Countryfile’s Adam Henson admits he and his wife Charlie ‘cried a lot’ at their wedding after her shock pancreatic cancer diagnosis
Adam Henson admitted he and his wife Charlie ‘cried a lot’ during their wedding after they rushed to get married after Charlie’s cancer diagnosis.
The Countryfile star, 57, has told how his wedding vows allowed him to ‘cement’ his emotions after Charlie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Charlie fell ill over Christmas 2020 and went to see a doctor when she was still unwell in February 2021, and doctors later found a 4.5cm tumour.
After her cancer diagnosis, Charlie told Adam – who she has been with for 28 years – that she wanted to get married and admitted it suddenly felt very important to do so.
Speaking to The Mirror, Adam admitted they both ‘cried a lot’ during the ceremony and described it as their way of ‘saying goodbye to everyone’.
Hard times: Adam Henson admitted he and his wife Charlie (pictured in March) ‘cried a lot’ during their wedding after they rushed to get married after Charlie’s cancer diagnosis
He told the publication: ‘We cried a lot, those vows cemented my emotions and let me say from the heart how I feel about Charlie.
‘The registrar wasn’t aware of our situation and said she’d never had such an emotional couple, for us, it was a way of saying goodbye to everyone.’
Charlie shares kids Ella, 25, and Alfie, 21, with Adam and admitted marriage had never been important to her until her diagnosis, especially when she was unsure if the cancer was terminal or not.
Charlie, who is now in ‘ongoing recovery’, added: ‘After 28 years together you do get a bit complacent, but getting married was suddenly really important – we didn’t know how long we had left, and I wanted Adam to know I was committed to him.’
She first thought she had a stomach bug after she fell ill over Christmas 2020, with Adam assuming she had caught something from handling one of the animals on their farm.
However, when Charlie was still feeling unwell in February 2021, they booked a GP appointment and were referred for various tests.
When the results came back she was told by doctors there was nothing to worry about but Charlie was still concerned after she ran an internet search of her symptoms, which showed they were consistent with pancreatic cancer.
Love: The Countryfile star, 57, has told how his wedding vows allowed him to ‘cement’ his emotions after Charlie (pictured in November 2019) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
Her doctor insisted it was ‘highly unlikely’ she had the disease but later tests confirmed she did in fact have pancreatic cancer and a 4.5cm tumour was found.
Charlie recently described hearing the news as ‘absolute hell’, adding: ‘I couldn’t process it, it was too big to take in.’
Adam told The Telegraph: ‘It was a huge shock. By nature, I’m a pragmatist, which probably comes from being a farmer.
‘I deal in facts, and I work out what can be done, but in this situation, I was totally lost.’
He said he knew he needed to remain strong and support Charlie and their two children but admitted he didn’t know where to start, describing the situation as a ‘nightmare’.
The television presenter said he was overcome with worry and felt like he was living life on a ‘knife-edge’ while unsure if Charlie’s cancer was terminal.
Cancer: Charlie fell ill over Christmas 2020 and went to see a doctor when she was still unwell in February 2021, and doctors later found a 4.5cm tumour. She is now in ‘ongoing recovery’
Charlie is now in ‘ongoing recovery’ and undergoes scans every six months, while she admits she finds waiting for the results ‘absolutely terrifying’.
She has now returned to work in television as a location manager and is hoping to travel more with Adam.
Adam and Charlie had an on-off relationship in their teenage years after meeting in sixth form and then got together at 28 years old, later welcoming their two children.
WHAT IS PANCREATIC CANCER?
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal forms of the disease, and around 95 per cent of people who contract it die from it.
Joan Crawford, Patrick Swayze and Luciano Pavarotti all died of pancreatic cancer.
It is the sixth most common cause of cancer death in the UK – around 10,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year in the UK, alongside about 55,000 in the US.
WHAT IS THE CAUSE?
It is caused by the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells in the pancreas – a large gland in the digestive system.
WHO HAS THE HIGHEST RISK?
Most cases (90 per cent) are in people over the age of 55.
Around half of all new cases occur in people aged 75 or older.
One in 10 cases are attributed to genetics.
Other possible causes include age, smoking and other health conditions, including diabetes.
WHY IS IT SO LETHAL?
There is no screening method for pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer typically does not show symptoms in the early stages, when it would be more manageable.
Sufferers tend to start developing the tell-tale signs – jaundice and abdominal pain – around stage 3 or 4, when it has likely already spread to other organs.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS?
The only effective treatment is removal of the pancreas.
This proves largely ineffective for those whose cancer has spread to other organs.
In those cases, palliative care is advised to ease their pain at the end of their life.
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