Angie Best, the former wife of football icon George Best, has posted a poignant update from a Swiss hospital where she is receiving an unconventional form of chemotherapy following a cancer diagnosis.
An Emotional Hospital Bed Post
On Thursday, the 73-year-old shared a photograph on Instagram from her hospital bed. The image showed her connected to an intravenous drip, with medical equipment and bags of fluid visible beside her. In a heartfelt caption accompanying the post, Angie wrote: 'Trying to fake a smile, didn't realise how sick I was, couldn't wait so in Switzerland for chemo with Mistletoe, a sincere heartfelt thank you to you my Homies for your kindness.'
This emotional disclosure comes just over a week after her son, television personality Calum Best, 44, revealed publicly that his mother had been diagnosed with colon cancer that has spread to her liver.
What is Mistletoe Therapy?
The treatment Angie is undergoing, known as mistletoe therapy, is an alternative cancer treatment used for decades in parts of Europe, including Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. It involves using extracts from the European mistletoe plant.
Some practitioners advocate for its use, believing it can stimulate the immune system and improve a patient's quality of life. However, its effectiveness as a cure remains a topic of debate within mainstream medicine. It is not a standard, approved treatment on the NHS, as major UK cancer bodies consider robust evidence for its curative power to be inconclusive. The therapy is often used alongside conventional chemotherapy, which appears to be the case for Angie.
Family Support and Fundraising Efforts
Angie's post attracted an outpouring of support from followers and famous friends. Her son Calum commented: 'You are some woman and I love you so much, we got this.' Others, including presenter Jenny Powell and model Paul Sculfor, sent messages of strength and healing.
The update follows Calum's devastating social media video earlier this month, in which he shared his mother's diagnosis. He explained the family's need for specialist care and confessed that he could not manage the financial burden alone. This led him to set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of her treatment.
In a message of her own at the time, Angie vowed she was 'ready to fight' the disease, acknowledging that consultations and research require significant funds.
Angie met Manchester United legend George Best in Los Angeles in 1975. They married in 1978 and had their son Calum in 1981 before separating in 1982 and divorcing in 1986. George Best died in 2005 at the age of 59.
According to Bowel Cancer UK, more than 41,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK. Survival rates are high when caught early, but many cases are diagnosed at a later stage.
