Julia Bradbury says 'goodbye left boob' with topless selfie before breast cancer surgery
Julia Bradbury has posted a topless selfie to bid goodbye to her left breast before she undergoes an emergency mastectomy.
The 51-year-old Countryfile presenter – who announced last month she had been diagnosed with breast cancer – chose to celebrate her body on social media ahead of the operation.
Bradbury shared on Instagram: "I'm going for my last walk in this body. I'm going for my last walk with these boobs. One of the the best bits of advice I've received in the weeks of my breast cancer diagnosis (thank you) .. is to say goodbye to my breast and to thank my body for all the sustenance, joy & life it has given me.
"Goodbye left boob.. I've breastfed my children with you, I've jumped into the sea with you, I've walked thousands of miles with you. And you've given me (and some others) pleasure along the way. Now it's time to make way for something new.
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"Thank you ALL for your love & support. See you on the other side. Check yourselves! And take care of your bodies."
The former Watchdog presenter has a 6cm tumour in her left breast, and must also have her lymph node tissue checked to find out if the disease has spread.
Bradbury is mother to 10-year-old son Zephyrus and six-year-old twin daughters Xanthe and Zena with her long-term partner Gerard Cunningham.
Bradbury said of her diagnosis: "It changes your world forever in an instant. There is no preparing you for those words. You hear 'cancer' and your brain starts to explode....
"My plan is to come through it and out the other side and I hope to be able to do that bravely enough so that women who are scared to get tested, to get a diagnosis, go ahead. I want to be able to give them a wave and say 'Look, it's horrible, but you can do it too.'"
The tumour was discovered after she underwent a routine mammogram in July.
Bradbury was on annual recall for the scan after having found a lump in her breast in March 2020 – which was found to be a cluster of benign cysts.
The TV presenter – an ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Action – discovered the lump while working in Costa Rica but waited to seek medical help after returning to the UK because she felt guilty knowing NHS staff were under the strain of battling the coronavirus pandemic.
She said: “I felt a lump and it was sore... but when I got home, it was lockdown and I was distracted with the family and life just took over.”
Earlier this year Bradbury hit back at trolls online after she was body-shamed over a selfie she posted on social media – sparking comments that she looked skinny and ill.
Bradbury hit back: “For those of you genuinely concerned: I'm 5ft 9 inches tall (1.75mtrs) & weigh 9 stone 6 lbs.
Read more: Julia Bradbury admits meltdown after lockdown breast cancer scare
“According to the NHS BMI indicator my BMI measurement is 19.5. The healthy weight range for my height is between 8st 13lb and 12st 1lb.
“So I'm a healthy weight and 'I should keep up the good work!' according to the website.”
The TV presenter has previously spoken about her struggles to conceives through IVF after undergoing treatment for endometriosis, a condition which affects fertility.
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