Reality TV star Olivia Attwood has stressed the importance of breast cancer checks, stating, "You can't die out of embarrassment." The 35-year-old former Love Island star previously discovered a "quite sizeable lump" on her breast in 2020, which was biopsied and found to be benign but later removed.
In an interview with the Press Association, Attwood opened up about her experience as she urges individuals to "look after your health" and hopes to raise awareness about early signs of breast cancer.
Recounting Her Cancer Scare
Attwood described feeling something "kind of hard" on her breast and consulting a breast specialist. "He said there was quite a sizeable lump there. He decided that the best thing for me to do was to have it removed and biopsied – luckily, it was benign," she said. She added, "No one wants to find a lump. It's not a nice thing. It wasn't cancerous, it was just fatty tissue – so everything in my case was fine."
When asked what her experience taught her, Attwood said, "It's helped me know what I'm looking for, and how to examine myself properly; I think a lot of women don't actually know how to do this."
Family History and Vigilance
The former The Only Way Is Essex star explained that the type of cyst she had is "quite common," and her mother has similarly had "fatty lumps removed from her breast." She credited her mother's experience for helping her stay "vigilant" when checking herself and highlighted the importance of a supportive network that encourages health checks.
Advice to Others
Attwood offered advice: "Don't be fearful, and definitely don't be embarrassed. People that examine you for a living… They do this all day, every single day. You can't die out of embarrassment. You need to get out of your own head and realise that these checks could save your life."
She also discussed the importance of raising awareness for breast cancer and urged young people to "encourage your friends and family to check themselves."
Campaign with Tombola and Breast Cancer Now
Attwood has teamed up with Tombola and Breast Cancer Now for a new campaign, advocating for breast health. She spoke to Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle on her Olivia's House podcast, where they discussed how young women are often "scared" to check their breasts. Coyle reflected on her former bandmate Sarah Harding, who died aged 39 in 2021 from breast cancer.
Attwood told PA: "There's loads of really good, tangible, bite-sized bits of information that I hope will resonate with a lot of different people." The pair are encouraging people to check in on friends and tell them to check their breasts, following research from Tombola that found 38% of women admit to neglecting their health.
Attwood said the campaign "seemed like something that was really good to get involved in," adding: "The whole takeaway from this is community, friendship, and encouraging your friends to check their breasts. Let's take the embarrassment out of the conversation and encourage your friends and your family members, and the females in your family to check their breasts."
