Dawn French stars as Beatrix Potter in Sky Christmas film
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Swapping comedy for a judging panel, Dawn is set to appear on new ITV talent show Walk The Line. Some may consider choosing the star for the judging panel slightly odd as she stars alongside Gary Barlow and Craig David, but if Dawn’s most recent drastic hair transformation has taught us anything, it is that the star can pull off just about anything. Another life-changing decision Dawn made in regards to her health was the choice to have a hysterectomy after encountering numerous problems with her “lady plumbing”.
It was after the star lost a whopping seven-and-a-half stone in weight that the rumours surrounding her health and weight began to circulate.
Some thought that Dawn had had a gastric band fitted, but in reality Dawn had been advised by doctors to lose a bit of weight before her hysterectomy so she could instead have keyhole surgery and cut down on her recovery time.
The star’s decision to have the procedure was a big one, as afterwards women are no longer able to fall pregnant. But at the age of 64, and having suffered a life-time of womb troubles, Dawn was able to confidently go ahead with the operation.
One big motivation for the operation was a cancer scare that left doctors convinced that Dawn had uterine cancer.
Talking about her health scare Dawn said: “All kinds of hell [was] kicking off in here, where I keep my lady plumbing.
“I eventually went to hospital, and my doc was so convinced I had uterine cancer, that he ordered a second biopsy to be sure, when the first one was clear.
“Even before the result of the second one, I decided to be done with my old enemy, my defunct reproductive stuff. It was curtailing my life.
“So my womb and I parted company. Goodbye.”
The star went on to say that if she hadn’t lost weight, that the recovery time from the operation would have been nearer three months, so she made it her mission to lose a few stone… or seven.
The NHS explains that a hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the womb (uterus), in order to help treat health problems that are affecting the female reproductive system.
The procedure is far more common in women aged over 40, and those who have already started going through menopause.
One reason for getting a hysterectomy is uterine cancer, which doctors were convinced that Dawn had before her operation. This cancer affects women and can affect your general health if it spreads throughout your body.
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The most common symptoms of uterine cancer include the following:
- Bleeding or spotting from the vagina after the menopause
- Heavy periods from your vagina that is unusual for you
- Vaginal bleeding between your periods
- A change to your vaginal discharge.
However, some individuals who experience a lump in their tummy, pain in the lower back or between their hip bones, pain during sex and blood in their pee may also be at risk of womb cancer.
Although anyone with a womb can get womb cancer, those over 40 are most at risk. Medical professionals are still unsure what causes the condition, but high levels of oestrogen can increase the risk.
The NHS goes on to explain that individuals are likely to have high levels of oestrogen if they:
- Are overweight
- Take some types of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
- Have never given birth
- Have polycystic ovary syndrome
- Went through the menopause after the age of 55.
As previously mentioned, the best way to treat uterine cancer is by having a hysterectomy, of which there are several different types.
The type of hysterectomy an individual has depends on why they might need the operation and how much of the womb and surrounding reproductive system can safely be left in place.
A total hysterectomy is the complete removal of both the cervix and womb, and is the most commonly performed operation, whereas a subtotal hysterectomy removes only the main body of the womb, leaving the cervix in place.
Recovery times can vary depending on the type of hysterectomy an individual has, and before deciding whether the surgery is right for you, a GP or medical professional should talk you through your options.
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