Jessie J, whose real name is Jessica Cornish, has revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in March, just as she was preparing to release her first album in eight years. The singer-songwriter, known for her candid lyrics, had been documenting her struggles with endometriosis, miscarriage, and failed relationships on the upcoming record 'Don't Tease Me With a Good Time'. However, she kept the cancer diagnosis a secret until June, even as she promoted singles like 'No Secrets' and 'Living My Best Life'.
Cornish discovered a lump while preparing for the Baftas and underwent a biopsy on 28 March, the day after her birthday. Despite initial assurances that it looked benign, the results came back as high-grade cancer cells. 'I said, 'Oh, that's not ideal, is it? That's not fucking great timing,'' she recalled. 'The first thing I thought was, 'I can't die because my son needs me.''
She underwent a mastectomy in early July and is awaiting reconstructive surgery, which has forced her to cancel tour dates. Despite the ordeal, Cornish feels fortunate to have caught the cancer early and avoided chemotherapy or radiotherapy. 'Cancer sucks, man, but you know what? Thank fuck I found it early,' she said, adding that her right breast now 'looks like a grapefruit under a tight bedsheet'.
The experience has shifted her perspective on life. 'It has made me live life more,' she explained. 'I'm determined to be in the moment.' Cornish, who also has a toddler after a decade of fertility struggles, is now focused on her health, family, and new music, with plans to make her standup comedy debut next year.
