Sarah Cawood opened up over daily fears that her cancer has returned in an Instagram video on Wednesday detailing the ‘thoughts of a cancer survivor’.
The TV presenter, 52, revealed in September 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stage one breast cancer after doctors discovered a lump during a routine mammogram.
She underwent a lumpectomy with sentinel node removal followed by radiotherapy and long-term hormone treatment.
At the time, doctors reassured her that the condition was treatable and the star even joked it was the ‘Carlsberg of breast cancers’.
Sarah revealed the cancer was gone in six weeks, yet understandably, her worries continue to linger and she detailed her concerns in a short video of her driving her car as text popped up on the screen reading: ‘Daily thoughts of a cancer survivor.
‘I feel tired… Maybe it’s back. What’s that odd lump? Maybe it’s back. I have a scan soon… What if it’s back?’
Sarah Cawood, 52, got emotional as she revealed she fears her breast cancer has returned in an Instagram video shared on Thursday ahead of her next scan
The television presenter, 52, revealed in September 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stage one breast cancer after doctors discovered a lump during her routine mammogram
A caption below the clip said: ‘This is the reality of anyone who has had any kind of cancer. I never struggled with health anxiety before but post-breast cancer it’s all consuming and it wears me out a bit tbh.
‘I have been feeling tired since the new year began and although it’s probably life just life-ing, there’s always a niggling worry that It’s Back.
‘All I can do is carry on doing healthy things, moving my body, practicing mindfulness and living each day with gratitude that I got to breathe again this morning.
‘So on we go! Batting away those intrusive thoughts and Getting On With It. To anyone either going through a cancer diagnosis or anyone who has recovered from cancer and feels like this: I’ve got you, and my inbox is always open.
‘And remember, anything that doesn’t feel right: get it checked out. Early detection is key.’
The heart-wrenching video comes after Sarah broke down in tears on Instagram back in May as she revealed she was ‘anxious’ because again, she feared’ her breast cancer may have returned.
Sharing a video crying in bed next to her sleeping son Hunter, 12, Sarah said she had an appointment booked for that week after having a recent mammogram and she hoped she was ‘overreacting’.
She wrote: ‘I got a text today telling me I have an appointment on Tuesday… I had a mammogram two weeks ago, but I also told the breast care nurses I was concerned about some marks on my other boob, so I don’t know whether this appointment is about that (which has already disappeared) or my mammogram.
Despite the improved situation, Sarah’s worries continue to linger and she detailed her concerns in a short video of her driving her car also adding an emotional caption
In 2022, doctors reassured her that the condition was treatable and the star even joked it was the ‘Carlsberg of breast cancers’
‘I’m sure it’s the latter, but the fact it’s a bank holiday weekend and the appointment is so soon has me all kinds of anxious.
‘It never leaves you. The fear that It’s Back.’
Sarah said she was ‘happier than she has ever been’ as she admits the ‘shadow’ of cancer ‘never really leaves you’.
She continued: ‘I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about but here’s the thing: I’m happier than I’ve ever been.
‘My life is wonderful and I don’t want it to end anytime soon, and this stupid f***ing thing that I had, it’s always there, like a shadow on a sunny day, threatening to ruin this amazing life I’m leading.
‘I hope I’m overreacting, and I’m sure I am, but I’m posting this because this is the reality of having cancer: it never ever really leaves you.
‘The disease does, but the anxiety is with you for the rest of your life. Here’s hoping it’s a long and healthy one.
‘To all my pink sisters: I’ve got you, I feel you, I am you.’
The heart-wrenching video comes after Sarah broke down in tears on Instagram in May as she revealed she was ‘anxious’ because again, she feared her breast cancer may have returned
Sharing a video crying next to her sleeping son Hunter, 12, last May Sarah said she had an appointment booked after having a recent mammogram and she hoped she was ‘overreacting’
Two days later Sarah revealed she had received a follow-up call saying the appointment was concerning a rash on her other breast and was nothing to worry about.
Last week she shared a topless video in which she showed off her surgery scars amid her breast cancer battle.
The clip saw the braless star smiling into the camera while covering her nipple and lower half of her breast with her hand.
Sarah then lifted her arm to fully display the scar on both her breast and arm, both of which were ringed with a red heart.
Captioning her post, Sarah noted that her scars both remind her about the importance of early detections as well as the greatness of the NHS.
She penned: ‘My lumpectomy and sentinel node removal scars. I love them because they tell me a).
‘That if breast cancer is caught early, the prognosis is much much better, and b). The @nhsengland is the nuts and should be protected at all costs.
‘Check your [melon emojis] ladies AND gents and get anything you’re not sure about checked out immediately.
Last week she posted a topless video in which she showed off her surgery scars amid her breast cancer battle
Sarah lifted her arm to fully display the scar on both her breast and arm, both of which were ringed with a red heart
‘You know your body, so if you feel you’re being fobbed off, get a second opinion.
‘Prevention is always better than cure so knowing what lumps and bumps are normal in your boobs is imperative.
‘I’m a day late, but consider this your #feelitonthefirst prompt from La Cawood!
‘For anyone going through a cancer journey right now: my inbox is always open, and know you’re in the best hands with your oncology team. Sending you all so much love.’
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and affects more than two MILLION women a year
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Each year in the UK there are more than 55,000 new cases, and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it strikes 266,000 each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?
What is breast cancer?
It comes from a cancerous cell which develops in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts.
When the breast cancer has spread into surrounding tissue it is called ‘invasive’. Some people are diagnosed with ‘carcinoma in situ’, where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule.
Most cases develop in those over the age of 50 but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, though this is rare.
Staging indicates how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.
The cancerous cells are graded from low, which means a slow growth, to high, which is fast-growing. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after they have first been treated.
What causes breast cancer?
A cancerous tumour starts from one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply ‘out of control’.
Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the chance, such as genetics.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most are not cancerous and are fluid filled cysts, which are benign.
The first place that breast cancer usually spreads to is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this occurs you will develop a swelling or lump in an armpit.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
- Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may do tests such as a mammography, a special x-ray of the breast tissue which can indicate the possibility of tumours.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.
If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to assess if it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the liver or a chest X-ray.
How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options which may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments are used.
- Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or the removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumour.
- Radiotherapy: A treatment which uses high energy beams of radiation focused on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells, or stops them from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.
- Chemotherapy: A treatment of cancer by using anti-cancer drugs which kill cancer cells, or stop them from multiplying.
- Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the ‘female’ hormone oestrogen, which can stimulate the cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments which reduce the level of these hormones, or prevent them from working, are commonly used in people with breast cancer.
How successful is treatment?
The outlook is best in those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small, and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumour in an early stage may then give a good chance of cure.
The routine mammography offered to women between the ages of 50 and 71 means more breast cancers are being diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
For more information visit breastcancernow.org or call its free helpline on 0808 800 6000
