Countryfile's Adam Henson reveals tough ordeal following shock health diagnosis
BBC's Countryfile presenter Adam Henson has opened up about his family's struggles after wife Charlie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, saying they "went through the mill" following her shock diagnosis in 2021.
It began when Charlie first started feeling unwell over Christmas in 2020. In February the following year, doctors discovered a 4.5cm tumour and delivered the devastating news about the low chances of survival.
Fortunately, doctors determined that Charlie's cancer was treatable, Gloucestershire Live reports. She had surgery to remove part of her pancreas and was placed on a long-term care plan that includes biannual scans, Creon capsules, blood thinners and iron supplements.
In an interview with BBC Gloucestershire, Adam shared that the family "went through the mill" during the difficult period. He recalled: 'Back in 2021 my then partner, now wife, got pancreatic cancer, which was a terrifying diagnosis that often leads to palliative care and people losing their lives."
'My heart goes out to the people who have been in that situation but we were very fortunate that the type of pancreatic cancer she had was known as neuroendocrine and it turned out that it was treatable."
"She had the Whipple procedure, a very complicated operation and we're now two years further on and she is fit and healthy. She has to take certain enzymes when she eats because the piece of the pancreas that has been removed means her enzymes aren't active enough to digest her food properly."
'We went through the mill but we have come out the other side. It was a very, very difficult time for her in particular but for us as a family," he concluded.
In Adam's 2023 book Christmas on the Farm, Charlie contributed a heartfelt passage detailing her difficult health journey. She stated: "Remembering to take enough Creon was difficult at first, and I slipped up a few times, with a gripey tummy afterwards to remind me to do better in future.'
"I am better now, but it's a lifetime commitment. Fortunately, I have not become diabetic, which can happen after this surgery, so my insulin levels are checked regularly."
"Having a scan is absolutely terrifying. The worry starts to build up a couple of months beforehand, then there is the wait for the result, which is all-consuming," she added, before penning: "If you get a clear scan, and thank God, I have so far had clear results, it is the best gift in the world. You have six months of your life back that you thought you might not have."
Adam says the couple 'made a point' of spending more time together after the diagnosis. He explained that "everything in life" was altered by the experience.
Adam shared that the couple "made a point" of prioritising more time together following the diagnosis, stating that the experience changed "everything in life."
The presenter went on to explain, saying: "Our experience means we both want to make the absolute most of life, say yes to things and make time for what's important. It's such a cliche, but nothing is as important as your health."
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