Julia Bradbury tragically revealed she had breast cancer in September. The Countryfile and Britain's Best Walks presenter will now undergo a mastectomy to remove a tumour in her breast this month, and a lymph node will be removed for a biopsy. Ahead of her life-changing operation, the star spoke exclusively to HELLO! about her biggest concerns.
"Fear of death is what you think of when you first hear the 'cancer' word," she said. "And then it's fear of the unknown. Then there's a grieving process, as well, and disbelief."
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Julia has three children – Zeph, ten, and twin daughters Zena and Xanthe, six – who she shares with her partner Gerard, and she explained that her diagnosis has also affected her family.
"Cancer isn't just about you; everybody around you is affected by it," she said.
© Photo: InstagramJulia Bradbury has three children
"I find it hard dealing with that because of the kindness and sorrow that you can see and hear people feel, and it makes you sad that you're putting them through it. It's a hard thing to deal with," she said. Now, Julia says living with uncertainty has become the norm for her and her family.
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"I know what the surgery will entail," she explained. "I don't know – nobody does – what awaits me on the other side. I don't know if the cancer has spread or if I'm going to need chemo."
In the meantime, Julia has been using mindfulness and talking therapy as coping mechanisms. "I had a really powerful session with my counsellor yesterday," she said. "Who taught me how to listen to myself and my body, how to look inward for ten or so minutes, to make sure my stress levels don't go through the roof.
"You can get overwhelmed with all the information, people, messages and fear of it all." Our thoughts are with Julia and her family.
Read Julia's full interview in this week's issue of HELLO! Magazine.
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