While she was lying in hospital after radical surgery for breast cancer, there was one man who could make Jools Topp feel instantly better – her father Peter. Jools (54) had just had a mastectomy to remove the lump in her breast when her parents, Jean (81) and Peter (84), came to visit. Her mother rushed to hug her daughter, but Jools says that her dad took a more stoic approach to his daughter’s illness.
“Dad was brilliant,” Jools recalls. “He walked in the room and said, ‘You don’t have to worry about anything – and do you have Trackside on TV?’ That put everything in perspective for me.”
That was six years ago and since then Jools has recovered well – and she’s now in a position to help others cope with a cancer crisis in their lives. Jools and her twin sister Lynda, who nursed her through the illness, have joined other Kiwi singers in a tribute to women who have suffered cancer, singing on a remake of Chris Knox’s Not Given Lightly, which is being released this week.
The Topp twins (who are currently working on a new TV show, Topp Country, which showcases Kiwi cooking) also appear in the video clip with other famous Kiwis including Judy Bailey, Sam Neill, Winston Peters, Stacey Morrison and Graham Henry. They hold up photos of their loved ones, some of whom have suffered from cancer.
The video is the brainchild of Helena McAlpine (35), who has terminal cancer and wanted to leave a legacy to help others. Jools knows how lucky she is to survive the disease and thanks her family for their unwavering support.
Jools and Chez Intrigue in body paint for the Pink Ribbon calendar
“Lynda dropped everything and came and lived at the house. She was my main caregiver because Mary, my partner at the time, had to keep working.” Since her diagnosis, Jools has noticed how everyone copes differently with a health crisis and her own advice to newly diagnosed women is to “get on with life”.
“It’s another barrier to climb. Once someone receives the news there’s only one thing to do – see if you can beat it. “Everyone has the right to their own cancer journey – no two journeys will be the same. Everyone has a different road with their cancer. Some struggle and some don’t. Some lose friends and some gain friends.
“All sorts of strange things happen – the people you think are going to step up to the plate sometimes don’t and the people who you don’t really know bring muffins every week. “I’ve still got a drawer full of cards from just about everyone. I think Helen Clark sent a card.”
Jools could see the effect of her illness on those close to her. “The hardest thing is for the people around that person because their fear of losing them is unknown – they don’t know if they’re going to die or if they’ve got them forever.”
Jools has been in good health since her mastectomy and chemotherapy treatment to fight the disease. She has decided against having a breast reconstruction, and hasn’t been a lot more health conscious since the diagnosis.
Jools getting her body painted for the Pink Ribbon calendar
“If I want a beer or a steak I have one. When I first got diagnosed, Mary asked my doctor if I should change my diet and drink more water. The doctor said, ‘Water? I’d go home and have a stiff gin if I was you!’
“I loved that doctor. She operated on me with her cowboy boots on and she made my scar look good. It’s my scar and I’m proud of it.”
Jools also features in the 2013 Pink Ribbon calendar alongside 21 women who’ve had breast cancer and had their bodies painted for the charity. She looks like a modern-day Joan of Arc with her horse Chez Intrigue.
She’s also proud of being part of the Not Given Lightly recording – and that her parents and sister all played a part. “I got through and I’ve never looked back.”
