Sarah Harding, who rose to fame as a member of beloved girl group Girls Aloud, has detailed her ongoing experiences with breast cancer. Sarah, who is 39, reveals that she regrets putting off a check-up with her doctors due to the coronavirus pandemic, and says that she has been told that the Christmas just gone is likely to be her last.
Sarah is set to release a memoir, Hear Me Out, and in it she discusses her prognosis. ‘In December my doctor told me that the upcoming Christmas would probably be my last,’ she writes in an extract that was just published in The Times. ‘I don't want an exact prognosis. I don't know why anyone would want that. Comfort and being as pain-free as possible is what's important to me now.’
‘I'm trying to live and enjoy every second of my life, however long it might be. I am having a glass of wine or two during all this, because it helps me relax. I'm sure some people might think that's not a great idea, but I want to try to enjoy myself. I'm at a stage now where I don't know how many months I have left. Who knows, maybe I'll surprise everyone, but that's how I'm looking at things.’
Sarah – who used to date US reality star Chad Johnson and won Celebrity Big Brother in 2017 - discovered a painful lump in her breast, but took painkillers instead of seeing a doctor. She says that she had been in denial over the potential severity of the issue.
‘Yes, there was a lockdown, yes, there was a pandemic, but it was almost as if I'd been using that as an excuse not to face up to the fact that something was very wrong,’ she said. ‘I called and spoke to someone at the local hospital. A woman asked me exactly how many painkillers I'd taken, and when I told her, she told me I needed to go to A&E.’
At the time of the diagnosis, Sarah’s Girls Aloud bandmates offered their support online. ‘I love you,’ wrote Nadine Coyle. ‘You have always been able to achieve miracles when needed. I am here for the all the way and always will be.’ Cheryl added a broken heart emoji.
Following the release of the extracts, there has been an increase in search for the causes of breast cancer, with many asking if Sarah has had breast augmentation or a boob job. The cause of this spike is unclear: it is possible that readers fear a connection between plastic surgery and an increased risk of breast cancer. There is, however, little evidence of such a link.
Need support or advice relating to breast cancer? Visit the websites for Breast Cancer Now and Macmillan.
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