Angie Best has disclosed that she will undergo major surgery this Thursday to have a section of her colon removed as part of her ongoing cancer treatment.
The 73-year-old former model, who was previously married to Manchester United icon George Best, shared the update with followers on Instagram on Monday.
“So on Thursday I go in for an operation where they cut out the part of my colon that… needs to be cut out,” she said.
“Nerve-wracking… never mind. Got to do what we’ve got to do, and then hopefully all my hair will start growing back.”
Angie Best is the former wife of footballer George Best
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The mother of television personality Calum Best described her battle as “very debilitating mentally as much as it is physically.”
She added: “But there’s a lesson there, I suppose. I’ve just gotta learn it.”
Her son Calum, a former Celebrity Big Brother contestant, broke the news of his mother’s diagnosis in an emotional video posted to social media in January.
The visibly upset reality star revealed that his mum had been diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to her liver.
“For as long as I can remember, she has lived her life rooted in health, fitness and wellbeing,” he said. “She has always believed in taking care of the body, mind and soul. But as we all know, cancer doesn’t discriminate.”
Calum, Angie’s only child from her marriage to the late football legend, admitted he had been on an “emotional rollercoaster” since learning of her illness.
He subsequently launched a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of specialist care and treatment, admitting that he could not manage the financial burden alone.
Despite the challenges, Angie has received encouraging news from her medical team. Her oncologist recently informed her that chemotherapy had eliminated 80 per cent of her cancer after just four sessions.
Angie Best prior to her Celebrity Big Brother stint in 2017
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“I went to see my oncologist yesterday and he said, ‘Ange, you’ve done amazing. In four sessions we’ve got rid of 80 per cent of your cancer which is phenomenal,'” she recounted.
However, the news was bittersweet as her doctor recommended an additional four rounds of treatment.
“I was thrilled but he said, ‘You have to come back for another four sessions,'” she explained. “If four got rid of 80 per cent, why do I need four more? I said, ‘Let’s do two’ and he said, ‘Okay.'”
She confessed she had hoped to hear she was cancer-free but acknowledged the reality of her ongoing treatment.
In addition to conventional chemotherapy, Angie has travelled to Switzerland for mistletoe therapy, an alternative treatment using extracts from the European mistletoe plant that some practitioners believe can boost the immune system and reduce side effects from traditional cancer treatments.
The treatment has taken a visible toll, with Angie revealing in May that she had only “15 hairs” remaining after chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
She also faced difficulties gaining weight ahead of further treatment, noting in February that her healthy eating habits were counterproductive when she needed to increase her weight from 46 kilograms.
In her Instagram caption accompanying Monday’s update, she offered words of encouragement to others facing similar battles: “Nearly the end of this miserable journey. Stay strong and focused all who are on the same journey.”