After 26 years of being involved with the Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign, Elizabeth Hurley (Liz to us) remains passionate about the cause.
“Evelyn Lauder [Pink Ribbon Breast Health Awareness co-founder] tasked me to get involved in 1995, around the same time that I had just lost my beloved grandmother to breast cancer,” the actress says.
“I immediately said yes, knowing how close this was to me and my family. Evelyn recognised that women around the world were dying and no one was talking about it, and she wanted
to change that.”
Liz, 56, who lives in Herefordshire, is as close as ever to Damian, her 19-year-old son from her relationship with the late US businessman Steve Bing. And even though Damian now has his
own career as a model, she still likes to keep
tabs on him.
“I torture him by making him text me and check in all the time. There’s a lot of eye-rolling from his end,” she has previously said. “Given I’m a single mother and he’s an only child, by default we do spend a lot of time together and we’re utterly comfortable in each other’s company. I rather think I’ve simply been blessed with a child whose personality gels with mine.”
Here, Liz talks about the importance of women giving their boobs a regular check and her secrets to staying healthy…
Hi, Liz. You lost your grandmother to breast cancer and Sarah Harding ’s death from it at only 39 was tragic…
Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate. At one time I had four girlfriends, all mothers, battling this disease. We are all vulnerable. Every time
I hear of a new diagnosis – whether I know the person or not – I feel inspired to keep going and raise more funds
and greater awareness.
What advice would you give to others about self-checking breasts?
Self-checking is really important. I have personally met many women who have discovered lumps themselves, including several of my close
friends. By familiarising yourself with your own breasts, it should become easier to spot, or feel, any changes.
What is the best method for carrying out self-checks ?
I recently took part in a virtual self-check
event with Alesha Dixon and Dr Zoe Williams, an NHS doctor who gives wonderful online demonstrations on how best to do it. The aim was to break a world record for the largest self-check event ever.
Do mammograms hurt?
Evelyn Lauder gifted me my first mammogram for my 40th birthday. I’m happy to report they are not at all painful, just a bit uncomfortable.
Are you terrified of what they’ll find when you go for yours?
Waiting for the result of anything medical is always a bit nerve-racking, but at least if you self-check and have regular mammograms, if something is found, it hopefully will have been caught early. We know early detection saves lives, as breast cancer mortality rates have decreased by 41% among women since the late 1980s because of earlier detection and improved treatment.
Do you feel your own boobs for lumps and bumps?
I self-check in front of the mirror. It’s important to remember to do it at the same time
of the month each month, as your breasts fluctuate due to hormonal changes. I self-check on the first of every month.
Your wardrobe must be stuffed full of pink dresses, the campaign colour for the Estée Lauder campaign…
Luckily, I adore pink. I borrow most of my dazzling pink costumes, so sadly they’re not hanging in my closet. Brands are wonderfully supportive, because everyone knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer and most people want to help.
What are your tips for continuing to look so amazing at 56?
I eat quite a lot, but rarely eat junk or processed foods, I don’t eat takeaways, only drink sodas once in a blue moon and don’t drink much alcohol. I try to eat lots of vegetables and try not to eat between meals. My weakness is peanut butter – if it’s in
the house, I’ll stick my finger in the jar every time I walk past it.
Do you still chew food 40 times before swallowing, as you once claimed?
It’s important to chew, but I doubt if I’ve ever made it to 40 chews a morsel – not sure where you got that from! I rarely think I’m on a diet, but sometimes when I see what some people eat, I realise that
to them it may look like I’m on a permanent one.
