“I’m ready, I can do this!”

Deborah lives with her husband, son and daughter in Dorset; she loves her family, her dog and - possibly most of all - barbershop singing! In this episode of The Untold, the series documenting the untold dramas of 21st century Britain, she shares her passion, determination and resilience, as she refuses to let cancer stop her from competing against some of the country’s best barbershop singers.

Whilst in the changing room of her local pool, after a swimming session in May 2015, she found a lump on her breast. Her instincts told her that it was sinister, but she initially chose to keep it to herself. She tried to maintain an air of normality in her everyday life, at least until her fears were confirmed by a doctor, and was all smiles at her daughter Laura’s birthday meal later that evening.

Grace Dent follows Deborah's story

Initially, experts believed that treatment would consist of surgery followed by three courses of radiotherapy, however, the oncologist she had been referred to dealt a blow to Deborah with the news that the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. The news inevitably came as a devastating shock to her family, especially her daughter.

Despite being referred to, affectionately, as ‘crazy’, Deborah went to great lengths to organise chemotherapy treatment around her rehearsals and ensure that she could perform with her chorus at the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers annual convention.

Not only was Deborah faced with the common side-effects of the treatment - nausea, bone pain, insomnia, and neuropathy - but she had also to deal with hair loss; a problem when singing in a chorus where the women need to look identical.