Sarah Cawood calls out trolls who branded breast cancer awareness interview 'pointless'
Sarah Cawood has called out trolls who criticised her recent interview about breast cancer, raising awareness and encouraging others to get checked.
The broadcaster and presenter, 50, revealed last month she had been diagnosed with stage one breast cancer after her first routine mammogram.
But after receiving comments from trolls that speaking out was 'pointless' and 'offensive', the Live And Kicking host hit back via her Instagram account on Wednesday, staying firm in her mission to help others who might develop the cancer.
Read more: How to check for breast cancer symptoms and detect the condition early
After giving her followers an update on her breast cancer, a couple weeks post-lumpectomy, (where the tumour and a little surrounding breast tissue is removed), she told her followers that people have otherwise been lovely and she was over last week's trolling, or 'keyboard warriors'.
However, she said, speaking to the camera from her car before picking her children up from school, "I did block one of them. The lady that said that my interview was pointless and offensive, do you know why I blocked her? Cause that is bull sh*it.
"I've had so many people tell me that they've booked mammograms off the back of my diagnosis. So, if one of those women gets a breast cancer diagnosis, how can that be offensive or pointless?"
She added, not holding back, "So f**k you, f**k you and the horse you rode in on. Climb back in your box b**ch."
Then, taking a breath and referring to herself as "ranty Cawood" she returned to her cheery self and said goodbye to her followers.
"I really hope you're all well and thank you for being luscious, luscious people."
Watch: Sarah Cawood on sharing her cancer diagnosis with her kids
Speaking on Loose Women last month, Cawood shared the story of her breast cancer diagnosis, something she found quite triggering after losing a friend last year to a very aggressive breast cancer at just 33.
When asked whether she was having radiotherapy or chemotherapy, she responded, "Radiotherapy. I had my lumpectomy last Wednesday and I'm here six days later. That's how easy it is, it's one day, that's why nobody should be scared, especially at my stage."
She brought her husband, producer Andy Merry, for the initial results, and because of what had happened to their school mum friend last year, they were hesitant about speaking to their children.
"We were so worried that they would just be like 'oh well that's it, mummy's a gonner'. And so we just explained to them that it could be any of these things," Cawood explained.
"And what I said to them was, let's cross those bridges when we come to them. I think we all catastrophize about life too much, don't you? Why worry about something that actually hasn't happened yet?"
But, she added, "And that's why when you lie there at night getting anxiety, I just put headspace on, do the breathing, and just try and calm myself down."
The couple share Hunter, 10, and Autumn, nine.
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Speaking on her diagnosis to The Sun last month, she said, "Nobody cried, it wasn’t very dramatic. It’s just a lumpectomy, radiotherapy, then a drug called Tamoxifen, which is a hormone blocker, for five to ten years.”
And seeing the positive side of things, she said uniquely, “It really is the Carlsberg of breast cancers. If you have to have it, this is the one to have. I feel really lucky. There are people that really are up s**t creek without a paddle, who have cancer, and I am not that person."
Read more: Sarah Beeny, Olivia Newton-John and celebs who have shared their breast cancer story
Because of her diagnosis, she has had to come off hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (a treatment used to relieve menopause symptoms).
“The breast cancer is basically fed by oestrogen. So the more hormones you have in you, the worse it is," she explained. “It’s a weird kind of hot. It’s like a furnace inside you. My mood seems to be OK, but the brain fog is really annoying. There’ll be days when I can’t really focus. I’ve forgotten my daughter Autumn’s name twice.”
Cawood regularly engages with her fans on social media, posting about her breast cancer and speaking about her experience with menopause, leading many of them to share theirs too.
She has also spoken more about her late friend, called Faye, posting a picture on Wednesday to Instagram of a book that she said continues her legacy "in the most gentle, heartbreaking way", called the lady & the thing.
"I sometimes wonder what she would have said about my diagnosis and I know she would have made a wildly inappropriate joke before breaking out the millionaire shortbreads and gin," Cawood's caption reads in part. "God she was special and I miss her so much."
For support, you can call charity Breast Cancer Now on 0808 800 6000, 9.00am to 4.00pm Monday to Friday and 9.00am to 1.00pm Saturday. To help with easily adding self-checks into your routine, you can also use Coppafeel!'s regular boob check reminder.
