Former Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury has opened up about her breast cancer diagnosis, revealing that she was initially told there was ‘nothing to worry about’. Speaking on BBC Morning Live with hosts Gethin Jones and Janette Manrara, the 54 year old shared how her diagnosis was almost missed.
Janette highlighted: “Now research suggests that one in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with the condition in their lifetime and we’re having honest conversations about it, even though it’s sometimes tough to talk about.”
Gethin said: “Someone who has been very open about having that conversation is TV presenter Julia Bradbury. So with your diagnosis breast cancer, it was summer 2021 wasn’t it? Take us back to that moment when you get the diagnosis and how life changes.
The Watchdog and Britain’s Best Walks star, who lives in Rutland, Leicestershire, explained: “So my diagnosis was slightly complicated, because I discovered a lump actually, before 2021. I discovered a lump almost a year earlier when I was away travelling and I managed to get seen and get that lump explored with a mammogram and actually an ultrasound as well.
“And the results came back that it was a benign micro cyst. Nothing to worry about. It was her consultant who emphasised the importance of monitoring this lump.” She added: “But the consultant, the doctor that I saw, said we should keep an eye on it. Let’s just make sure that this lump stays in the form that we think it is,” reports Leicestershire Live.
“Very unusually for me. I did put it on the bottom of the list. To cut a very long story short. I ended up having three mammograms and three ultrasounds, and everything was fine.
“I was just about to leave my final sort of appointment with my with my doctor to go off again for another year, and he said, I’ll do one more ultrasound. And that was the ultrasound when he discovered a tiny little dark pinprick.” Julia shared her shock following the diagnosis and detailed how her treatment proceeded. She revealed: “It turned out to be an early stage breast cancer.
“I was moved very swiftly through the system then, and I had a biopsy and then I had that call on a horrible Monday morning where the doctor called and said, ‘Yes, we’ve looked at it and it is cancer’. It was the original lump that I had found it was in that location, so it had been missed and it was missed because I have something called dense breasts and dense breasts are very common.
“Over 50% of women have dense breasts, and it’s the tissue of your breast. And if you do have dense breasts, it’s very, very hard to detect cancer via a mammogram.” Julia underwent a single mastectomy to remove a 6cm tumour.
NHS advice: Most breast lumps aren’t cancerous, but it’s always best to have them checked by your doctor. You should also speak to your GP if you notice any of the following:
- a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
- discharge from either of your nipples (which may be streaked with blood)
- a lump or swelling in either of your armpits
- dimpling on the skin of your breasts
- a rash on or around your nipple
- a change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast
- breast pain alone isn’t a symptom of breast cancer
