New Conservative candidate Jo Churchill has twice beaten cancer on her way to becoming a Westminster hopeful.

Jo, who was selected at the Tory candidate for West Suffolk earlier this week, beat breast cancer five years ago and used the experience to become a campaigner and fundraiser for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity. That came 15 years after she was treated for thyroid cancer.

She is open about her illnesses, and hopes that her story will encourage others to see that a cancer diagnosis need not be the end of the world.

She said: “I was treated and had surgery at an early stage on two occasions and was able to carry on with my life. I was running a marathon a year after my breast cancer.

“I’ve always been a ‘glass half full’ kind of person and this gave me the impetus to get involved with Breakthrough Breast Cancer.”

She said it was important that in both her illnesses the disease was diagnosed early – and she was able to make a full recovery.

“I know that cancer used to be something people didn’t want to talk about, but it is important to raise the issue to show that life can go on and you can go on to do much more after this.

“Now I’m ready for a new, exciting phase of my life – and I do think it’s important people can see what can be achieved after this.”