Newsnight presenter Victoria Derbyshire revealed she thought she was going to die following her breast cancer diagnosis as she marks 10 years since she was declared cancer free
Victoria Derbyshire harrowingly thought she was going to die upon hearing her cancer diagnosis. The BBC presenter, 56, received the shock news just days after she discovered a difference in her right nipple.
She decided to get medical help after thinking her breast looked “odd” and received a breast cancer diagnosis just days later. The mum-of-two didn’t have a lump, but the cancer was “all over” her breast which meant she needed intense chemotherapy and targeted radiotherapy.
Victoria admitted at the time that she thought she “was going to die”. It comes after Sir Michael Palin says he is preparing for the end of his life in sad update.
READ MORE: Breast cancer warning issued to all women as common sign won’t always appearREAD MORE: Victoria Derbyshire’s cancer anguish as she admits ‘I didn’t think I’d see my boys grow up’
The Newsnight host had 301 days of treatment following her 2015 diagnosis and was given the all clear with an 11 percent chance of the cancer returning. As she marks 10 years since her diagnosis, Victoria bravely looked back at the challenging time.
“I thought I was going to die,” she told The Sunday Times magazine. Victoria took her family on a holiday following the diagnosis and confessed she thought it could be her final one.
“When I didn’t know if my cancer was going to be treatable, we went on holiday to Barcelona,” she shared. Victoria said she took a “million pictures” and insisted she had to be in all of them.
The presenter initially didn’t want to tell her husband Mark and two sons about her diagnosis as she went into “practical mode”. However, they will be marking the milestone 10 years together with a “big blowout” on holiday.
Victoria lost her hair during her cancer treatment and wore a wig because she “didn’t want people to feel sorry for her.” However, her diagnosis also sparked positive change for the family.
She decided to marry Mark after 17 years together in 2018. Mark had proposed to Victoria years before when she was pregnant with their first child, however, they never set a time to marry.
Earlier this year, Victoria publicly backed a NHS campaign to get women to go to their routine mammograms. Latest NHS data for 2023/24 showed only around two thirds of women are turning up for their mammograms.
Victoria urged: “When I was diagnosed, I thought I wouldn’t get to see my two little boys grow up, who were then aged eight and 11.
“I thought I wouldn’t get to grow old with my partner, Mark. I’m still here thanks to the skill of the NHS, and 2025 will be 10 years since I was diagnosed. Breast screening might just help save your life. Please go.”
She added: “I’ve had breast screening multiple times. For me it was painless and I was happy to be screened. My motivation was to make sure any irregularities were picked up – because the earlier breast cancer is detected, the greater the chance of survival.”
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Breast Cancer Support.
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