Sky Sports presenter Jo Wilson has shared her devastation after being told she had cancer earlier this year, only to later learn the diagnosis was incorrect.
Misdiagnosis after routine scan
Wilson, 41, was diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer in September 2022 following a smear test. In April 2023, she announced she was cancer-free. In February, she underwent a three-year scan and was told her cancer had returned in a lymph node.
'I couldn't believe it – it felt like my whole world had crumbled all over again,' she wrote on Instagram alongside a photo showing a cannula in her arm.
Consultant questioned diagnosis
After being referred to the high-dose radiotherapy team, a consultant 'questioned whether the diagnosis was actually correct'. What followed was five months of tests and scans before Wilson received the news it was not cancer.
'The lymph node is now thought to be a benign neuroma – a cluster of nerves that was likely inflamed at the time of my original scan,' she explained.
Emotional toll and message of support
Wilson described feeling 'indescribable relief' but also a huge emotional toll over the five months of uncertainty. 'Living with that uncertainty was incredibly hard. On the outside, life carried on – I worked, was being a mum, played (lots of) padel, spent time with friends and family, and smiled for photos. But underneath it all, I was carrying something very heavy,' she said.
She stressed the importance of talking about the fear of recurrence, adding: 'If you're someone living beyond a cancer diagnosis, please know you're not alone.' Wilson also noted that social media is a 'highlight reel' and reminded followers to be kind, as 'we never really know what someone else is carrying'.
