-meaning text message.'

To inspire and offer guidance to those who have been affected by breast cancer, the company is also publishing a collection of advice and short anecdotes on returning to ‘normality’ from real people who have lived through breast cancer. 

Called Afterwards, Reflections on Life beyond breast Cancer, the book is being made available today via BCAcampaign.com to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October 2015. 

Lesley Fallowfield, Professor of Psycho Oncology at the University of Sussex who wrote the book's foreword, said: ‘It’s difficult to appreciate fully the psychological and physical impact the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer has if you’ve not been through it. 

'For some it is an emotional catastrophe, for others an opportunity to reappraise many aspects of their lives. This campaign illustrates the different ways - some poignant, many uplifting - that women and their loved ones can live well through and beyond a breast cancer diagnosis.' 

One in eight women will get breast cancer in the UK, with approximately 50,000 new cases diagnosed each year, but thanks to scientific breakthroughs, treatment advances and increased awareness, many have a realistic prospect of cure and 87 per cent of these women will survive for at least five years, a figure that is continuously improving.  

To inspire and offer guidance to those who have been affected by breast cancer, the company is also publishing a collection of advice and short anecdotes, which Paula is seen holding, on returning to 'normality' from real people who have lived through breast cancer

To inspire and offer guidance to those who have been affected by breast cancer, the company is also publishing a collection of advice and short anecdotes, which Paula is seen holding, on returning to 'normality' from real people who have lived through breast cancer

  

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