A star from This Morning has confirmed that their cancer has returned during a live segment on the show, delivering an emotional plea to fans for support. The announcement has resonated deeply with viewers as the presenter shared their ongoing battle with the illness and expressed gratitude for the love and encouragement received from the audience. Further details about their journey and the impact of the diagnosis were also shared, highlighting their determination to stay positive during this challenging time.
The 79-year-old agony aunt, Deidre, first revealed her cancer diagnosis to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby in September 2022. After months of recovery, she announced during a recent segment that her doctors have found the cancer has returned. Deidre shared that, this time, she had no symptoms or lump, as she was able to detect the developing disease early during her annual routine mammogram checkup. Her proactive approach to health has been a crucial factor in addressing her condition.
She explained her treatment plan, stating that she will undergo a lumpectomy followed by radiotherapy.
She shared with Cat Deeley and Ben Shepard that she felt fortunate, saying, “It could have been so much worse.”
Deidre said, “Unfortunately, I’ve got to have a lumpectomy followed by radiotherapy. I feel lucky; it’s been caught early, and the treatment is happening very rapidly. This is all on the NHS, so I think I am so lucky. It could be so much worse.
“To be honest, the symptoms I had the first time were a coincidence and not actually a symptom of the cancer, as it turns out. An efficient GP put me on the cancer pathway, and I got a very rapid check and treatment. I’ve felt well; I haven’t felt tired or run down.
“I couldn’t feel anything; it’s very tiny, so there’s nothing to feel. It’s purely down to the mammogram, which showed it up.”
“I had an ultrasound and a biopsy, and it revealed it was cancer,” Deidre confessed. She admitted she was “shocked” by the diagnosis and is now encouraging women to request mammograms.
Currently, the NHS stops offering women mammograms after the age of 70, but these can be requested on the NHS. Deidre revealed that, prior to her first diagnosis, she had missed out on mammograms for a decade.
She said, “I happened to be in a cohort of women who got missed, and we didn’t get called. I hadn’t had a mammogram since I was 67, so ten years had gone by. I didn’t give it a thought; I didn’t know anything about it.
“But what I do now know is that when you’re over 70, you can request a mammogram on the NHS, and you should get one every year. Please, if you’re a woman over 70, request your mammogram.”
“The reason I’ve had an easy time this time and last time is because it was caught so early,” Deidre said. Later in Tuesday’s show, she displayed bravery as she took calls from people across the UK with health concerns.
The first caller, a woman named Vicky, shared that after her cancer diagnosis, her children became worried that she would “go to die” every time she had an appointment. Deidre offered her support, suggesting that Vicky bring her children to the GP appointment to help alleviate their fears.
Meanwhile, viewers and well-wishers flocked to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their support for the TV star.
