Demi Jones rose to fame on the first ever winter version of Love Island back in 2020.
The 25-year-old initially found love with Luke Mabbott on the series. But despite the pair coming in third place, the pair split after the show.
With a newfound confidence and the world at her feet, Demi was living her best life following her appearance on series six. However, things took a horrifying turn for the Islander when she discovered she had cancer in 2021.
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Following her recovery, Demi stepped back into the Love Island villa in 2024 and has continued to raise awareness about her condition. Daily Star has taken a deep dive into brave Demi’s cancer battle.
First symptoms
(Image: Demi Jones/Instagram)
Love Island stars get inundated with messages from fans when they exit the villa. But Demi’s fans saved her life when they noticed a faint mark on her neck while on the show – it turned out to be a cancerous lump.
In a video shared on her social media platform in collaboration with Cancer Research UK, Demi spoke about her first symptoms. She said: “I remember when I came out of Love Island I got my phone back and obviously your phone just blows up, doesn’t it?
“Quite a few people had messaged me and said they’d seen the lump on my neck.” Demi said she decided to dismiss her fans’ concerns at the time because she was sitting her final year exams at university and didn’t think the scar was anything serious.
Diagnosis
(Image: ITV)
After her mum insisted that she get the mark checked out, Demi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in May 2021. Demi was understandably shocked as she thought the consultation would reveal that she was fine.
Demi was informed that the golf-ball-sized lump was a rare thyroid cancer. This affected the small butterfly-shaped gland that sits in the hollow between the collarbones.
Chatting to fellow Love Island star Shaughna Phillips for Cancer Research’s Play Your Part campaign, Demi admitted: ‘I was so shocked when I was diagnosed with cancer and my first thoughts were “Is this going to kill me? Am I going to be really poorly?”‘.
Surgery and recovery
(Image: INSTAGRAM)
Demi had surgery to remove the cancerous lump. This was followed by a full thyroidectomy which removed her entire thyroid.
Months later, Demi celebrated being cancer-free in December 2021. She has been left with a small scar which sits between her collar bones, and she’s decided to show off her scar to raise awareness for the condition.
She told fans on Instagram: “Even though I’ve got this scar, it’s a small price to pay.” Since recovering from the disease, the TV icon has dedicated herself to raising awareness about thyroid cancer, prompting hundreds to get their lumps checked too.
Giving thanks
(Image: Demi Jones/Instagram)
Demi has thanked her doctor and those who helped her during her time of need. She previously told The Sun: “I can never do enough to thank Mr Repanos for saving my life, cutting cancer out of me and leaving me with this beautiful scar that I am proud to show off.
“I cannot thank the NHS enough for their kindness and warmth throughout one of the scariest times in my life. Because I was diagnosed and treated during lockdown, the entire thing was extremely isolating and I couldn’t have any of my family with me whenever I went into the hospital, they made me feel so at ease and comfortable even though I was going through something really traumatic.”
According to Cancer Research UK, around 3,900 people are diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the UK each year. The condition can be quite rare and is known to affect women more than men.
Initial symptoms of the disease can include a lump in the neck. However other symptoms include a soar throat, difficulty swallowing and a hoarse voice which lasts more than three weeks.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
