BREAST cancer patient Lesley Yates is saying 'thank you' to the screening and prevention centre that supported her through the illness by returning as a volunteer.

Lesley, who works at the John Lewis store in the Trafford Centre, was diagnosed after a mammogram at the Nightingale Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital almost five years ago.

And now she’s going back there through John Lewis's volunteering scheme that allows staff to help good causes without losing any pay, holidays and benefits.

Her six-month stint begins in January when she will be working two-days-a-week in the Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Appeal office.

“I’ll be supporting the team there so they’re free to do their jobs, which is collating information and raising funds to fight breast cancer,” says Lesley, from Urmston.

The centre offers state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment services to women, and men, with breast cancer and co-ordinates the NHS breast-screening programme for the Greater Manchester area.

Lesley’s illness was first diagnosed after she was called for screening: “I was fortunate that it was detected,” says Lesley. “I had been called because of my age but there isn’t a screening programme for younger women and the Genesis Appeal is also aimed at women who are younger, which I think is particularly good.”

Five years on from her fateful day - and after a lumpectomy at Wythenshawe Hospital and chemotherapy at The Christie Hospital - Lesley now has annual check-ups at both hospitals.

She says the illness has given her the courage to step out of her comfort zone. She is one of the regular models in the branch’s fashion shows and before Christmas took to the stage of the Royal Albert Hall with hundreds of John Lewis choir members nationwide for a concert to mark the firm’s 150th anniversary.

“I’m well out of my comfort zone doing that sort of stuff,” says Lesley, who has worked at the Trafford store since it opened almost 10 years ago. “But after my illness, I think, ‘I’m going to have a go at that!’ I’m just glad I can give something back to the centre that helped me in the first place.”