On Thursday (February 19), the former Countryfile star took to Instagram to issue a new update since she discovered a new lump on her back five years after she was first treated for breast cancer. Sharing a montage of the lump on her back from various angles, she urged her fans not to ignore any subtle signs that could indicate something is medically amiss.
In a lengthy post, she penned: “Sometimes we make mistakes. We miss things. We ignore things. We’re so overwhelmed with our busy lives. I was. This is my plea to you – don't ignore the warning signs from your body! And don’t wait for life to slow down before you do something about it, because it rarely does.
“Nearly five years after a breast cancer diagnosis, I’m getting a lipoma (a large fatty lump on my right-hand shoulder blade) removed. There’s a risk because of its size that it could become cancerous...”
Despite being initially dismissed as a “harmless fatty lump”, she recently underwent an MRI after it grew to 5cm x 8cm and is awaiting the results before going under the knife. She concluded her post: “It’s so important to recognise those early warning signals – because ignoring them can cost precious time.”
It comes after she shared a heartbreaking admission on the Hurt to Healing podcast, sighing: “Bad stuff is going to happen to all of us. Whether it is really bad stuff or just something that happens at work that upsets you emotionally, it happens to everybody.
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“Life is fundamentally challenging. And in order to be mentally resilient, you have to accept that that is life.” In a further health update last year, she revealed that doctors had discovered a cyst on her brain, although she was reassured it was not a cause for concern.
The 51-year-old is back on screen, fronting her new three-part ITV series, Wonders of the Frozen South, which follows her on a 23-day expedition through the Southern Ocean. As part of the experience, Julia travelled to Paradise Harbour on the western tip of Antarctica, where she completed a mini hill hike before pausing to take in the breathtaking scenery.
Speaking to Woman’s Weekly about taking on the new programme, she explained: "This was a tough journey - to leave my family for so long - and a really big decision to make this series. I don’t want to live under a cloud of fear. I had to prove to myself that I could still do this, that there was a strength within me and that I was brave enough."
Reflecting on her cancer diagnosis, the mother-of-three said: "It halted me in my tracks. It forced me to ask, Am I living in a way that supports my health physically, mentally, emotionally?'"
