Julia Bradbury bravely reveals her ‘healing’ mastectomy scar as she marks 16 months since surgery for breast cancer – while detailing skinny-shaming torment
Julia Bradbury has bravely revealed her mastectomy scar, after undergoing surgery to have a 6cm tumour removed following a breast cancer diagnosis in 2021.
The Countryfile presenter, 52, took to Instagram on Monday to post a photo of the incision area, while highlighting that it’s ‘healing’ 16 months on.
She wrote in her caption: ‘Isn’t it amazing how the body heals? #breastcancer 16 months on,’ while sharing the poem, Owning Our Scars by Teryn O’Brien.
In another post, Julia detailed her skinny-shaming torment as she uploaded a recent snap of herself wearing a black dress.
The TV personality wrote: ‘YOU’RE TOO SKINNY! I’ve often been criticized for being “too skinny” although people who know me always comment about how much I eat.
Strong: Julia Bradbury has bravely revealed her ‘healing’ mastectomy scar as she marked 16 months since surgery – while detailing her skinny-shaming torment
Good for her! The Countryfile presenter, 52, took to Instagram on Monday to post a photo of the incision area, while highlighting that it’s ‘healing’ 16 months on
Inspirational: She wrote in her caption: ‘Isn’t it amazing how the body heals? #breastcancer 16 months on,’ while sharing the poem, Owning Our Scars by Teryn O’Brien
Awful: In another post, Julia claimed she had been skinny-shamed following chemotherapy as she uploaded a recent snap of herself wearing a black dress
‘Do you get similar criticism? I’ve definitely got a fast metabolism and I’d be classified as high energy. I’ve never put on weight, apart from once in my early 20’s.
‘Since my #breastcancer I’ve cleaned up my diet (I was addicted to refined sugar) and mostly stopped drinking.
‘The stress of my diagnosis plus the change in diet, meant I lost weight – which I couldn’t afford to do.
‘I’ve been building my self back up with regular weight training and focussed attention to my diet:protein, meal planning, controlled exercise.
‘I’ve managed to put on 3kg of weight which I’m happy with.
‘Weight control in either direction takes focus and planning. How we feed ourselves and move is an essential part of our health.
‘How do you manage? #weight #health #skinny #shaming #body #image #slim #bodyimage.’
Julia recently revealed she is ‘grateful for every single day’ amid her battle with breast cancer.
Thankful: Julia recently revealed she is ‘grateful for every single day’ amid her battle with breast cancer (pictured in 2022)
Tough: Julia is pictured during her hospital stay for the surgery
She told how she sees life ‘differently’ since her diagnosis and is determined to maintain a ‘positive mindset’ every day.
Julia also told how she’s attempting to see her illness as a ‘TV project’ and learn everything she can about it as she focuses on getting through life day by day.
Speaking to The Sun, the Countryfile host shared her belief that each day is worthy of celebrating as she feels thankful to still be going amid her health battle.
She said: ‘I’m grateful for every single day and I do look at life differently, certainly. Obviously when something like a cancer diagnosis comes your way, your whole world becomes about that, how you are going to handle it and the impact on your family, friends and loved ones.
‘You don’t think too far into the future [but] about getting through things, day by day. I decided very early on that I was going to try and maintain a very positive mindset, and that I would approach it a bit like a TV project, which was to learn everything.’
She went on to detail how she does mindful activities like writing in a journal and meditating in a bid to bring ‘peace’ in her life daily and help to avoid any negativities that she may be faced with.
She said: ‘I’ve really been working very hard on trying to find calm and peace in my life every single day.’
The TV personality also told how in life, people will always be ‘beset with issues and stress’ that can’t be avoided, but it’s ‘important’ to learn how to ‘manage’ those problems.
It comes after Julia revealed she has ‘changed her life’ since her breast cancer diagnosis as she documented her battle with the disease.
Julia, who is married to Gerard Cunningham, underwent a mastectomy to have a 6cm tumour removed a month after publicly announcing her diagnosis in 2021.
Outlook: In a new interview, she told how she sees life ‘differently’ since her diagnosis and is determined to maintain a ‘positive mindset’ every day
Reflection: ‘When something like a cancer diagnosis comes your way, your whole world becomes about that, how you are going to handle it and the impact on your family, friends and loved ones’
Reflecting on her battle with breast cancer, Julia shared photographs of herself from across the last year as she spoke about how she has changed her life.
She said she has given up alcohol, changed her diet and prioritises sleep as she spoke about the lifestyle changes she has implemented to reduce her risk of her cancer returning.
The reel also included some emotional moments from throughout her cancer battle, including her attending her breast screening and in a hospital bed for treatment.
One video also showed an emotional Julia crying after being diagnosed with breast cancer and pictures of her in hospital while recovering from her mastectomy.
Julia also shared snaps of herself with her kids – Zephyr, 11, and twins Xanthe and Zena, seven – as well as the poster for her documentary Breast Cancer and Me.
Emotional: The presenter took to Instagram in January to share a reel documenting her life since being diagnosed with breast cancer, including the emotional moment she found out
In text printed across the reel, she reflected on her life since her breast cancer diagnosis and spoke about her work raising awareness for the disease.
It read: ‘Breast screening. Something strange, but nothing to worry about. Until one year later: A breast cancer diagnosis.
‘Tell my friends, family and young children. Mastectomy to left breast:breast and 6cm tumour removed.
‘Decide to make a documentary to spread awareness. Begin to share as much information about breast cancer diagnosis/prevention/new treatments, as possible.
‘Vow to get close to nature every single day of my life and meditate every day. Kick the booze, change the diet.
Changes: In an accompanying caption, Julia also went on to speak about her lifestyle changes, saying she ‘recognised decades of bad decisions and unhealthy choices’
Health: Reflecting back on her battle with breast cancer, Julia shared photographs of herself from across the last year as she spoke about how she has changed her life
‘Work with beautiful people on worthwhile projects. Stay connected to nature. Reconnect with my family and friends, reconnect with my old self. Keep learning.
‘Prioritise sleep and exercise and nutrition. Begin writing a book, keep smiling.’
In an accompanying caption, Julia also went on to speak about her lifestyle changes, saying she ‘recognised decades of bad decisions and unhealthy choices’.
She penned: ‘What would you do if you got a cancer diagnosis?
‘I changed my life. I re-examined my lifestyle, stresses and external factors that I could influence.
‘I recognised decades of bad decisions and unhealthy choices.
‘This is not blame game, I’m not saying that any of these things ‘ gave me cancer’, but my diagnosis has made me realise that I couldn’t keep getting away with doing the bear minimum.
Lifestyle: She said she has given up alcohol, changed her diet, now meditates every day and prioritises sleep as she spoke about the lifestyle changes she has implemented
Raising awareness: In text printed across the reel, she reflected on her life since her breast cancer diagnosis
Reconnecting: She said she has reconnected with her friends and her family, as well as reconnecting with her ‘old self’
‘I have jumped headlong into research, & I’ve met some incredible people, many of whom have reset themselves after a deep emotional or physical trauma. The name for these people is Wounded Warriors.
‘If some of the information I share helps just one person then it’s worthwhile…
‘Breast cancer is the most widely diagnosed cancer in the world and 1 in 2 of us will face a cancer diagnosis of some sort in our lifetimes.
‘I don’t feel shame. I feel empowered by what I’m learning. The small things are the big things.
‘If you don’t make time for your health, you’ll be forced to make time for your illness.
‘Heal, Evolve, Act, Love, Thrive, Honour = HEALTH. The things that I have learnt that have an impact on our overall health and susceptibility to a chronic illness are:
‘Nutrition, sleep, connectedness, exercise, movement, time in nature, faith & spirituality, purpose, good habits, community & love.’
Source: Read Full Article