Jessie J has spoken about her breast cancer diagnosis, revealing she had to challenge doctors who initially dismissed her concerns. The singer, 36, found a lump while preparing for the Baftas and was told it 'looked like nothing' after an ultrasound. She insisted on a biopsy, which confirmed high-grade cancer cells on 28 March, the day after her birthday.
The diagnosis came just as she was preparing to release her first album in eight years, 'Don’t Tease Me With a Good Time'. The singer, real name Jessica Cornish, said she thought: 'That’s not fucking great timing' and her first concern was for her toddler son. She had a mastectomy in early July and has since been waiting for reconstructive surgery, which has forced her to cancel tour dates.
Cornish described the surgery as 'terrifying and absurd', comparing it to an episode of 'Black Mirror'. She said she was lucky to avoid chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but noted her right breast now 'looks like a grapefruit under a tight bedsheet'. She kept her nipple and finds humour in the situation, joking about the implant size: 'How rude! I thought, no need to bully me, I’m already having a rough time.'
The singer, who has been open about her struggles with endometriosis, miscarriage and mental health, said the experience has made her more determined to live in the moment. She is now planning a standup comedy debut next year, saying: 'I love making people laugh. On stage I basically roast the audience.'
