Lynsey Crombie, known as the Queen of Clean and a regular face on ITV's This Morning, has opened up about how a skin cancer diagnosis last year served as a stark reminder of her mortality, describing it as a "real wake up call".
Lynsey detected a change in a mole on her knee that sparked concern. "I just kept looking at my knee and thinking to myself, my mole looks different from what it did last year", revealed Lynsey exclusively to OK! Magazine.
Although initial advice from her local GP was not to worry, Lynsey had a worrisome instinctive feeling about it. Taking the situation into her own hands, Lynsey - who resides in Peterborough with hubby Rob and their kids Jake, Molly, and Olivia - sought second opinion from a private mole clinic and from there, she got an "urgent referral". When she tried to revisit her doctors, she learnt of a considerable 14-month waiting time.
Though she took off for a holiday, nagging thoughts about her mole consumed her mind "24 hours a day". Eventually, the cleaning expert returned to the private clinic where two of her moles were removed, on the doctor's suggestion. Two weeks later while working in the USA, Lynsey received the dreaded news of having invasive melanoma.
This Morning star's cancer diagnosis was 'wake up call' as she shares symptoms (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
The This Morning star was diagnosed with skin cancer (@lynsey_queenofclean/Instagram)Recalling the shocking moment she was diagnosed, Lynsey revealed: "I put the phone down on the doctor, I was in shock. When you hear the word cancer, I literally fell to the floor - I didn't even give the doctor time to explain the type of cancer or how bad it was".
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Her husband, who works in healthcare, had to call the doctor back for her. Lynsey also noted: "It wasn't the mole I was concerned about, it was the one that had been there for years - I would never have gone about that other one, I didn't see it as a problem."
She underwent a wide local excision around the mole on her knee to remove any potential remaining cancer cells. "I'm so active, I go to the gym and I walk a lot, but I was crawling around the house for six weeks, it was very frustrating and a constant reminder", Lynsey shared about her recovery.
Fortunately, she didn't need further treatment and now has regular skin checks through the NHS. Less than a year after her diagnosis, Lynsey discussed how her life has been profoundly affected. "Every four months for the next five years I have a skin check, I want to get to the five years, but I don't want to wish my life away - I know that life is so precious and it's a real wake up call", she said. "For me, I'm still getting those constant reminders because my body has little cuts and bits on it, so it's still in my head."
Speaking on how her mental health has been impacted, Lynsey said she now looks after herself, but is finding it hard to 'love herself', admitting that: "I'm just not right."
Following her cancer diagnosis, the star has now made it her mission to spread awareness. The This Morning star has encouraged fans to get their skin checked every six months. "Do a skin check, take photographs, and check yourself, because you don't know when they're going to appear - use sun cream and stay away from sunbeds. Or they could create some more warning signs in sunbed stores to make people more aware."
For more information or support about cancer, you can contact Macmillan Cancer Support.
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