Ex sports minister reveals she has breast cancer
FORMER sports minister Tracey Crouch has announced that she has breast cancer but intends to face the challenge “with her studs up”.
The 44-year-old Tory MP said yesterday that the disease had been caught early and she intends to remain positive.
She said it was unlikely she would return to Parliament before the summer recess but insisted she would be “working hard” for her constituents from home while she undergoes treatment.
Announcing her diagnosis on social media, the Chatham and Aylesford MP said: “Unfortunately I have been diagnosed with breast cancer. It came as a bit of a surprise but it has been caught early and I’m now being treated and supported by the excellent team at the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. I am incredibly competitive but, on this occasion, won’t be playing nicely and intend to go into this challenge with my studs up!”
The mother-of-one also urged people to “regularly check their bits and bobbins” and seek medical help if they find anything irregular.
“There is a concern that during the coronavirus pandemic people have not been going to their GP for fear of ‘being a burden during this busy time’ or mistakenly thinking that their local doctors isn’t open,” she said.
“The key to a better cancer outcome is catching it early so please, if you are worried, talk to your doctor.”
Ms Crouch, who has a son, became the first Tory minister to take maternity leave in a front bench role. She quit her position as sports minister in 2018 over the “unjustifiable” delay in a crackdown on maximum stakes for fixed-odds betting machines.