BLUSH Winter 2019

Bounce
BACK
BLUSH | LEISURE & LIFESTYLE
charliedaviescommercial.com
#charliedaviesphotography
Hair: Lucinda Ellery
IN BUSINESS
You may have read
my story in the first
new-look issue of
BLUSH... if you didn’t
it is available to
read via the digital
version... In a nutshell,
I found a lump in my left breast, and
continued touring with Björn Again as the
tribute signer Agnetha Fältskog, as well
as running my own business – All despite
having treatment and the anxiety of a
scheduled double mastectomy because I
have a gene BRCA1 and Triple Negative
BC. I didn’t tell anybody other than
close friends and family at the time. I just
needed to continue and play my part
on stage... but the
whole experience
affected my overall
health.
These situations
make you stronger,
and they reveal who
your true friends
are... I can fully
appreciate the stress
and uncertainty
that loved-ones
experience during
times of diagnosis,
treatment and in
some cases loss
– and this is the
reason I started the
Facebook page;
Breast Friends
Cancer Support
Group, where I document my whole
journey with posts and videos; I
wanted to show the reality behind
survival... yes it’s tough, but you can
bounce back.
As I mentioned, I still continued
with my singing throughout my
recovery – because it is what keeps
me going – and it has been a part of
who I am since I was eleven-years-
old, when I
used to do karaoke,
singing songs like Venus.
And when I made it through to the final
fifty out of ten thousand hopefuls in Pop
Idol 1 in 2001, it further made me want
to continue with my music, so in that
same year, I started Abalicious, which is
my ‘business baby’. My first gig with Bjorn
Again was at G.A.Y in London, where
Agnetha was present promoting her
new album. It must have been a sign...
because all these years later I’m still doing
Abba tribute.
It has been all my struggles throughout
my treatment and recovery that have
given me a new enthusiasm for pushing
forward; with
my children,
true friends and
I am delighted to
share that Abalicious
is touring the UK this
year!
family by my
side, I’ve been
able to bounce
back and to
continue sharing
ABBA’s uplifting
music through
my very own
tribute band,
and that feels so
good.
The time when business was the
toughest, was when I had to continue
touring with a happy face whilst going
through chemotherapy. When I felt
exhausted, and I lacked confidence about
my appearance;
Lucinda Ellery Intralace System for
hair (London Paris New York) has been
a dream come true for making me feel
and look as glamourous as Agnetha
always did on stage and how I used to
look before the diagnosis. Along with a
healthy (ish) diet, lots of water, key rest
times and the support from the media
and my Facebook page, I feel positive that
I will get full strength back, and that
my business will go from strength to
strength too.
If you find yourself facing a
diagnosis, or you are going through
treatment or a loved-one is, please
join the Facebook page and the
online community can support you.
And for those of you looking to
start a business or continue with
your business – then don’t give up,
because if you love what you do,
like I do, then it could be one of the
things that reminds you of who you
are aside from your diagnosis.
www.abbatribute.info
sevenstarmedia.co.uk
BLUSH | WINTER 2019 39