Losing a Friend
- British singer Sarah Harding sadly lost her battle with breast cancer at 39 years old.
- Former Girls Aloud band members paid tribute to their late friend who had shared the news of her metastatic breast cancer diagnosis last August.
- Although Harding lost her fight relatively quickly, an expert reminds us that each individual is different, and it is important to know you are not a statistic.
Former Girls Aloud band membersCheryl, Nadine Coyle, Kimberly Walsh, and Nicola Robertspaid tribute to their late friend, who passed away on Sunday. Harding was diagnosed last summer and shared the news of her metastatic breast cancer diagnosis last August. Since the cancer had spread, doctors had said that Harding wouldn’t make it to Christmas, but she fought to hang on as long as she could.
Read More“Although we knew this day would arrive I am somehow still feeling at a loss for words that our stunning, unique, crazy, quirky, kind and soft-hearted girl has departed,” singer and TV personality Cheryl, 38, wrote. “I love you Sarah, farewell.”
The girls rose to fame together in late 2002 when they won spots in the Brit-Irish band following ITV’s Popstars: The Rivals, and Girls Aloud was born. They took a break in 2009, and briefly rejoined in 2012.
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Nicola, 35, posted a photo with Harding on her Instagram and shared that she is “absolutely devastated” and “can’t accept that this day has come.”
“My heart is aching and all day everything we went through together has raced round my mind. Especially this last year since her diagnosis, as hard as the year has been, our new memories are strong in my heart,” the English songwriter continued, noting that she didn’t want to post anything personal initially, but recognizes that fans are grieving too.
“A part of me or us isn't here anymore and it's unthinkable and painful and utterly cruel … electric girl, you made us. You gave it everything and still with a smile.”
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Nadine Coyle, 36, shared that she is “absolutely devastated” by the loss of her friend. “I can’t think of words that could possibly express how I feel about this girl and what she means to me. I know so many of you will be feeling this way. For now I’m sending so much love to you.”
Kimberley Walsh, 39, also shared her grief: “Beautiful Sarah this hurts so bad. To wake up and know that you are really gone is too much to bear. Hearing your infectious chuckle was one of my favourite things in the world. Your fire burned so bright and you loved, lived and laughed so hard. Sending love and strength to everyone who is grieving today. My heart is broken.”
The Person Behind the Persona
Harding published a book last year called Hear Me Out and shared her experience of with living with breast cancer. She revealed that she had sepsis during her cancer treatment in the hospital, and as a result, she was put into a coma and supported by a ventilator. "Even once I was off the ventilator, I couldn't speak properly," she wrote. "All I could do was make noises that sounded like a chimpanzee trying to communicate."
The larger-than-life personality wanted to share her struggle and be remembered for the person behind the persona.
“I want to show people the real me,” she expressed. “Or perhaps remind them. Because, somewhere – among the nightclubs, the frocks and hairdos, the big chart hits, and the glamor of being a popstar – the other Sarah Harding got utterly lost. She’s the one who’s been forgotten. And all I want is for you to hear her out.”
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Staying Hopeful After a Metastatic Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Treatment options for metastatic breast cancer typically initially include chemotherapy and radiation. Immunotherapy and antibody-drug conjugates are also possibilities for some types of advanced breast cancer.
Although Harding tragically lost her battle relatively quickly after learning her cancer had spread, it is important to know that more and more women are living and thriving every day with stage 4 cancer. Many experts urge that you are not a statistic. Everyone’s battle is different, and it is possible to survive years past what is typically expected for a late-stage diagnosis.
Kelly Shanahan has metastatic breast cancer and she is a doctor so she's seen and heard all the breast cancer stats. But she doesn't live by those numbers. As Kelly pointed out in an interview with SurvivorNet, statistics apply to large populations, they don't apply to individuals. Kelly is living beyond the average life expectancy for her cancer.
“One thing that I am grateful for my original oncologist is when I walked into the room with him and I sat down, he looked me straight in the eyes and he said, ‘Kelly, I know you know the statistics. You are not a statistic.’ I might live two months, I might live 25 years. And I’m going for that 25 years,” Shanahan told us.
“Statistics apply to large populations, they don’t apply to individuals,” she said. “And it’s important information, but the one thing that I take to heart is that these numbers, they’re not me. I know what the data is. I know that this is a terminal disease, but somebody has to be the exceptional responder. Somebody has to be the person that exceeds those expectations, and I hope that that will be me.”
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