Cancer survivor Megan Simpkins attended a private reception at 10 Downing Street to explain to the Prime Minister’s wife how she coped with the killer disease.

The 54-year-old former patient from Wapping, in London’s East End, joined VIPs for the reception hosted by Samantha Cameron to support the Dimbleby Cancer Care charity that has helped her through her illness.

She was being treated with stage one cancer of the womb.

“I explained to Mrs Cameron how the charity played a crucial role in my recovery,” Megan told the East London Advertiser last night. “It supported me through my cancer treatment—I wouldn’t have got through it without them.”

Megan shared her thoughts with the Prime Minister’s wife and talked about the impact this charity had on her life.

The Dimbleby charity was set up in 1966 in memory of renowned broadcaster Richard Dimbleby. Its aim is to provide practical and psychological support to people living with cancer and to their families.

Former patients like Megan mingled at Tuesday night’s exclusive reception with VIPs such as Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and the Dimbleby brothers David and Jonathan who run the organisation set up in their father’s memory.

Johnathan Dimbleby said later: “This year has been important for us in launching our ‘Care for the Future’ appeal to raise £500,000 in two years to help meet a growing need.”

The charity is developing a new home at Guy’s Hospital cancer centre which opens in 2016.