Sofia Vergara 'educated' herself after cancer scare

Sofia Vergara "learned a lot" after being diagnosed with cancer.

The 49-year-old actress was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at the age of 28, and she responded to the shock news by educating herself about the condition.

During the 'Stand Up To Cancer' telethon, Sofia shared: "At 28 years old during a routine doctor’s visit, my doctor felt a lump in my neck.

"They did a lot of tests and told finally me I had thyroid cancer. When you’re young and you hear that word ‘Cancer,’ your mind goes to so many places but I tried not to panic and I decided to get educated.

"I read every book and found out everything I could about it. I was fortunate to have caught it early and to have the support of my doctors and most importantly, my family."

Sofia believes she learned a lot from her health scare and, ultimately, her experience underlined the value of unity.

The 'Modern Family' star said: "I learned a lot during that time, not just about thyroid cancer but I also learned that in times of crisis, we’re better together."

Sofia previously admitted she was "lucky" to have survived her cancer scare.

The Hollywood star - who has a 29-year-old son called Manolo with her ex-husband Joe Gonzalez - was relieved the problem was discovered before the cancer had been allowed to spread.

She said: "I was lucky that's all I needed. That kind of cancer is very quiet, and usually you only realise you have it after it's already spread and it's much harder to treat."

And even though she's now cancer-free, Sofia remains conscious of the threat.

She explained: "I get my blood levels checked every three to six months to make sure my thyroid levels are good. And of course after cancer, every time I cough or feel something I'm a little paranoid."