WHEN Louise Brooks was diagnosed with breast cancer almost three years ago, she embarked on one of the toughest battles of her life.

But, after enduring months of gruelling chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, she is looking towards a bright future as she completes a year of Herceptin treatment.

Now Louise has vowed to help other women fight the disease by forming the support group Breast Quest with friend Caroline Garside.

Louise (43), of Cockey Moor Road, Caroline (45) and the other members of Breast Quest have already raised £3,000 for the breast units at Fairfield Hospital and the Royal Bolton Hospital and have planned several other fundraising events.

Louise and Caroline met through their two sons, Thomas and Josh, attending the same school and formed a close bond after both being diagnosed with breast cancer within six months of each other.

Caroline, who lives in Bromley Cross, was diagnosed in March, 2005, and had a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy before having her breast reconstructed - all of which took more than 18 months.

Louise, who has finished her treatment at Fairfield, said: "The longer it goes without the cancer returning, the safer you are. They tend to say, once you've completed treatment, they give you five years and, if you're safe within those five years, you are usually OK.

"My prognosis is looking very positive which I am very pleased about. These days they throw every single treatment they can at you, be it chemotherapy, radiotherapy and Herceptin if suitable, and there are new drugs coming out all the time to make sure they don't miss anything."

After holding their own fundraisers, Louise and Caroline decided to join forces and form Breast Quest which now has eight members, all who have fought or are fighting the disease.

They kicked off their fundraising scheme with a bag packing day at Marks and Spencer in Bolton during the Christmas rush, raising £3,000.

Breast Quest's next event will be a fundraising night on March 2 at Horwich RMI. Tickets are £10 and soul band Brassed Off will be appearing.

The group are always looking for new members, but these must be women who have had breast cancer.

For more information or to join Breast Quest, contact 07966 032 025.