VANESSA Feltz has opened up about her mum Valerie’s tragic death after doctors overlooked her cancer diagnosis.
Valerie died in 1995 from endometrial cancer and TalkTV host Vanessa, 61, believes she was a victim of “gender bias”.
Vanessa opened up about her mum Valerie’s tragic death
The broadcaster with eldest daughter Allegra and two of her grandchildren
The iconic broadcaster spoke about the sexism that her mother faced, saying: “My mother was suddenly getting the most tremendous abdominal pain but only sporadically and only sometimes and very unpredictably.
“It was incredibly painful when it happened and she went from doctor to doctor to doctor, specialist to specialist and they all pretty much did that pat her on the head thing saying, you know, ‘Are you neurotic? Are you looking for attention? Is it the menopause?’
“And it turned out to be endometrial cancer and she died at the age of 57.”
By the time Valerie was diagnosed the cancer had spread so much that treatment wasn’t an option.
Vanessa continued: “She died of it. It had spread so far that they couldn’t really do anything much about it and she definitely was neither heard nor listened to, she really, really wasn’t.”
Speaking on the subject after a 2021 Department of Health survey revealed one in ten women feel they are not listened to by health professionals, Vanessa added: “When you’re told by someone senior in the medical establishment, ‘Don’t worry about it, you’re fine, just drink water, have a tranquiliser you’ll be great. Have a bubble bath.’
“You think, ‘Thank god for that.’ The urge to push further is not that great.”
Vanessa, who is mum to grown-up daughters Allegra, 37, and Saskia, 34, urged women to speak up for themselves if they feel medical professionals aren’t taking their concerns seriously.
Watch or listen to Vanessa’s drivetime show from Monday to Friday, 5-7pm, on TalkTV. Available on Sky 522, Sky Glass 508, Virgin Media 606, Freeview 237 and Freesat 217 as well as on DAB, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung TV Plus, YouTube, the http://Talk.TV website and TalkTV iOS and Android apps.
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