Janice Dickinson has confirmed that she's now free of breast cancer.
The 61-year-old supermodel, who is also known for her appearances on reality shows America's Next Top Model and I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, revealed her current status on an episode of This Morning, telling hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, 'I went through six weeks radiation, which was very harrowing. But the radiation is over, I’m scot-free for the grace of Gods... so cancer-schmancer!'
She added that whilst she's now rid of the illness herself, she's committed to raising awareness and encouraging other women to check their breasts regularly.
'I really want to bring awareness to this and now I am full blown working in charge of working for all breast cancer charities because it is a serious disease that affects millions of women,' she said.
'I went through a battery of tests, I did the sonogram, the mammogram - it’s for this reason I implore all women to go and get their breasts examined.
'Do it yourself. Have your husband do it. Or your boyfriend, or your sister, or your aunt, or your uncle do it!'
Janice revealed the sad news of her diagnosis to Mail Online back in March, explaining that her doctor found a lump in her right breast during a routine medical examination.
'It's still quite shocking. Today I got very scared... I just get very scared and it hit me. But I am not gonna let that define me, the fear. I'm going to get through this, I'll be just fine kiddo,' she said.
'The doctor noticed it immediately. She said, "this doesn't feel right". And she said, "We have to be real comprehensive with this and have it checked out".
'I'm always optimistic, initially when the doctor found the lump it hurt, it became quite painful when you touch it, that's the point when I knew this is serious, when the doctor touched this little lump in my right breast, about the size of a pea, and I went bingo, I have cancer.'
Janice added that her thoughts immediately went to her family: her fiancé Rocky, whom she is set to marry this summer, son Nathan, daughter Savannah, and her four-year-old grandson, Aby, saying 'I just thought they are gonna flip out'.
Janice, pictured in 2014, says she went into 'a kind of a world of process' after her diagnosis
However, Savannah, 22, was out shopping with her mother when she got the call to confirm the diagnosis, and Janice admitted, 'I just was really glad that my daughter Savannah, she likes to be called Savi, I was really glad Savi was with me at that moment because it was kind of an out of body experience.
'At that moment I knew I had to be brave and I had to be strong.
'I had to find the courage I possess as a woman, that we all have as women and then I had to put my chin up and my shoulders back and take it moment by moment.'
Janice is now receiving treatment at UCLA, and is expected to undergo surgery to have a one-inch area of tissue around the lump in her breast removed. This will be followed by radiation therapy.
She also says that she's been inspired to raise awareness for breast cancer and encourage women to have regular check-ups with their doctors.
'Have regular breast examinations please. Girls past 30 it's very important.
'I'm here for women all over the world, women are to be cherished, mothers, daughters, sisters, you must remind yourself.'
How to check your breasts
In the UK, all women who are aged 50-70 and registered with a GP are automatically invited for breast cancer screening every three years. The NHS advises that 'in the meantime, if you are worried about breast cancer symptoms, such as a lump or area of thickened tissue in a breast, don't wait to be offered screening – see your GP.'
Cancer Research UK states, 'You don't need to examine your breasts every day or even every week. But it is important to know how your breasts normally feel, and how that changes with your periods.' You should know what is normal for you, look at and feel your breasts, know what changes to look out for, and report any changes to your doctor without delay.
