THE Hereford Times told Pam Easen she was "one in eight".

Pam saw the story launching the One in Eight campaign for Hereford Haven on a supermarket news stand.

What she read told her the time had come.

Within days, Pam was on her breast cancer journey.

And the Haven had a new convert to its fundraising cause.

For a while Pam, 61, had felt "not quite right."

But as a successful businesswoman - in the healthcare sector - coping strategies come with the territory.

Then, in a hotel mirror on an overnight stay in London late last month "not quite right" became real.

Reflecting now on the distinctive dimpling she noticed on her left breast then, Pam knows she should have called out "not quite right" sooner.

"Looking in that mirror, I realised I had a problem," she said.

Heading home, Pam stopped off at Belmont Tesco and saw the HT front page launching One in Eight.

Her decision was made, within days she had a consultant say: "I know what you know".

That was all Pam needed to hear.

"I need to know what I'm dealing with - so I can deal with it," she said.

Pam had breast cancer, a grade two tumour and an estrogen-receptor responsive to hormonal therapy.

The estrogen supporting the cancer's cell growth could be lowered or blocked.

Had Pam's cancer proved hormone-receptor-negative, hormone therapy was unlikely to work.

So now Pam faces surgery or radiotherapy or chemotherapy or all three.

But in preparing herself physically and mentally for what's ahead she's got work to do... projects on the go...

Not least of which is extending the reach of One in Eight to businesswomen like herself.

"Don't ignore the signs because you're too busy - I had a wake up call," says Pam