Julia Bradbury says she's "grateful" every day since "coming out the other side" of breast cancer, revealing she's become much more hands-on when it comes to her health.
Julia was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 and underwent a mastectomy a month later. She now credits her breast cancer journey for opening up "all sorts of interesting avenues" to do with her wellbeing.
In an interview with the Mirror, Julia explained, "Since I came out the other side, I’m so much more grateful for every day I’m here on planet Earth. I’m very mindful of my health, and it has made me really take it seriously and honour it
And this includes taking health matters into her own hands, undergoing full-body MRI scans to get ahead of any further unwanted surprises.
It was because of these scans that she discovered something else – a brain cyst. Fortunately, it was benign, but the discovery led to Julia reaching out to Davina McCall, who had brain surgery in 2024 to remove a colloidal cyst.
Julia continued, "I did a full body MRI scan, including my brain, chest region and abdominal region, looking for anything connected to my breast cancer. I’m grateful to say all’s good on that front."
"But there was an unexpected discovery of a fortunately benign brain cyst, bang in the centre of my brain, next door to my pineal gland."
After discovering this, she got in touch with the former Big Brother presenter, and Davina didn’t hesitate in putting Julia in touch with her neurosurgeon, Kevin O’Neill.
Julia shared that the surgeon is "not concerned" by her benign cyst, but she’ll be "rechecking in six months’ time to check there are no signs of growth, that it isn’t taking up any valuable real estate in my brain."
Having come out the other side of a cancer diagnosis and rethinking her approach to her health, Julia says, "I feel so much better. I think the benefits for me are 100-fold. If I get to spend longer on this earth and longer with my children, it’s worth it in spades."
Previously, she has told The Sun, "The reason I say cancer saved my life is because it was a moment and an opportunity for me to completely reassess my own health and my approach to health."
"And I'm not blaming myself for my cancer and I'm not blaming anybody for their cancer. But what I will say is in my instance, in my situation, I wasn't leading a healthy day-by-day life."
She first felt a lump in her breast during the summer of 2020, but it wasn't until three mammograms later that doctors discovered she had a tumour in her left breast.
Julia bravely kept her Instagram followers updated on her journey, announcing in October 2021 that she would have an emergency mastectomy.
