EXC Jake Quickenden candidly discusses his health anxiety after losing his dad and brother to cancer
Jake Quickenden has opened up candidly about his health anxiety and fear of being diagnosed with cancer after losing his father and brother to the disease just a few years apart.
In an interview with MailOnline, the singer, 34, admitted that every ‘lump and lump’ he finds on his body makes him feel as if the disease has ‘got’ him.
Jake’s father, Paul, who was separated from Jake’s mother, Lisa, before his diagnosis, passed away 13 years ago from bone cancer.
Two years later, his younger brother Oliver injured his knee playing soccer and tests revealed he had a different type of bone cancer, osteosarcoma.
EXCLUSIVE: Jake Quickenden has opened up candidly about his health anxiety and fear of being diagnosed with cancer after losing his father and brother to the disease.
Oliver sadly passed away when he was just 19 years old, just years after the tragic death of his father Paul.
In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, Jake detailed his constant struggle with anxiety and pain.
He said: ‘I’ve always suffered from anxiety, but I never really knew what it was. When I lost my dad over 10 years ago and my little brother almost 10 years ago, it all started to make sense why I felt this way.
“I started worrying about things and thinking too much. I was worried about my own health, like if I lost two people to cancer and my mom got skin cancer and then all kinds of bumps and bumps, I think she got me. I’m pretty open with health anxiety.
Tragic: Jake’s father Paul, who was separated from Jake’s mother Lisa before his diagnosis, passed away 13 years ago from bone cancer.
Jake revealed that he recently got over his fear and had a full body checkup, and now he’s aiming to get everyone to check him out more.
He said: ‘I had a full body checkup not too long ago but I still struggle to book myself into the doctors. I think I’d rather not know, but it’s important to do and reassure yourself. Fitness is also a big part of my life, to be in shape for as long as I can for my children.’
The I’m A Celebrity star recently had his testicles examined live on Loose Men to raise awareness about cancer.
ITV viewers praised Jake on social media for raising awareness and for being “brave” enough to do it live on TV.
Brave: The I’m A Celebrity star recently had his testicles examined live on Loose Men to raise cancer awareness.
Jake, who works as a grief ambassador, went on to explain how grief still affects him on a daily basis: “I don’t think you learn to live with it, you just have to accept that it happened and move on and live your life.” to the maximum because you never know what is around the corner.
The Dancing On Ice winner shares his son Leo with his wife Sophie. She is also the mother of son Freddie from a previous relationship.
He continued: “For me, I wasn’t really happy until I had Leo, everything fell into place for me, I have this little man who trusts me now and I want to be a good role model and my stepson.” I still struggle with the pain, he hits me at different points because I don’t think you’ll ever get over it.’
Heartbreaking: Her brother Oliver was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, the most common form of bone cancer, in 2010 when he was just 16 and died two years later.
Jake is currently enjoying a vacation in Dubai with his family and has admitted that even when he seems happy on social media, he still has bad days.
He explained: “Yesterday we were walking around and Soph asked me if I was okay and I just replied ‘no I’m not, I feel anxious today and I don’t know why’.”
“I think it’s because someone gave me shit on Instagram and it makes you question yourself, but the worst thing you can do is question yourself.
Family: Jake is currently enjoying a vacation in Dubai with his family and admitted that even when he appears happy on social media, he still has bad days (pictured with wife Sophie, son Leo and Jake’s stepson Freddie)
Jake has previously criticized vicious trolls who claimed his baby Leo “needed Botox” and was “ugly.”
Speaking about how he deals with negative comments online, Jake said: “I think now I’ve tried to start ignoring them more, a year ago the wrestler Jake in me would have wanted to retort but at the end of the day that’s what they want. They have made their opinion, they will not change it.
“I feel sorry for those people who sit at home trolling people they’ve never met.”
When he talked about the pain, Jake continued: “For me, I wasn’t really happy until I had Leo, everything fell into place for me, I have this little man who trusts me now and I want to be a good role model and my stepson.