The "Tiger" instinct that drove Susie to raise millions for children
Susie Mathis on her remarkable life and personal health battle....
Susie Mathis had the nickname "Tiger" when she became part of Britain's first three girl pop band The Paperdolls.
Over the years she has had to have all the instincts of a tiger to get her through the challenges she has faced in her career in showbiz, charity fundraising and her personal battle against breast cancer.
50 years on she has been thrilled to see the re-release of "Something Here in My Heart" by her former group, who performed on Top of the Pops, Morecambe and Wise and at the Royal Command performance with The Two Ronnies.
As the Spice Girls of their day, they appeared some years before similar recording acts such as Banarama and Atomic Kitten. Pre-dating the Spice Girls, each member of the Paperdolls, had a nickname; Susie ‘Tiger’ Mathis’, Pauline ‘Spyder’ Bennett and Sue ‘Copper’ Marshall.
Susie, who is now 70, said: “We were really big in those days and became celebrities overnight.
“I had been in showbiz since I was 4 years old and there I was dating Bee Gee Maurice Gibb!"
"It became quite normal to mix with superstars like Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdinck, Cliff Richard, Tony Blackburn, Kid Jenson, the Searchers and all the rest of the gang, We were on Saturday night TV every week.
"I strutted my stuff in my Union Jack sunglasses, micro mini dress and white platform boots - it’s so funny because it’s all back in fashion. We really were the Spice Girls of our day and exploded onto the music scene at one of the most exciting times in the music business and it was a whirl of non-stop partying, drinking and performing, but in those days sadly not making the money bands make these days”.
Susie went on to become the first female daytime presenter in independent radio (on Radio Piccadilly in Manchester) winning two Sony Awards for Personality of the Year, working successfully with the most famous celebrities in the world at that time.
Susie found herself being set a new challenge to raise 5 million pounds to help save The Francis House Children’s Hospice in Manchester.
Susie continued “I had to create a campaign with this little girl Kirsty Howard as its leading lady.
Born with an extremely rare medical condition, Kirsty’s heart was actually back to front”. Fired on by Kirsty’s plight, Susie personally secured the support of David Beckham, Freddie Flintoff and a host of other international celebrities, creating The Kirsty Appeal raising over and above the original target of 5 million.
Susie continues “I was devastated when Kirsty lost her life. I adored her. We were together for years. The saddest day was when I wrote and read her Eulogy at her funeral. I was devastated”.
It was nearing the end of the appeal that Susie discovered a lump in her breast, with her worst fears turning to reality, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Susie said “it knocked the wind out of my sails. I was so focussed on reaching that 5 million target, I didn’t stop to think. But do you know what? I recovered, I made it and I reached my challenge for Kirsty too”
Recalling her heydays Susie said “you know you get to 70 and you think that’s it. You go for lunch with your friends and walk the dog, then bang, you get a call and it changes your life. Again. You know we all face challenges, but life goes on and you never know what’s around the corner”.