DANIELLE Lloyd has opened up about her anxious wait for the results following her second cancer scare as she hit out at ‘false information’ around SPF.
The TV star, 41, was diagnosed with melanoma in February and had the suspicious mole near her collarbone removed earlier this year.
Danielle , who is now cancer-free, was back in hospital just weeks ago after having a second suspicious mole biopsied.
Danielle also hit out at influencers for “telling lies” and spreading “false information” about SPF – as she insisted they are not medical professionals and don’t “understand” the dangers behind their posts.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Danielle said: “The first one was a 14 week wait and this one has only been a couple of weeks so far, so I’m still waiting.
“With the latest one was on my stomach, they doctors said I’ll have a big scar and I was like ‘I don’t care’, I can have as many scars in the world, as long as I’m okay.”
Danielle admitted the “waiting game” to get the results for her first biopsy was “really difficult”, as she goes through a similar process all over again.
She shared: “It was really really difficult, I sort of just got on with it and as the time went on you sort of think ‘no news is good news’ but obviously it wasn’t the best news.
“But luckily enough the first one has all been taken now.”
Danielle has stood firm on her belief that sunscreen must be used daily – as she hit out at influencers spreading “misinformation” and “lies”.
She shared: “I think people giving false information is so bad.
“People can use their platforms to spread it, but they don’t understand or they think they might have looked into it but they’ve just seen someone else telling lies.
“It’s really scary actually that it can spread so fast because in the UK, we’re so highly regulated when it comes to products, they’re not going to put stuff out there that’s going to harm people.
“I went to Westminster not that long ago and I went with the thought that sunscreen are full of toxins and I met the editor of Vogue and she was like ‘absolutely not’.
“I’m sure there are some out there that aren’t as good as others but if you get a reputable brand, they’re all good and safe to use.”
Danielle said she is now aware of the symptoms and changes that she needs to look out for, especially after doctors advised her that she is more sustainable to getting skin cancers.
She said: “I think I’m worried because they have said that I’m more than likely going to get more [skin cancers], but as long as I’m on it and I notice it fast, I should be fine.”
Despite the scary experience, Danielle said she’s in a good headspace, as she admitted: “I’m always positive”, but at the same time said it can be emotional to think of her not being around for her five young kids if something were to ever happen to her.
She said: “That’s the one thing that every time I thought about it, I would just burst into tears. I want to be there for my kids to grow up and stuff.”
Speaking about her recent melanoma ordeal, Danielle described it as a “terrifying” experience and said she put on brave face but behind closed doors she was crying into her pillow.
“It was [terrifying] because obviously whenever you hear the word cancer, you automatically think the worst,” she said.
“But I also think the best in everything and see the best in everything and I’m quite a strong… a hard exterior and I just got on with it, whether it was okay or not.
“When the kids would go to bed, I’d go and cry into my pillow because it was a scary experience but luckily for me it was really early and skin cancers are really treatable cancer as long as it’s found early.
“It was really tough and unexpected because I didn’t think that could happen to me – I’ve got olive skin, I’m dark and I though it would only happen to someone with fair hair and skin, but that’s not the case.
“I just want to use my platform now to raise awareness for it.”
Danielle said she was open and honest with her children about her melanoma as she went public with her cancer diagnosis.
Danielle shares sons Archie, George, and Harry with ex-husband Jamie O’Hara , while she and Michael O’Neill are parents to Ronnie and Autumn Rose.
“I explained to the older kids because I was going to use my platform to speak about it and I didn’t want them to see it and to not have said something and it’s good for them to know as well because kids in general don’t go out and think ‘I’m going to slap on a load of sunscreen in case’ but now they are more wary,” she told us.
The TV personality said it took over over 14 months from finding the first mole, to getting it checked and having the biopsy, to receiving the results.
“It was a really long process but it’s been a learning curve,” Danielle said.
The former model said she’s more vigilant than ever in checking her mores more regularly.
She said: “I’m 100 per cent more vigilant, I even check my kids
Danielle admitted she has no family history of skin cancer but said did enjoy sunbathing, which has made her more cautious to avoid.
She said: “I did love the sun, my total outlook of being in the sun has changed, even when we’ve had hot weather, I’d usually be in the garden drink in hand relaxing but honestly now, I’m sitting in the house. It is good to get some sun as we all know it’s important for Vitamin C but I’m very cautious going out between 11-3 and just making sure that you protect yourself really.”
Danielle said she’s been flooded with positive reaction from fans after speaking out but said some of her messages have been heartbreaking.
“I have, I’ve had a lot of people contacting me that’s had stuff because of my post it’s encouraged them to seek medical help and they’ve come back and said thank you because they have actually found something and I’ve not very nice stories where it hasn’t been caught early enough but I’ve tried to get back everyone,” she said.
“It’s sad especially if you’ve got cancer on the face and the scars not very nice.”
Although the health scare was a shock to the system, Danielle said it has changed her perspective on life.
She said: “I do think it’s changed perspective for me, I definitely want to be there more for my kids and enjoy life.
“You never know what’s going to happen and what’s round the corner, so spending quality time with your family is so important.”
Danielle has partnered with MyFitnessPal for their new Meal Planner tool.
As a busy working mum of five, Danielle said eating right, looking her wellness and making sure her kids have nutritious meals are at the forefront.
She said: “I think exercise and eating well is so important, I feel what we put into our body matters.”
She admitted she’d prefer to have a healthy diet plan with the help of apps like MyFitnessPal, rather an take weight loss jabs.
The Celeb SAS star said: “I think everyone’s got their own health journey, I’m not saying it’s right or wrong [weight loss jabs] – everyone is an individual.
“For me personally, I want to be healthy for my kids and I want to teach them the right way to eat and the right foods to eat and that can be done on the app on your phone.
“I think that’s important and I show the kids the app and they can pick what they like to eat and you can get the whole family involved.
“Everyone has their own health and wellbeing journey journey and that’s up to them.”
Danielle admitted she’s never done Ozempic and wouldn’t do it in the future.
She said: “I’ve always been a massive fan of MyFitness Pal, I’ve used it since it’s started and I’ve always used it to track my meals and weight and to make sure I’m staying within my macros.
“They’ve come up with this new planner which I find so helpful as a busy mum. I’ve used it and the fact you can literally put in everything that your family likes and it gives you a meal plan for the week, a shopping list.
“I used to go to the shop every day, this saves me so much money, I can go through the shopping list and I’ve got a plan of what I’m going to make – it;s super easy, it’s honestly life-changing.
“I think everybody has days where they go all out, I feel like if you restrict yourself too much, it’s not great as you can spiral out of control. On the app, there is amazing stuff, I’m a fan of Chinese food and it gives you the healthy options to cook which I find amazing.
“It’s just been fantastic for the kids routines. I cook a big meal every night when they get home from school and it’s good to have that on the table when they get home.
“It’s also really good for the kids health and wellbeing, I’m really big on giving my kids healthy food, it’s so important.
“If you put into the app what they like and don’t like to eat, there’s no arguments, it’s so easy to use and really good for budgeting because there’s no waste and the time we’re living in with the cost-of-living, it’s important to make sure you stay on track with your budget.”
For more information on MyFitnessPal, visit here or download via your app.
