To say Michelle Heaton is a brave and inspiring woman would be a complete understatement.
Not only has the former Liberty X singer gone through major surgery to reduce her risks of developing cancer, but she’s done so openly and honestly in order to encourage other women to take the right steps to ensure their own safety, and even save their lives.
In 2012, Michelle was diagnosed with a mutated BRCA2 gene, meaning that, had she not undergone a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy, she would have an 80 per cent chance of developing breast cancer, and a 30 per cent chance of being victim to ovarian cancer.
Pretty shocking statistics.
And considering Michelle’s grandmother and great grandmother both developed the disease in their thirties, time really was ticking to make this life changing choice.
Michelle underwent her mastectomy in 2012, not long after the arrival of her daughter Faith, four.
And last year, after the birth of son Aaron Jay, now 2, the TV personality had hysterectomy and ovariectomy, too.
Speaking to Closer exclusively, the 36-year-old revealed how having a child so shortly before the diagnosis affected her entire approach.
She said: “It would have been very different [had she not been a mum].
"I was very lucky that I had Faith before finding out, I can’t even imagine the women that find out they have the gene before having children, faced with the decision of having a possible hysterectomy.”
Michelle and husband Hugh Hanley welcomed son AJ in February 2014.
Michelle revealed: “We decided we were going to have the hysterectomy before getting pregnant with AJ. It was all planned and then we accidently got pregnant, so we put it off and obviously everything has turned out great.”
“But putting it off could have then consequently lead to ovarian cancer cause my grandma had ovarian cancer in her thirties.”
Michelle, who explained that she didn’t even know that cancer could be passed on through genes five years ago, also explained to Closer how she’s going to approach the subject sensitively with her four year old daughter.
The mum of two has previously explained that Faith has a 50 per cent chance of carrying the BRCA2 gene, too.
“I think as parents you have to be there to advise them as best as you can and explain things," she said.
"I think the worse thing you can do as a parent is lie about things that have happened, because they’re going to find out sooner or later, which makes the whole thing worse.”
Although she did joke that, if her kids ask her how babies are made, she will keep up the 'stork delivery' white lie for a little longer…
But in all seriousness, she explained: “If Faith ever came ask asked me about what I went through medically, the hysterectomy the BRCA2 gene, you know I will sit down with her and tell her the truth.
“I will wait until she asks me though, because then I know that’s she’s ready.
“Maybe children at school will speak about it. She’ll probably hear other people talk - it's going to happen at some point. All you have to do is educate them."
At only four years old, Faith doesn’t have firm grasp about all her mum has been through, although Michelle has admitted that her little one does wonder why mummy gets approached the way she does when out and about.
“Faith, she will say ‘Mummy, why did that person come up and cry with you, what have you done?’ and I don’t know how to answer it.
“At four years of age it is quite young, and I can’t really explain. So I will say ‘Oh mummy did something and the lady was thanking me’, and she’ll ask ‘Oh mummy, what did you do, did you buy her something?’ and I just tell her I helped her in another way.
“She will get it one day, it will just click.
“Faith is at that age when she can realise something has happened to mummy, but she doesn’t get it yet. She doesn’t understand that I have to go to the doctors now and again but she’s going to have heard it.”
Michelle has spoken openly before about how the removing of her ovaries has caused her to experience the early onset of menopause, meaning she has had to adapt to a new body in many more ways that she could have ever imagined.
Talking about her confidence and self image, the star revealed that she’s turned to gentle and considered fillers to help her feel herself again:
“With everything that I’ve gone through, I’m in menopause, so my skin has seen a dramatic change, especially with the amount of collagen it produces. It’s lost it elasticity and its not as moisturised or hydrated as it once was.
“And then a little while ago I lost a bit of weight, and the loss of fat in my face made me feel old before my time.”
After trying Perfecthafillers 3 months ago – which she has consequently become the face for - Michelle revealed how she feels so much more confident:
“I am a full time mum, my priority are my children – but I don’t want to look like a haggard sixty year old when I’m only 36 at the end of the day. When the kids have run me ragged I’d like to feel like me still, and now I do. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look our best – men and women.”
And she’ll look to inspire other women in her position to do whatever it takes to make them feel confident and 'themselves' again – whether that's a new makeup bag, a holiday, or transforming your skin with fillers.
On being an figure of inspiration to other women - a role she takes on with all the honour and responsibility it involves - she says having other ladies share their experience is still a pleasure.
“It really is and it spurs me on to keep talking about it. You know a lot of people have said 'If I didn’t read your story I wouldn’t have gone and got tested and wouldn’t have saved my life.' It's really, really inspiring.”
To find out more about Michelle' Perfectha campaign, please visit: www.sinclairpharma.co.uk/products/perfectha
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