Michaela Strachan, the 60-year-old Springwatch presenter, has opened up about how her breast cancer diagnosis over a decade ago changed her outlook on life. Diagnosed in early 2014, she underwent a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, and has since made a full recovery.
Reflecting on her experience, she told The Mirror: 'Since having cancer, I see every minute as a gift. I’m like, “Yay!”' She expressed gratitude for her health, career, and family, including her son Ollie, 19, who is at Loughborough University, as well as three stepchildren and two grandchildren.
Strachan also discussed her long-term relationship with partner Nick Chevallier, revealing they have no plans to marry. She said: 'We’re not married. I don’t really see the need, plus it’s an awful lot of expense.' She attributed the longevity of their relationship to time apart, as she frequently travels to the UK for work while they live together in Cape Town.
Earlier this year, Strachan described her double mastectomy as 'extremely brutal' and expressed hope that future treatments would be less invasive. Speaking on Vanessa Feltz's Channel 5 show, she said: 'I really hope that in 50 years time we look back at removing a woman's boobs as part of the treatment as archaic because there must be a better way.'
She noted that while the procedure was emotionally challenging, she now rarely thinks about her cancer. 'I'm in the position now where it's eleven years later and I forget that I've had a mastectomy,' she said, encouraging others to talk about their experiences.
