Love Island: Former contestant Demi Jones announces she is cancer free
Former Love Island contestant Demi Jones has announced she is cancer free, after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer in May.
The 23-year-old told her 1.2 million Instagram followers on Monday the good news after her latest scan.
"I’M CANCER FREE!!!! I did it!" the reality TV star wrote in a post, featuring a photo of herself outside Queen Alexandra Hospital in her hometown of Portsmouth.
"I got my full body scan results back and there’s not a single cancer cell left in my body," she wrote.
Ms Jones - who appeared in Love Island's sixth series, in 2020 - said it had been "such a difficult year" both mentally and physically, following her cancer diagnosis and treatment.
She added she was "beyond grateful" for the kindness and support people have shown her, and said she would continue to be an advocate for cancer awareness.
"All my love and strength goes out to those who continue to fight this awful disease, here’s to a healthy and happy 2022," she wrote.
Fellow Love Islanders Sharon Gaffka and Yewande Biala replied to the post with messages of support.
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The influencer found a "potentially cancerous" lump on her neck earlier this year and was admitted to hospital where the lump was removed.
Thyroid cancer affects a small gland in the neck that produces hormones. Women are two to three times more likely to develop it than men, according to the NHS.
Ms Jones has been working with Cancer Research UK to raise awareness of the disease following her diagnosis.
Symptoms of thyroid cancer
According to the NHS, symptoms of thyroid cancer can include:
A painless lump or swelling in the front of the neck – although only 1 in 20 neck lumps are cancer
Swollen glands in the neck
Unexplained hoarseness that does not get better after a few weeks
A sore throat that does not get better
Difficulty swallowing
When to get medical advice
According to the NHS, you should see a GP if you have symptoms of thyroid cancer. The symptoms may be caused by less serious conditions, such as an enlarged thyroid (goitre) so it's important to get them checked.
A GP will examine your neck and can organise a blood test to check how well your thyroid is working.
If they think you could have cancer or they're not sure what's causing your symptoms, you'll be referred to a hospital specialist for more tests.
For more information, visit the NHS website.