Faye Tozer has opened up about her mum's shock cancer battle after she was given the all clear following a mamogram.
She explained that her mum Dorothy’s cancer was “occult” - meaning it goes undetected in scans.
And despite the big shock once the diagnosis was delivered, the Steps star spoke today on ITV’s Lorraine about how both she and her mum found comfort in an unlikely place.
Faye told Christine that her mum was undergoing treatment while she was doing her dance training with Strictly professional Giovanni Pernice in 2018 - and it ended up being the perfect antidote.
She said: “It was a wonderful distraction from what mum was going through. We were sending videos of our rehearsals so she could compare that to the live show. Mum loved the costumes - she used to make my costumes when I was little. It was a really lovely thing for mum to see.”
Faye explained that she was sharing her mum's ordeal to explain how not all breast cancers can be picked up in a mamogram.
She said: “Mum got diagnosed with breast cancer and very quickly it was apparent she would need to have a mastectomy.
“She was riddled in one side and the reason that we wanted to tell mum’s story, she’s had the all clear, which is great. She’s got three years of treatment to do, more as a preventative now.
"But her cancer was occult, which means even though she had the mammogram, it wasn’t visible.”
It wasn’t until a couple of months after then that Faye’s mum finally got the shock diagnosis.
Faye continued: “Our message is, even if you have had the all-clear, if it doesn't feel like everything’s right with your body, still ask questions and still keep going back if it doesn’t feel right.
“Mum had lumps before and just thought it might just be another cyst or something, and it wasn’t. Go back, be body aware, check yourself.”
Faye also addressed rumours about the future of Steps, revealing that “it’s all bubbling nicely”.
“I’m really excited, we will be announcing things when we’re all ready and set to go.”
“I’m really excited, there is going to be another chapter of Steps. I think we feel so lucky that people are still interested. People love the nostalgia and it’s great to be able to bring new stuff to the table. Watch this space.”
Lorraine airs weekdays from 8.30am on ITV.
