Strictly Come Dancing's Shirley Ballas plans to go on safari and meet giraffes following a breast cancer scare.
The trip is on a bucket list the head judge, 63, drew up after she discovered lumpy tissue in her left breast in April. Two mammograms, one ultrasound and three biopsies thankfully found no cancer present. “I get check-ups every three months,” she said. “It’s ongoing.”
Shirley, who is the head judge on the show, said the “terrifying” experience made her want to slow down and appreciate time with family – including her mum Audrey, 87, who lives with her. “I’m always running around,” she said. “I’m learning as I get older to spend more face time with family.
“I’ve got lots of things I want to do with my mother, we’ve got a little bucket list going on. I want to go and see the giraffes on a safari, where they come in and have breakfast with you. That would be amazing. I won’t do panto while my mum is still with me, I always spend Christmas with her.”
Shirley’s family have a history with the disease, with Audrey in remission from colon cancer. Her gran, grandad and aunt also had cancer. Shirley said: “It’s so important to get checked.”
*The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.
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