By Jane Elliott BBC News health reporter

'It helped my daughter understand what was happening to me'

The "pop princess", in the middle of her Showgirl tour, had seemed so young and healthy.

Mother-of-three Sarah O'Brien remembers standing in her kitchen and hearing the news about the 38-year-old singer on the radio.

But just hours later doctors confirmed that she too had breast cancer.

Diagnosis

"I am the same age as Kylie and I was diagnosed on the same day," said Sarah, who was supported by Breast Cancer Care.

"It just made me realise that this can happen to anybody.

I would just love to give her a hug and tell her that I understand what she has been through Sarah O'Brien

"While I was going through my treatment I would be reading about her - what drugs she was having and how she was doing.

"Our treatments were running parallel.

"We both had our lumps removed. But, whereas I only needed radiation therapy, she also needed chemotherapy.

"My mother had chemotherapy when she had breast cancer and I know how that can knock you out, so I know how tired Kylie must have been."

Sarah, who runs a pub in Suffolk, said she had been lucky and had stayed well during her own treatment, allowing her to continue looking after children Tilly, aged seven, Freddie, aged four and three-year-old Connie.

"When I first went into hospital I just told the children I was going in, but not why.

"But when I came out I told my eldest daughter that I had been in hospital because I had breast cancer, like Kylie.

"Like all seven-year-old girls Tilly likes Kylie and, although she didn't understand about the breast cancer, she did understand that I had what Kylie had and that seemed to help."

Treatment

Sarah needed a lumpectomy and is now taking tamoxifen.

Her tumour was an aggressive grade three, but she was lucky it was spotted early and had not spread to her lymph nodes.

"I felt the lump and I initially thought nothing of it. It was really tiny just like a pea.

"I was moving to Suffolk, so when I registered with my doctor I mentioned the lump on the side of my right breast to her.

BREAST CANCER BASICS Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK One in every nine women in the UK will develop breast cancer at some point in her life It is the leading cause of death for women aged 34 to 54 Earlier detection and better treatments have improved mortality rates Physical examination and regular screening can detect a potential problem Medical Notes: Breast Cancer

"I didn't think it would be anything.

"But because I have a family history of breast cancer - my mum and aunt have both had it - the doctor thought I should get it checked out.

"We thought it could be just a cyst.

"I had a mammogram and there was some shadowing so they did a needle biopsy and I had to wait over the weekend to get the results.

"When the doctor confirmed that I had cancer I was just stunned. I could not quite take it in.

"My husband was asking all the questions. I just kept thinking 'Why me? I don't smoke and I am healthy.'"

Kylie on her Showgirl tour

Sarah needed a lumpectomy and seven or eight of her lymph nodes removed, but they were clear.

She needed four weeks of radiation therapy, which made her feel tired and sore. But after her treatment, she started to build up her strength again.

Now she, like Kylie is keen to put the past year behind her and get on with her future.

Future

Kylie is due to re-start the Australian leg of her Showgirl tour in November this year, and is already back in the studio recording songs.

Sarah is determined that she too will be positive about her future.

She has been given another mammogram, which shows the cancer is clear.

"I want to live life to the full.

"I have never been negative and I don't take things for granted.

"And unless I am speaking to someone about my cancer I don't think about it."

Sarah said knowing that Kylie had been going through the same battles as herself at the same time had been comforting to her and said she would love to meet her.

"I know Kylie is in the UK at the moment and I keep on asking whether there is any chance to meet her.