A charity worker has praised the bravery of Lynda Bellingham for sharing her cancer battle with the nation.

The actress and former Loose Women star lost her fight against colon cancer, which had spread to her lungs and liver, on Sunday after being diagnosed with the disease in July last year. She decided to end her treatment in August.

Debbie Logan, who is a cancer specialist educator at Cancer Campaign in Suffolk, described Lynda as a “truly remarkable person that lit up lives from our TV screen with her humour and honesty”.

She said: “Many people’s lives are affected with cancer today and it is vital that we understand that each person’s cancer is very personal and individual.

“Lynda talked in her interview with the BBC about wanting to take control of her life as the cancer had spread from her colon to her liver and lungs and was affecting her quality of life at times.

“This was not a decision that will have been taken lightly or without medical consultation. Many factors will have contributed to her taking the final decision to finish her chemotherapy when she did.

“It is remarkable that someone like Lynda chose to share her life with the general public to raise awareness of a disease.”

Cancer Campaign in Suffolk supports the education of cancer and encourages people to be aware of their bodies, especially when signs and symptoms are persistent, and the importance of participating in the NHS screening programmes.

“In some circumstances, cancer has the ability to spread quickly, so diagnosing and starting treatment as soon as possible is really important,” she added.

“If the cancer is diagnosed later, chemotherapy is very often part of the treatment offered, and for many this proves to be successful. For some people the treatment will slow the spread of the cancer down, so giving a good or reasonable quality of life for many years.

“For some, possibly like Lynda, the chemotherapy only works for a period of time, when the time comes when the cancer does not respond so well to the drugs, the decision will be discussed as to how or if treatment should proceed. That decision is very individual and personal.”

Cancer Campaign in Suffolk offers cancer awareness talks which inform people how to look after themselves, reduce the risk of cancer and understand the disease.

Visit www.cancercampaigninsuffolk.co.uk for more information.