Latest news with #doublemastectomy
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Michaela Strachan opens up about 'extremely brutal' double mastectomy surgery after breast cancer diagnosis
Michaela Strachan has opened up about her double mastectomy during an appearance on Vanessa on Friday, describing the procedure as 'extremely brutal'. The Springwatch presenter, 59, was 'shocked' to hear she had been diagnosed with breast cancer over a decade ago at the beginning of 2014. Luckily she went onto make a full recovery after undergoing a double mastectomy and later reconstructive surgery. Now Michaela has discussed the emotional toll the 'archaic' procedure took on her, revealing she hopes in 50 years a better method of treatment will have been found. Speaking to host Vanessa Feltz, 63, on her Channel 5 show Vanessa, the much-loved wildlife expert said: 'My boobs were never a big part of my personality, but when they said they were going to take them away, they suddenly became more important than I thought they were. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'It's hard, you go through these things and you think you're going to be fine and it's not until afterwards that you realise emotionally it's a big thing. 'I really hope that in 50 years time we look back at removing a woman's boobs as part of the treatment as archaic because there must be a better way.' Michaela was asked by Vanessa whether the procedure is 'too brutal', to which she replied: 'It's brutal! 'To take a woman's breasts away is brutal. Of course, I'd rather not have boobs and be here than have them and be worried that cancer is going to come back. 'But it just seems extremely brutal.' Michaela too spoke to the host about recovering from her double mastectomy, a procedure which almost 15,000 women in the UK undergo every year. 'It's a six week recovery from the mastectomy and six weeks when you have the reconstruction,' she said. 'There's lots of physio exercises that you do but, you know what, I'm in the position now where it's eleven years later and I forget that I've had a mastectomy. 'I really want to encourage people to talk about it. It seems like such a massive thing at the time and I remember asking someone at the time, "When will I stop thinking about it every day?" 'Now, day-to-day, I forget that I ever had breast cancer. I was really lucky.' Others around Michaela were not so lucky however, with the presenter losing a sister-in-law to cancer, a friends' son aged 35, and her partner Nick Chevallier's best friend to a heart attack all during 2014. She told The Express: 'These were people our age. I know I'm getting on but I'm 57 – I shouldn't know this number of people who have died.' While living in a small coastal town in South Africa with her partner and their son Oliver, Michaela has since become an ambassador for the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, stressing the importance of having regular mammograms. She has continued to present Springwatch and earlier this year took part in Dancing On Ice, where she skated alongside pro partner Mark Hanretty. Michaela made history on the show as, at the age of 58, she became the oldest ever contestant on Dancing On Ice to make it to the final. She was however pipped at the final hurdle by Sam Aston. Michaela nevertheless described the experience as a 'great' way to push herself outside her comfort zone. The presenter told MailOnline earlier this year: 'I think it's great when you're a bit older and you are able to push yourself out of your comfort zone. 'I spent my entire career pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and it's great to be able to continue to do that.'
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Kara Tointon's healing new life in Norway: Star's double mastectomy came in the same year as she reunited with her fiancé and quit the UK for his homeland - after a string of romantic woes and a tragic death
She was one of the UK's biggest soap stars and made headlines after lifting the glitterball trophy at the height of her career back in 2010. However in the last five years Kara Tointon has faded out of the spotlight and has ditched the UK for a quieter life in Norway with her family. Despite rumours she has split with her fiancé Marius Jensen, the pair have put their troubles behind them and live together in the peaceful Nordic countryside with their two sons Frey, six, and Helly, four. Yet behind the scenes the former EastEnders actress has been undergoing a series of health issues after she took to Instagram on Wednesday to open up about her choice to undergo a double mastectomy. The actress, 41, shared that she underwent the preventative measure last year after learning she carries the deadly BRAC1 gene. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The operation comes six years after the tragic death of her mother Carol who died of ovarian cancer back in 2019, just a few months after Kara welcomed her first child. Kara explained she was invited for genetic testing at the time of her mother's illness as their is a history of cancer on both sides. And since her mother's passing Kara has retreated from the limelight and left London all together as she put her life back together after a series of heartbreaks. Kara first shared the news of her mother's passing in a heartbreaking Instagram post back in 2019 as Carol was seen doting on her children in throwback footage. Kara simply captioned the clip with the words, 'My mum,' as her friends rushed to offer their condolences. A few months later the star took to social media once again to pay tribute to Carol as she shared her overwhelming sadness. The post read: 'I miss you. I miss your voice. I miss your smile. I miss your smell. I miss your hug. I miss your jokes. I miss how you made me feel. I miss your everything.' She added: 'God I was so lucky muma. Do laugh that I'm reaching out to you on INSTAGRAM. I love you.' Kara had welcomed her first son Frey with her fiancé Marius Jensen in November 2018, just a few months before her mother's passing. She previously revealed she had put off setting a wedding date due to her mother's illness. Speaking to Hello! after Frey's birth she confessed: 'We are hoping next year, perhaps in Norway or maybe in London. 'My mum hasn't been too well over the last year or so and I want her to be able to enjoy it. 'Seeing her with Frey and dealing with everything she has to right now is overwhelming and I couldn't be more proud. I just want her to be back to herself again. That's our priority.' However tragically her mother never got to see her walk down the aisle and the couple are not publicly known to have ever officially tied the knot. After welcoming their second son in January 2021, split rumours then encircled the pair and it was believed they had parted ways. According to reports in October 2022 the pair were believed to have split in early 2022 after realising there was 'no future for them as a couple'. Marius was even spotted sharing a kiss with an unidentified woman outside a London club in snaps obtained by The Sun. A source told the publication at the time: 'Kara and Marius quietly separated around 10 months ago. 'There was no wrong-doing on either side, and they both still care about each other. But they came to the decision that there was no future for them as a couple. 'They remain friends, and are both very committed to co-parenting their two children.' Kara never commented on the split, but in September 2024 it was revealed the family were living together in Norway, where her fiancé is originally from, and had seemingly overcome their troubles. Kara and Marius went public with their relationship in 2017 after meeting the year before following her split from Strictly professional Artem Chigvintsev. The pair met while dancing together during the series in 2010, making it all the way to the final when they lifted the glitterball trophy. After a three year romance the pair split in 2014 after Kara told The Telegraph's Mandrake column: 'We are not together. We're fine, but we aren't a couple any more. The reason I haven't spoken about it is because I hate reading about myself in that way.' Rumours about their relationship coming to an end begun to circulate in the December of 2013 when they hadn't been pictured together in months. Since their split Artem relocated to California with his now ex wife Nikki Bella. The pair have since divorced and the Russian dancer moved out of the marital home he shared with Nikki after his arrest, which took place in August, when he was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence. Charges were dropped a month later due to lack of sufficient evidence, according to the Napa County District Attorney's Office. Prior to her relationship with Artem, Kara dated Joe Swash after they met while playing brother and sister Mickey Miller and Dawn Swann on EastEnders back in 2005. After Joe left the soap in July 2008, the pair stayed in touch and had just started dating when he flew to Australia for I'm A Celeb in November 2008. Their relationship came as a surprise after the actress swore off dating famous men following her romances with EastEnders co-star James Alexandrou for a year and Busted rocker James Bourne before that. But her and Joe split in 2010 with Joe later admitting he was an 'idiot' to let her go, blaming himself for 'abandoning' her when she was struggling to find work after leaving EastEnders. Yet her tumultous love life is now behind her and Kara has ditched the UK for a life in Norway with her family. The mother-of-two had previously said that after the birth of her first born she wanted to avoid the busy nature of London and it seems now the family of four are enjoying a quieter paced life. While Kara travels to London for work, her Instagram shows photos of with her kids in the outdoors as well as fishing trips with Marius. In an interview with Weekend Magazine last September Kara admitted she was 'just hitting her stride' at age 41 as she opened up about wanting to give her children an idyllic childhood away from the spotlight that's followed her for so many decades. She explained: 'I'm really enjoying getting older. I know we're in a world where people grapple with that but I feel like I'm learning to like myself more and hopefully becoming a more well-rounded person. 'A lot of the stuff people struggle with is down to circumstances – everyone has bad stuff happen to them and that can happen at any age. 'I think experience means you know how to deal with things and hopefully grow and build and get stronger from it.' Speaking how the move to Europe wasn't what she expected she said: 'I never expected to make a life here but I am loving it.' 'We're bringing our kids up in Norway together. Being here is still quite new, it's early days, but it's working out really well. We thought we'd see how it goes, but so far so good. 'We spent most of last year in Norway as a base, I was going back and forth for work, and then we just decided to give it a go. It happened really naturally as we were spending more and more time over here. It's so easy to get back to London and it just seems to work. 'It's such a beautiful country and a great place to bring up children and I'm definitely adapting to the Scandinavian lifestyle.' On Wednesday Kara took to Instagram with a candid video as she shared she underwent the procedure, along with having her fallopian tubes removed as a preventative measure, after learning she carries the deadly BRAC1 gene. As an ambassador for the Eve appeal, a charity that raises awareness of gynaecological cancers, the actress opened up to her followers about the journey that led to her discovery that she carries the BRCA1 gene. She explained: 'Last year having had my second son in 2021 and deciding that our family was complete, I underwent two preventative surgeries. 'The first a double mastectomy and the second a two part protector study, a trial. 'They believe that ovarian cancer begins in the fallopian tubes so by removing them first checking out you can remove the ovaries later.' Kara revealed that after having several medical investigations, she decided that surgery was the best option. 'We are finding out more and more about personal genetics and most people believe in surveillance, but after doing this for a couple of years, having MRIs, waiting for biopsy, we decided that this was the right decision for me and my family,' she said. 'I wasn't an easy decision, but one I am very glad that I made and I can now with hindsight talk about it properly.' What is the BRCA gene and how does it affect people's risk of cancer? Having a mutated BRCA gene - as famously carried by Angelina Jolie - dramatically increases the chance a woman will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, from 12 per cent to 90 per cent. Between one in 800 and one in 1,000 women carry a BRCA gene mutation, which increases the chances of breast and ovarian cancer. Both BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes that produce proteins to suppress tumours. When these are mutated, DNA damage can be caused and cells are more likely to become cancerous. The mutations are usually inherited and increase the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer significantly. When a child has a parent who carries a mutation in one of these genes they have a 50 percent chance of inheriting the mutations. About 1.3 per cent of women in the general population will develop ovarian cancer, this increase to 44 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 mutation.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Kara Tointon is praised by celebrity pals Giovanna Fletcher and Stacey Dooley for making 'brave decision' to have double mastectomy after learning she carries deadly BRAC1 gene
Kara Tointon has received huge support from her famous pals after making the 'brave decision' to have a double mastectomy. In a candid Instagram video, the former EastEnders star, 41, shared she underwent the procedure, along with having her fallopian tubes removed as a preventative measure, after learning she carries the deadly BRAC1 gene. As an ambassador for the Eve appeal, a charity that raises awareness of gynaecological cancers, the actress opened up to her followers about the journey that led to her discovery that she carries the BRCA1 gene. And after sharing her journey, friends including Stacey Dooley, Izzy Judd and Ashley James voiced their support for Kara in the comments. While Stacey posted a heart emoji, Giovanna Fletcher posted: 'Love you so very much my friend!!!' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Kara's former EastEnders co-star Jo Joyner wrote: 'Amazing that you've shared your story. Sorry to hear you've been through such a difficult journey involving brave choices. 'You're a great ambassador and I'm sure you'll inspire and inform mayn people. Sending love xx.' Izzy Judd wrote: 'Huge admiration to you for sharing your story and making brave decisions.' Ashley James commented: 'Oh love you @kara_tointon.' After Kara shared her candid post about her decision to have a double mastectomy, The Mail's Good Health columnist Dr Martin Scurr shared insight into her reasonings behind the decision. He wrote: 'Watching a loved one succumb to cancer – and then learning you carry the same faulty genes linked to this awful disease – would be doubly distressing. 'So I completely understand the reasoning behind actress Kara Tointon's decision to undergo a double mastectomy as well as having her fallopian tubes removed. 'Removing the at-risk tissue will significantly – although not entirely – reduce her risk from the genes. And after sharing her journey, friends including Stacey Dooley , Izzy Judd and Ashley James voiced their support for Kara in the comments 'The two most well-known genes that increase breast cancer risk are called breast cancer susceptibility genes (shortened to BRCA1 and BRCA2). Normally, these genes protect against cancer by helping to repair damaged DNA. 'But if there are mutations that damage those genes, then the risk of breast cancer increases. 'Actress Angelina Jolie famously revealed that she underwent a preventative double mastectomy back in 2013 because she carried a defective BRCA gene. 'There are also other defective genes that can increase the risk of the disease, but mutations in both BRCAs are responsible for the majority of inherited breast cancers. 'Living with the cloud of this potential risk hanging over you is something different people deal with differently. 'Some prefer regular monitoring – Kara tried this, but having now completed her family, has had the surgery.' Kara took to Instagram on Wednesday to share an emotional post detailing her decision after losing her mother to ovarian cancer in 2018. Tointon, who raises two young children with her fiancé Marius Jensen, announced that she has undergone a double mastectomy and had her fallopian tubes removed as a preventative measure. Tointon's operation comes just six years after her mother Carol passed away following her own battle with the disease. Speaking ahead of Eve's Get Lippy campaign to highlight the causes and symptoms of various gynae cancers, Kara revealed that after she losing her mother to ovarian cancer in 2018, she underwent genetic testing which revealed that she is predisposed to the disease. She said: 'You may have heard of the BRCA genes type 1 and 2 and as a carrier it means that I am at a greater risk of both breast and ovarian cancer. 'Back in 2018 when my mum was undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer, I was asked to take a genetics test. 'There is a history of both cancers in my family but for various reasons including generational trauma of which I'll talk more about another time, we hadn't looked into it until that point. 'But it was put to us, we took the test and it was confirmed that my mum and I both carried the gene.' As a mother-of-two, Kara told how her family were her main consideration in her decision making. She said: 'I was pregnant with my first child at the time, knew I wanted more children if possible so over the next couple of years I was invited to various meetings by the NHS to really become informed and to understand all my options. 'Last year having had my second son in 2021 and deciding that our family was complete, I underwent two preventative surgeries. 'The first a double mastectomy and the second a two part protector study, a trial. 'They believe that ovarian cancer begins in the fallopian tubes so by removing them first checking out you can remove the ovaries later.' Tointon, a former Strictly Come Dancing winner, revealed that after having several medical investigations, she decided that surgery was the best option. 'We are finding out more and more about personal genetics and most people believe in surveillance, but after doing this for a couple of years, having MRIs, waiting for biopsy, we decided that this was the right decision for me and my family,' she said. 'I wasn't an easy decision, but one I am very glad that I made and I can now with hindsight talk about it properly.' Tointon is not the only woman in the public eye to talk openly about her procedure. Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie also had a double mastectomy as well as having her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed, after she was found to have a 50 per cent risk of developing ovarian cancer.' Tointon raises two sons Frey, 6 and Helly 4, with her Norwegian partner Marius Jenson, a chiropractor. The family divide their time between Britain and Norway where Kara's sister Hannah and her father still live. Her own mother died of ovarian cancer in 2019, months after the actress revealed she had been struggling with poor health. Speaking to HELLO! in 2018 about her plans to marry Jenson, she said: 'We are hoping next year, perhaps in Norway or maybe in London. 'My mum hasn't been too well over the last year or so and I want her to be able to enjoy it. 'Seeing her with Frey and dealing with everything she has to right now is overwhelming and I couldn't be more proud. 'I just want her to be back to herself again. That's our priority.' Paying tribute to Carol in a moving Instagram post shortly after her death, Tointon wrote: 'I miss you. I miss your voice. I miss your smile. I miss your smell. I miss your hug. I miss your jokes. I miss how you made me feel. I miss your everything.' She added: 'God I was so lucky muma. Do laugh that I'm reaching out to you on INSTAGRAM. I love you.' The actress gave birth to youngest child Frey in 2018, with her partner subsequently confirming the news in a short message. 'On Thursday at 11.04am, 3.2 kilos of happiness joined our lives,' he wrote. 'Kara and I couldn't be happier and our four legged companions Elfie and Winston have been guarding our new family member since.' Second child Helly was born in 2021, with Tointon later describing the child as 'very zen, chilled and wonderful' during a subsequent interview with HELLO! Jensen added that his name was inspired by his native country Norway, adding that he also has the middle names Juel and Parsell. He explained: 'The first Helly we found was an old Norwegian sea captain, from a place in Norway called Moss, a tiny little town where my grandmother is from.' Signing off from social media on Wednesday, Tointon paid tribute to the doctors and the Eve appeal charity and their support. She said: 'I'd like to thank my surgeons Dr Adam Rosenthal and Dr Gerard Cuie, I can't thank them enough. 'I wanted to talk about it because hearing other people's experience, helped so much and knowledge is power, communication is key, getting to know our bodies, our cycles is only a good thing, but I'll be talking about this a lot more. 'Happy Lippy month and take care.' WHAT IS A DOUBLE MASTECTOMY? A double mastectomy is the removal of both breasts. This is a way of treating breast cancer and is often done to women who are at a high risk of the disease returning after therapy. The treatment may also be suitable for women who are unable to have radiation therapy, have a tumour larger than 5cm across or have a mutation, such as in the BRCA gene, that increases their cancer risk. Most women stay in hospital for one or two nights but are able to return to their regular activities within around four weeks. Side effects can include pain, swelling, a build up of blood or fluid at the surgery site, limited arm movement and numbness in the chest or upper arm. After surgery, some women may wish to have the breast mound rebuilt to restore its appearance in breast reconstruction surgery. Some patients may require other treatment after a mastectomy such as radiation, chemo or hormone therapy.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Watch: Actress Kara Tointon reveals she has undergone double mastectomy after cancer scare
Actress Kara Tointon has revealed that she has undergone a double mastectomy after learning that she carries the BRCA1 gene, which raises the risk of breast cancer. Sharing the news with her Instagram followers, the former Eastenders star she learned was at a 'greater risk' of the disease after taking a genetic test in 2018 after she lost her mother Carol to ovarian cancer. After having her two sons, the star revealed that last year she decided to go under the knife, as well as have both fallopian tubes removed as preventive measures. 'It wasn't an easy decision, but one I am very glad that I made and I can now with hindsight talk about it properly,' she said. Tointon said she wanted to share her own experience as hearing other women's stories 'helped me so much'.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Strictly winner Kara Tointon has double mastectomy after cancer gene test
Kara Tointon, the actress and former Strictly Come Dancing winner, has revealed she had a double mastectomy following a test for cancer genes. The 41-year-old former star of EastEnders, also known for her work in dramas including The Teacher and Mr Selfridge, discovered she has the BRCA gene, which can put carriers at a very high risk of cancer. On Wednesday, Tointon posted an Instagram video to raise awareness of the preventative measures she had taken. Working in collaboration with the Eve Appeal, a gynaecological cancer charity for which she is an ambassador, she told her followers: 'You may have heard of the BRCA genes 1 and 2. As a carrier, it means I am at a greater risk of both breast and ovarian cancer. 'Back in 2018, when my mum was undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer, I was asked to take a genetics test. There is a history of both cancers in my family on my mother's side, but for various reasons, we hadn't looked into it until that point. 'But it was put to us, we took the test, and it was confirmed that my mum and I both carried the gene.' The actress, who won Strictly with professional dancer Artem Chigvintsev in 2010, announced the death of her mother, Carol, in 2019. Tointon, a mother of two, explained on the Instagram video: 'I was pregnant with my first child at the time [of the test], knew I wanted more children if possible, so over the next couple of years I was invited to various meetings by the NHS, to really become informed and to understand all my options. 'Last year, having had my second son in 2021 and deciding that our family was complete, I underwent two preventative surgeries, the first a double mastectomy and the second a two-part protector study, a trial. 'They believe that ovarian cancer begins in the fallopian tubes so, by removing them first, checking them out, you then remove the ovaries later, closer to menopause. 'We are finding out more and more about personal genetics and many people find that regular surveillance suits them very well, but for me, having done that for a few years, MRIs finding things, biopsies, waiting for results, I decided that this was the right decision for me and my family. 'It wasn't an easy decision, but one I'm very glad and lucky I made, and I can now, with hindsight, talk about it properly.'
