Three lifelong friends who met at school in Hemel Hempstead have released a heartfelt video promoting an upcoming Cancer Research event.

Jenny Hicks, 67, who now lives in St Albans, has been chosen to star in a new Cancer Research UK Race for Life radio advert. 

She has shared her story of living with breast cancer and supporting her best friends, Jane Surrey, 67, and Alison Parkes, 66, through the same disease in a powerful 30 second voiceover.

During the short advert Jenny shares some of her highlights from their long-running friendship since they first met during their school days. 

This advert will be aired across radio stations in the UK and a shorter version of the clip has been uploaded to YouTube.

In the advert Jenny explained why she was taking part in Race For Life, she said: “For my lifelong friends of 60 years, the biggest Elton fans I know who sing ‘I’m still standing’ with new meaning. When we were each diagnosed with cancer we faced it together. They’re more than friends. They’re my sisters for life. Their names are Jane and Alison and I’m racing for us.”

Aside from their shared love of Elton John, Jenny, Alison and Jane, believe supporting each other through the disease has strengthened their bond.  Jenny, who met Alison and Jane at school in Hemel Hempstead said: “I wouldn’t be able to live my life without the research that’s happened in the time that we’ve all been friends.

"Even though my cancer is incurable now, I’m not dying of cancer, I’m living with cancer and that’s fundamental to my outlook." Jenny was the first of the trio to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, she added: "It came completely out of the blue. I was 47 and leading a healthy life with a good diet and exercise when I found a lump. I got it checked straight away, and I was shocked when I was told it was cancer because I’d felt so healthy. 

“I opted for a mastectomy over a lumpectomy and during the operation they discovered more tumours. Then I was on a conveyor belt of chemotherapy for 18 weeks followed by radiotherapy. I tried to stay positive and optimistic, and the girls were an amazing support.  “When my hair started to fall out and I began to wear a hat, they both decided they would wear one too. They really kept me going throughout the treatment and when it came to an end, we threw a big fancy dress party to celebrate and dressed up as ‘The Supremes’ with bouffant wigs - the perfect way to disguise my hair loss."Life returned to normal for the three friends but then in 2009, Alison, was also diagnosed with cancer, Jenny continued: "She had two teenage boys at the time and tried not to make a fuss as she didn’t want them to worry.  She was very practical about facing her treatment and had a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and received tamoxifen and anastrozole."