Loose Women’s Nadia Sawalha fights back tears as she pays emotional tribute to late friend, 39, after tragic death
NADIA Sawalha fought back tears on today’s Loose Women as she paid a loving tribute to her close friend Hannah Gardner following her death from breast cancer aged 39.
Hannah died on December 27, 13 years after first being diagnosed with the illness.
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Loose Women’s Nadia Sawalha fought back tears at times as she remembered her late friend Hannah live on airCredit: ITV
Hannah died on December 27 after living with breast cancer for 13 yearsCredit: ITV
Nadia praised her selfless friends’ braveryCredit: ITV
Speaking about her passing for the first time on TV, Nadia revealed how they first bonded on a Coppafeel charity trek in the Himalayas over their similar cultural backgrounds.
She spoke glowingly of Hannah’s selfless nature and said it was even reflected in the date of her death which allowed those close to her to still celebrate Christmas.
Nadia said: “I know people say about bravery… and she said ‘none of you ever say I was brave, please’, but I’m going to because she was.”
She added: “I know she had no choice, but she was always putting everyone else first.
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“She died on 27th December. Her friend Sarah said ‘isn’t that just so Hannah, she wasn’t going to go on Christmas Eve, she wasn’t going to go on Christmas Day, she wasn’t going to go on Boxing Day, she was thinking of everyone’.
“Her family are just devastated, she was always someone who was looking after everyone else. Always brave for other people.”
Nadia and Hannah had campaigned for the drug Enhertu to be made available on the NHS for women suffering from secondary breast cancer.
Last year, they found out they had been unsuccessful and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) had decided not greenlight its use.
Undeterred, Hannah recorded a message in her car, which was shown on today’s show, in which she remained upbeat and steadfast.
She told viewers: “I just wanted to say the hugest hugest, hugest thank you to Loose Women shining a spotlight on this.
“I don’t think we speak about secondary breast cancer enough and I’ve had a little think about it and I do wonder if it being incurable makes it feel like a bit of a dark conversation to have.
“But that’s the point here, there can be so much hope to be had after diagnosis.”
Nadia announced Hannah’s death on social media.
She wrote: “Rest in peace now darling.
“Our beautiful Hannah …Although we knew it was coming we are all so deeply shocked and distraught .
“No need to be brave anymore darling you can now ,rest in peace , and all the love you created .
“You were and will forever be deeply loved ..”
She added: “To all the staff at The Princess Alice Hospice in Esher, the kindness and care you showed not only to Hannah, but also to her friends and family was extraordinary. Thank you”.
Nadia previously referred to Hannah as her “daughter” and shared how much of a close bond they had.
In October last year, Nadia shared that Hannah was on a clinical trial of Enhertu, which she said was working but not fast enough.
The pair were part of a desperate effort to raise £150k to fund a legal appeal to try and enable the NHS to roll out the game-changing cancer drug.
It’s estimated to be around £10,000 per patient per year in the US where it is available to cancer patients.
What are the signs of breast cancer?
BREAST cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK.
The majority of women who get it are over 50, but younger women and, in rare cases, men can also get breast cancer.
If it’s treated early enough, breast cancer can be prevented from spreading to other parts of the body.
Breast cancer can have a number of symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or area of thickened breast tissue.
Most breast lumps aren’t cancerous, but it’s always best to have them checked by your doctor. You should also speak to your GP if you notice any of the following:
- A change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
- Discharge from either of your nipples (which may be streaked with blood)
- A lump or swelling in either of your armpits
- Dimpling on the skin of your breasts
- A rash on or around your nipple
- A change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast
Source: NHS
Speaking of her to The Sun, Nadia previously said: “Hannah is my daughter. That’s the way I think of it. That’s the way I’ve always felt about her.”
“From the first day I met her, when we were climbing the Himalayas for CoppaFeel!, I felt this unbelievable strength. Her father’s, her father’s Iraqi, her father was Iraqi. Her father died of liver cancer actually last year.
“Her father is Iraqi and her mother is Irish. And so we have a similar mix, you know, and there’s just something just genetic about us that just connected. And so I fight like she’s my daughter.”
Last March, Nadia admitted she was worried for Hannah’s daughter, Lila Ray, who is autistic.
She said at the time: “Hannah’s deepest wish is to secure Lila’s future – specialist care, therapy, and a safety net to ease the road ahead.”
The situation was made more concerning as Hannah’s husband, a firefighter, worried he may have to leave his job to become a full-time carer for Lila.
Nadia and Hannah campaigned for the NHS to provide breast cancer patients with the drug EnhertuCredit: Stewart Williams
HannahCredit: Stewart Williams
Nadia said last year that she was ‘worried’ for Hannah’s daughter when her mum was no longer aroundCredit: Stewart Williams
