04 August 2023 , 11:10
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UTV's Pamela Ballantine has secretly been battling breast cancer after being diagnosed with the disease in December last year.
The Northern Irish television presenter, 64, best known for her 27-year career at UTV, has revealed she in a 'state of utter shock' when doctors told her of her diagnosis after specialists found a lump when the presenter went for a simple routine mammogram.
After attending the routine mammogram, Pamela became incredibly worried when she received a letter asking her to revisit the clinic because an abnormality had been discovered. Pamela was then taken for an ultrasound and needle biopsy that same day. "I was totally in a state of shock," she told UTV's Alison Fleming in a recorded interview.
UTV's Pamela Ballantine shares breast cancer diagnosis after routine mammogram (ITV)"I got called back to see Professor Kirk on the 29 December and he said, 'that's breast cancer'. That's cancer.. I always knew I wanted to speak about it, but when you don't know what the prognosis is, it's a difficult thing to deal with, and everyone deals with it in their own way. I just thought I'm going to do this myself. The fewer the people know the better, and I'll just continue on doing what I do," she revealed.
Pamela was soon told that her cancer can spread and chemotherapy was suggested which started the very next day. Pamela initially refused the appointment due to the fact she didn't want to miss out on a boozy brunch with her friends she had planned in Dublin. However, after a stark warning from her doctor about the seriousness of her diagnosis, Pamela cancelled her friend date and went to the hospital instead.
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"Pamela, you have to realise you are ours now," Pamela's doctor told her before the severity of her diagnosis truly sunk in. "There are at times where you do say 'why me'...we like to have answers and no one can give you answers. The chemo was horrendous. It attacks every bit of soft tissue you have. My eyes hurt, my ears, my hands were bleeding, my feet were bleeding," the TV star shared.
Pamela's chemotherapy treatment has been a success (ITV)Despite having an awful experience with chemotherapy, luck has been on Pamela's side as the treatment worked. Back in June, the TV star was told by her doctors that the tumours had shrunk so much that they were no longer noticeable in her body.
Last month, Pamela underwent surgery to remove lymph nodes and the tissue in her breast, which thankfully confirmed the chemotherapy to had been effective. Following her cancer journey, Pamela has praised the nursing staff and has urged other women to go get their mammogram check-ups. "If you get called for any health screening, go," she insisted.
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Breast Cancer Support.