This Morning’s beloved agony aunt, Deidre Sanders, has confessed to making a significant ‘mistake’ with her cancer diagnosis earlier this year. The popular television personality appeared on the ITV daytime programme today to share the unfortunate news that her breast cancer has returned.
This comes two years after Denise first discussed her health struggles with former hosts Holly Willoughby and on the show. The renowned advice columnist joined the presenters in the ITV studio to discuss the moment she discovered she had a malignant lump in her breast.
Deidre explained that she decided to visit her doctor for a mammogram because she was feeling “achey”.
She was subsequently seen at Addenbrooke’s Hospital’s breast clinic in Cambridge by a nurse who immediately noticed a difference in her right breast and placed her on the NHS two-week cancer pathway – a system where anyone suspected of having cancer is diagnosed within two weeks at a hospital.
“I was referred for a mammogram, that happened within something like 10 days. I then went on holiday, but they did find at the mammogram something called calcification which can happen in different parts of the body, but it does happen in older women’s breasts.”
Deidre discussed her recent diagnosis with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on Tuesday’s show (Image: ITV)
“Tiny, tiny little microscopic flecks of calcium but if they’re in a cluster that can be a sign of trouble and there was a cluster so they said you’re gonna have to come back for a biopsy,” reports .
Deidre has candidly confessed to making a “big mistake” by assuming she didn’t need regular checks after hitting 70.
“Your automatic call for mammograms every three years stops when you’re 70, and I think I got a letter a couple of years later and I looked online and I thought, ‘ohhhh I’ll be fine’… that was a big mistake to think that,” she said.
Deidre Saunders made a ‘big mistake’ (Image: ITV)
She urged women over 70: “And what I want to say to women over 70, you’ve got a right to request a mammogram so please request it. You can have a free mammogram every three years and it’s so worthwhile,” Deidre implored.
Discussing the common fears surrounding the disease, she noted, “I think people panic at the word cancer often, and they can be scared of going to their doctor with their initial worry.”
Facing surgery this weekend, Deidre shared: “I’ll have some radiotherapy later on but that should be that.”
Reflecting on her emotions upon learning of her condition in a conversation with Holly, a mother-of-three, Deidre expressed: “I think I feel really, really fortunate that it’s been caught early. And I feel lucky that it’s just a lumpectomy.”