Mel O'Neill is a mum of two from Penketh who is living with breast cancer.

She writes a monthly blog for the Warrington Guardian

I couldn’t believe it when my husband, came home from work today from O’Neill’s hair salon in Penketh and told me about his new client, Trish Murray. Back in 1992 – incredibly, 30 years ago Trish and I worked together both at the now sadly gone Mr Smith’s nightclub and Martin Dawes Telecommunications in Warrington.

I was excited to reconnect with a blast from my past, Trish Murray. We quickly arranged a lunch date to catch up as we seemed to have so much in common and although our lives had taken completely different directions our vision to empower people to be who they want to be was a very real connection.

It is hard to believe that when you haven’t seen someone for nearly 30 year, only to discover once you start chatting it feels like you have never been apart. This is how Trish and I felt as we sat in the White Heart pub reminiscing on the past and talking about our lives today.

I last saw Trish as she set off to live in Australia having accepted a job opportunity with Martin Dawes, I assumed that is where she had stayed so I was surprised to find that she had actually moved back to the UK in 2000 and set up a business of dedicated adult boutiques, one of the stores being in my home town of Warrington, recently relocated from under the arches in Crown Street to Sankey Street and rebranded to Boutique by Nice ‘n’ Naughty.

It was ironic to think that 30 years ago we sat in offices on the opposite side of the street in the old Warrington Guardian offices, without a care in the world.

So the revelation that during the past 23 years Trish had opened 15 adult boutiques across the country, developed the www.nicennaughty.co.uk website and recently streamlined and rebranded Nice ‘n’ Naughty, I like most of you had a thousand questions, How? Why? What’s the best sellers? We laughed as she shared her story from mobile phones at Martin Dawes to sex toys sales queen at Nice ‘n’ Naughty!

I told Trish my story, how my world fell apart when I was diagnosed with stage IV incurable Inflammatory Breast Cancer over 11 years ago at the age of 37 as well as having 2 brain bleeds from car crash I was involved in a few years later.

I could no longer work as I was bombarded with many hospital appointments ruling my life. Fighting fatigue constantly, my mental health suffered as I was convinced I was going to die soon leaving my then four and five year old girls to grow up without a mum.

After nine 1/2 years on chemo, one day I was told I had to take a break from the treatment in order to get my mouth ulcer pain under control. That was November 2020 and I haven't needed chemo since. Months later after a scan I was told I was in remission as the doctors could no longer find cancer anywhere but I needed to stay on an anti-cancer drug (which I have no side effects from) but have had to fund myself.

Trish sat before me opened mouthed and tearful as I told my story and what I had lived through and commended me on my determination to make a success out of my new life ventures.

We meet people throughout our lives, and I believe that there is always a reason our paths cross in the most unexpected circumstances.

As Trish and I chatted about our lives today, we discovered we still had so much in common and we discussed how we could work together to empower people to feel confident in their own bodies.

Trish explained that Nice ‘n’ Naughty has a large female and couple based clientele, but also has several cross-dressing customers in the Warrington and Chester stores and felt privileged to be able to empower men to explore their feminine side.

Many of her customers do not have anyone to talk to about cross-dressing and often feel embarrassed when they want to buy women lingerie or discuss make up tips.

Trish admitted to myself, makeup was never her strongest point, although she really has the edge over me when it comes to walking in stiletto heels! I on the other hand have 25 years experience in the makeup and skincare industry, having trained full time for two years in Manchester then going on to work for Elizabeth Arden and Bobbi Brown, I gained valuable experience in the UK and America on how to take care of your skin and apply makeup to enhance your own natural beauty.

Today, I find myself looking for a purpose following my own experiences with cancer to help others feel confidence in themselves and as a makeup artist and a Tropic ambassador, Trish and I discussed the opportunity to offer her customers make up lessons and make overs in a comfortable environment which has given me a much needed confidence boost and my independence after 11 years of being a controlled by cancer.

I wanted to feel passionate about something again. I wanted my thoughts to be on something other than dying. I wanted to be living in my bliss and that's exactly where I am now.

As Trish and I continued to chat, over our now cold lunch, we realised we both have the same goal to make people feel beautiful about themselves.

Having been through what I've been through and knowing what it feels like to feel so lost, my main purpose is to give clients a sense of achievement, a sense of wellbeing and a huge boost in their confidence as I teach them how to make themselves look and feel empowered with my knowledge of using the correct skincare and makeup.

I believe everyone can be beautiful. All that is needed is the knowledge to be able to uncover and enhance it.

As Trish and I embark on our ‘new’ friendship we do so knowing we are both here to help others become what they want to become, grabbing the opportunities to explore themselves and although make-up for cross-dressers is a new area for me to explore and develop I do so with Trish’s help and support.

I was excited to hear that Trish is now the sole propriety of Nice ‘n’ Naughty, having worked on and off with the company for over 23 years she has seen dramatic changes in the industry and as she embarks on the next chapter of Nice ‘n’ Naughty, she has shared her ideas and plans that are exciting and innovative and I am so pleased to be help and support my ‘old’ friend.

Trish advised Nice ‘n’ Naughty will select a charity every 12 month and this year she has chosen Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research UK alongside MIND. The Nice ‘n’ Naughty staff are going to embark on some large fundraising events in the coming months - so watch this space!

For further information please contact Help@nnnretail.co.uk and check out my exciting new venture with tropics www.tropics.com/pages/melanieoneill