The This Morning resident doctor opened up about being diagnosed with bowel cancer, explaining she is set to have more treatment this week. Dr Philippa told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield she thought she was “too young” to have the disease after she was diagnosed at the age of 39.
She urged This Morning viewers not to put off going to the doctor if they have symptoms as it was important to be sure.
Speaking of her own diagnosis, Dr Philippa said: “When you’re young and even as a doctor, you think ‘This cannot be cancer.’
“I had had three emergency caesarean sections and I had some pain in my pelvis and assumed it was down to scar tissue and so did my GP.
“I was 39 and I then went to a gynecologist who also thought it was scar tissue, but when you get scar tissue in your pelvis you should go to a bowel surgeon.
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“I have kept this part of my life private.m not a secret, but private until I felt ready and able to discuss it and raise awareness around all cancers and the experience of being a young adult and a Dr with cancer.
“1 in 2 of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in our lives but this much feared diagnosis does not have to mean game over!
“Most people with cancer will be treatable and even those people with incurable cancer are living with their cancer rather than dying from it than ever.
“Please don’t put off going to the Dr if you have symptoms, the earlier we catch it the better and easier it is to treat!