A MOTHER who had a shock diagnosis of breast cancer is “so proud” of her landlord brother after he decided to raise money by giving up beer for a year.

Gwen Torpey, 42, who lives in Buxted near Uckfield, decided to call her doctor when she noticed something did not feel right during the first coronavirus lockdown earlier this year.

She said: “I didn’t actually have a lump, which is the crazy thing – and I’m too young for the screening programme.

“On my right breast it felt a bit hard.

“Even though we were in the height of lockdown I was in the clinic within two weeks and pretty much diagnosed with stage three cancer on the spot.

“It was totally unexpected as I didn’t feel ill and I was working full time as a single parent.”

Gwen’s brother Eric Munday, who runs The Station pub in Goldstone Villas in Hove, said the news was an awful shock.

The Argus: Eric with Gwen, who has had months of chemotherapyEric with Gwen, who has had months of chemotherapy

The 41-year-old said: “Gwen has gone through hell and coronavirus has made everything so much worse.

“With her situation I was thinking, what can I do?

“It’s all new to me as I’ve never experienced anyone close to me going through this before.

“It’s been horrendous and it happened so quickly.”

Gwen, who works in civilian support for Sussex Police, has been having chemotherapy and has received help from the Macmillan cancer charity.

She said: “Macmillan are absolutely brilliant. I saw a breast care nurse and had lots of support from them over the phone.

“I told my brother how much of a life-saver they were in the early days and he gave me a call to say he was going to give up alcohol to raise money.

“He wanted to think of something really hard for him. Running a pub he decided it was the one year with no beer challenge.

“I was just so proud.”

Eric has already raised more than £2,000.

He said: “As I’m surrounded by drink every day a lot of my customers have kindly donated very quickly.

The Argus: Eric at The Station pub in HoveEric at The Station pub in Hove

“My plan is to update the JustGiving page throughout the year with the positives about quitting alcohol. I’ve already lost weight and have lots more energy.

“Between 5pm and 8pm I would normally have a beer, so that’s the challenge.”

Eric added that Gwen has now had her final round of chemotherapy and is “on her way up”.

He said: “The really important thing is for people to keep checking themselves.”

To donate, visit Eric's JustGiving page.