Perth comedian Judith Lucy has revealed the moment that she learnt she would need a mastectomy, following her shock breast cancer diagnosis.
In a candid photo taken from a hospital bed, the 58-year-old thanked fans for their support while issuing an urgent warning to women about the importance of regular mammograms.
The photo, shared with her followers on Instagram on Saturday, appeared to show Lucy in good spirits as she lay in a hospital bed flashing a peace sign, wrapped in a white dressing gown and blanket.
“So this was me last Friday when I heard that it was now a mastectomy,” she said in the post captioned “Fun with cancer!”.
“And yes, it’s a bit of a peekaboo shot so that’s my breast waving goodbye guys!” she continued referencing the emoji covering her breast in the image.
“My jugs and I have been pretty overwhelmed by the response so thank you and again, get them checked ladies.
“You can’t feel my cancer so without a mammogram I would have been screwed!”
The post comes just a week after the WA born and raised entertainer revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was preparing to undergo a double mastectomy.
The comedian broke the news in an Instagram video, explaining that the cancer had been discovered after a mammogram through BreastScreen Australia.
“On my way home, I got an email from BreastScreen Australia telling me that my mammogram result was a bit weird,” she said.
“I’m going to take this opportunity to say ladies, for the love of god, keep up with your mammograms. Anyway, long story short, I’ve got breast cancer.”
“It is relatively early stages and non-aggressive.”
Lucy explained that she had initially expected to undergo a lumpectomy but her treatment plan was quickly changed when doctors discovered more cancer during a subsequent medical appointment.
“I didn’t want to say anything about it until I knew what was going on,” she continued.
“I went last Friday for a lumpectomy and a doctor, I’m not making this up, called Dr Fun (Dr. Pei Fun Kwan), found more cancer.
“So we have gone from a lumpectomy to a mastectomy. I said, while you’re there, let’s get rid of the other one.”
Despite the devastating diagnosis, the comedian and author has continued to publicly speak in a lighthearted manner about the surgery, joking that she had enjoyed “40 years of large and spectacular breasts”.
“You had your chance fellas,” she quipped, continuing: “So I think I’m quite fine with going bra-free for my last chapter, and my last chapter is going to be very long and healthy.”
