Chris Evans says family deaths motivated him to get tested for cancer amid melanoma diagnosis
Chris Evans has revealed his family’s history with cancer motivated him to get tested for possible cancer in the wake of his melanoma diagnosis.
The broadcaster announced his skin cancer diagnosis live on his Virgin Radio show this week, and reassured listeners that it was found in the early stages.
However, the 57-year-old suffered a skin cancer scare in 2019 after finding unusual markings on his body and was also given the “all clear” following a prostate cancer scare in 2015.
Then in 2011, he underwent surgery to remove polyps as a precaution against colon cancer after experiencing discomfort on the toilet.
And now Evans explained that despite being “fearful” of tests, knowing his family’s history with cancer “changed his thinking” when it came to being proactive about his health.
He said on his show, as reported by MailOnline: “For years I was such a scaredy cat, but I’ve had things taken out of me before that had resulted in the deaths of my dad, his two brothers and my mum.
“Cancer has had enough of us. I changed my thinking a while ago when I went to the toilet and there was clearly something very wrong.
“And up until that moment I was fearful of any possible test you could have done,” he continued.
“For some reason this happened, and it was so patently obvious. I finished what I was doing and phoned my GP straight away and it was like an epiphany. I was like, ‘Yes, I’ll get checked’.
“I now get checked too often for a couple of things, my doctor says.”
Evans’ father Martin died following a colon cancer battle in 1979 while his mother Minnie passed away in 2018 after succumbing to breast cancer.
On Monday, the radio legend reassured listeners that his skin cancer was found in the early stages and shared his hope that he will have a full recovery after undergoing treatment next month.
The former BBC Radio 1 and 2 presenter told listeners that he got tested because his masseuse, whom he described as an “angel sent from Heaven”, encouraged him to go after she spotted an unusual-looking freckle on his skin.
Evans said the next step is for him to get “a square of skin taken off” on September 14.
The broadcaster added that he has thanked his masseuse for “potentially saving my life” and urged others to get any symptoms examined.
