A BRAVE mum who beat cancer recruited two fellow survivors for an event which has raised more than £4,000 to help others.

Kyla McKinlay, 38, decided to examine herself after watching popular American sitcom Sex in the City, where one of the main characters Samantha suddenly realises she has breast cancer.

After finding a lump, Kyla was diagnosed just days later.

That was in 2011 and since then she has thrown herself into fundraising.

Her most recent event was a ladies day in Greenock Town Hall in aid of Breast Cancer Care and Bowel Cancer UK.

Kyla said: “I was only 35 when I was diagnosed and I was devastated. It was a bit of a shock.

“The tumour was small in size but the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes.” Kyla, who is married to Scott and has an eight-year-old son Kerr, was successfully treated with chemotherapy at Inverclyde Royal and radiotherapy at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.

She said: “Cancer can affect people at any age or walk of life.” Kyla, who works with her catering boss dad Tony Buckley, decided to raise funds for Bowel Cancer UK because of a ‘lovely man’ who was being treated at the same time as her for bowel cancer, but later died.

The bash included a disco, female comedian, flash mob dance routine, three course dinner, cocktail bar raffles and auction.

Guest speakers included Gourock breast cancer survivor Gillian Walsh and Provost Robert Moran, who successfully beat bowel cancer.

Provost Moran said: “We based our talks on our own experience. I think it’s tremendous and it probably means more to Kyla, Gillian and myself because we’ve all had the disease.

“Of all the charity events I’ve been to, this had the best atmosphere, people raised money and had a wee day out as well.” Robert stressed the importance of catching the disease early, saying: “We’re all standing here now but there’s people who are not here because they weren’t diagnosed early enough.” Gillian, who has been cancer free for 12 years now, also urged women to attend mammogram appointments.

Kyla would like to thank everyone who supported the event and her sister Stacey Gatens for decorating the hall.