Vanessa Feltz had a mammogram live on This Morning as new figures reveal that despite a record number of women going for breast screenings – nearly a third are still ignoring invitations for crucial checks. As a result, the NHS have launched a new campaign to encourage more women to attend potentially life-saving screenings, particularly aimed at people without symptoms.
Prior to her own mammogram, Vanessa spoke to two women who were diagnosed with breast cancer following routine screenings and one told Vanessa: “I’m actually very grateful I did [go] because I often reflect on how things would have been if I had not attended that mammogram appointment, because it did save my life.”
Sharing words of encouragement for viewers at home, Vanessa added: “So, if you receive that letter, save the date. It could save your life.”
Supervised by a mammographer, it was Vanessa’s turn next and she described the experience: “She’s compressed the breast within these two plates. It feels slightly squashed but it certainly isn’t hurting at all. I wouldn’t even call it discomfort, I certainly wouldn’t call it pain.”
Speaking to hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley in the studio, Vanessa told them: “As you can see, I’m perfectly happy talking to you, certainly not in any kind of even remote discomfort.”
The mammographer said: “I’m just going to go take the picture” and Vanessa described what would happen next: “She’s going to turn on the X-Ray. Now, that means she has to leave the room. It’s a little bit like having a dental X-Ray, I suppose. So, that’s the X-Ray of the breast taking place.”
Once complete, Vanessa later added: “Basically, what’s going to happen next is another view of the same breast, compressed in a different sort of angle and then two pictures of the other breasts.”
She continued: “If you were scared to come because you thought it would hurt, [there is] absolutely nothing to fear whatsoever” before telling those watching at home: “Anyone at all who was thinking, ‘Oh, I’ve got my invitation, I’m scared to come’. Please don’t be scared… Nothing at all to worry about. I’m here to say, please go ahead, because this could just save your life.”
Ben thanked Vanessa for her ‘openness and honesty’, to which she replied: “I just want to show it’s not a big deal, because it really isn’t. I’m not especially brave, I’m not at all heroic, just an ordinary person like everyone else, and honestly, there is nothing at all to fear.”
Cat then advised viewers to visit the This Morning app for anyone ‘affected by breast cancer or wants to know more about breast screening’ to find details of helplines and further advice.
To see the show in full visit itv.com/watch/this-morning
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