Davina McCall reveals breast cancer diagnosis one year after brain tumour
Davina McCall has announced she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer – which comes a year after she underwent emergency surgery to remove a brain tumour.
Sharing the news on Instagram, the TV presenter, 58, shared that she found a lump a few weeks ago.
She began by saying: ‘Hello. I am talking about this because I think it may help someone, and this is what I always do.
‘I just wanted to tell you that I have had breast cancer. I found a lump a few weeks ago and it came and went, but then I was working on The Masked Singer and Lorraine Kelly’s TV show had put signs on the back of all the doors saying to “check your breasts” and every time I went for a wee, I did that.
‘And it was still there. One morning I saw it in the mirror and thought I needed to get it looked at, so I had a biopsy and found out that it was indeed breast cancer.’
Davina then went on to say she had it taken out in a lumpectomy nearly three weeks ago.
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‘The margins were very small so I got it very, very early, which is incredibly lucky. But I am so relieved to have had it removed and to know that it hasn’t spread. My lymph nodes were clear and I didn’t have any removed. All I am going to do now is have five days of radiotherapy in January, as kind of an insurance policy, and then I am on my journey to try and stop it ever coming back.’
She then went on to offer a ‘massive thank you’ to the staff at the Royal Marsden Hospital, as well as her family, kids and partner Michael Douglas.
‘It’s been a lot. I was very angry when I found out, but I let go of that and feel in a much more positive place now. I think my message is, get checked if you’re worried. Check yourself regularly. If you are due a mammogram, then get it done.’
Davina said that while she’d had a mammogram in August, she’d been postponing having an ultrasound as she ‘couldn’t find the time to do it’ Don’t do that. Get the ultrasound.’
She then thanked people for watching, concluding the video by sending them a ‘massive hug’.
Her post was captioned: ‘The message here, is know your boobs. Notice any changes. Don’t procrastinate. Get your free checkups. And never ignore a niggle. Sending out huge love.’
The presenter was quickly flooded with messages of support after sharing the news.
‘I love you so much,’ Elizabeth Day commented.
‘Huge hugs,’ Jools Oliver shared.
‘You’re amazing. Sending you so much love and a massive massive hug,’ Chloe Madeley added.
In November last year, Davina was rushed to hospital after a random health check discovered a 14mm benign tumour known s a colloid cyst – leading to her having to have a craniotomy.
While hosting this year’s Comic Relief in April, Davina held back tears as she shared: ‘I had a pretty mad year this year. Doctors found a benign brain tumour by chance and after a lot of deliberating I had it removed.
‘And it’s been, quite possibly, the hardest thing I’ve ever been through and this whole experience, weirdly, kind of weighing up all the risks and all the positive things about having this tumour removed made me think deeply about what life is all about, and what really, really matters when things get tough.’
Macmillan cancer support
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information.
You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.
The former Big Brother presenter then began to cry as she spoke of the support she had received from her family and partner.
She continued: ‘But this whole experience, weirdy, of weighing up all the risks and all the positive things about having this tumour removed, made me really think deeply about what life is all about and what really, really matters when things get tough. I needed the brilliance and the skill of lots of medical experts to make me okay.’
Reflecting on the serious health scare, she told Women’s Health UK the following month: ‘When I got this brain tumour I said to Michael “if I make it, this will be the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me”. Because of the learnings, yes – and because of the places I’ve had to go to deal with it.’
‘I’m sort of going through a slightly mind-blowing phase of my life where I’m just asking questions about everything. I keep thinking: I’ve survived this thing, but I don’t know how that happened or why it happened.’
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