A WOMAN who overcame a series of traumas including aggressive breast cancer has become a mental health champion at the housing association where she works.

Along with 13 other colleagues, Ceri Twist, 46, has been named as a mental health champion at Cartrefi Conwy, where she is the independent living manager.

Ceri was speaking at a special ceremony where the organisation’s Chief Executive, Andrew Bowden, signed Time to Change Wales Pledge aimed at ending the stigma and discrimination around mental health issues.

The Time to Change Wales campaign is a joint partnership with two leading mental health charities in Wales, Hafal and Mind Cymru.

Ceri explained how she has been living with mental health after a number of traumas in her personal life.

She said: “The aim of the scheme is to help reach out to other colleagues and let them know the champions are there to listen. We want to help colleagues feel at ease to talk about issues that might be affecting their mental health.

“My traumas started following the birth of my daughter 23 years ago when I suffered with severe post natal depression. Thankfully with the right medical help and family support I was able to return to work after two and half years.

Ceri began work at Cartrefi Conwy in 2014 and was diagnosed as suffering from breast cancer just 24 days later. She added: “I had chemotherapy and radio therapy but continued working throughout my treatment. That was important to me because in work I was just Ceri. Away from work I was Ceri who is fighting cancer. Cartrefi Conwy gave me such incredible support and that helped me keep going. “Being in work meant I was in control. But the support I had was so important at a difficult time for my mental health and wellbeing.