Post Office chairman and Onchan MHK Julie Edge has revealed she has received the all-clear after receiving treatment for breast cancer.

And she spoke about the abuse she received while undergoing cancer treatment and dealing with an industrial dispute by postal workers.

In an interview with MTTV she said: ’I was quite seriously ill through last year. Obviously I just carried on working.

’I had breast cancer, I had treatment in Clatterbridge. I’m still backwards and forwards to Liverpool.’

She said the ’doctors weren’t very happy’ with her decision to carry on working while receiving cancer treatment and only a ’few close friends’ had known about her health problems.

Miss Edge told reporter Paul Moulton: ’We had the second strike at the same time. The day I came out of hospital my sister picked me up and we went to our local Shoprite to get some milk and I was actually challenged by a constituent saying quite nastily "you weren’t in Tynwald today".

’So I turned round and said "no, what’s that got to do with you?" and actually they came at me quite threatening and said "well, you should be at home tucked up in bed then". And that was just after having an operation for cancer.

’This is what you have to put up with but I’m up for that challenge. At the end of the day not everybody knows what is going on.

’You’re in the public eye but I’m not sure you should have to take behaviour like that from people who are quite vocal on social media. I don’t think it’s appropriate but these are the things you have to put up with.’

She said her experience had given a new insight about using the patient transfer service and having difficulties with travel. ’These experiences help me help others,’ she said.

Miss Edge said she has since been given the all-clear from cancer.

She said: ’I’m fine. It’s just something you have. You’re told you’re clear but you have checks annually - no further treatment, it’s just annual checks.’

She praised the island’s ’absolutely amazing’ Breast Care Unit and the ’fantastic’ service and staff at Clatterbridge.

’You couldn’t fault it,’ she said.

Miss Edge spoke about a turbulent year in charge of the Post Office, which has seen postal workers striking over pay and conditions, and Tynwald voting in principle for reforms which could see traditional counter services replaced with pop-ups and self-service kiosks.

She told MTTV: ’When I joined the Post Office I could see straight away there was possibly going to be a serious issue with pensions.

’You have to tackle these things. It has been challenging.’

And she added: ’I’m going to keep going. I will continue to keep digging deep and challenging and making sure I get the right things for the people.’