Demi Jones has revealed she is “cancer free” and discusses her “low self esteem” while battling the disease.
The former Love Island star, 24, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in May 2021 after discovering a lump on her neck.
Demi told MailOnline that she has been visiting the hospital every month since being diagnosed, but three weeks ago she got “all clear” that she doesn’t need to go back.
In an exclusive interview on the occasion of the launch of St. Moriz’ body confidence campaign ‘Ready to Glow’, Demi said: ‘I went to the hospital about three weeks ago and they gave me everything clear! I’ve been going to the hospital every month for the last three years, but they said I don’t have to anymore and they’re sending me my medication.’
She added, “I feel very liberated this year and can be myself again!”
EXCLUSIVE: Demi Jones has revealed she is ‘free’ from cancer and discusses her ‘low self esteem’ while battling the disease
Struggle: The former Love Island star, 24, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in May 2021 after discovering a lump on her neck
Speaking about struggling with low self esteem, she explained: “I think as an islander there’s a lot of pressure to look a certain way, especially when I came off the show. I was always a curvy girl and there’s always that pressure to look like you do on Instagram.
“Especially when I was going through my thyroid cancer. I got through it and I’m on the other side, I felt so ready to take on the world again, but I’d put on about two bricks, so my clothes didn’t fit. That’s why I turned to my beauty, obviously it comes from within, but it made me feel good about myself.
“I have now realized that you have to find that confidence within yourself and if you are happy with yourself, that inner confidence will reflect outwardly. Had I had a negative outlook, I would have spiraled into a spiral and my recovery would have taken much longer.”
The TV star underwent two surgeries after doctors found and treated a golf ball-sized tumor on her neck.
The disease develops in the cells of the thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped gland just below the Adam’s apple in the neck.
Telltale signs include a lump in the neck, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, and hoarseness.
Demi kept her fans updated throughout her battle with cancer to bring awareness to the disease.
She said, “It was hard because everything was magnified because you’re going through this in your private life, which is hard enough, but I felt I had to share my story.
“I think if I had gone through it alone I would have spiraled and couldn’t live a double life of wrestling in private and pretending everything was fine on social media. But talking about it helped and people coming up to me and saying I helped them by sharing my story helped me get it.”
Demi now does what many of the islanders do once they leave the villa: go on vacation, post content for her followers, and work with big brands like Shein and St. Moriz.
She has built up a huge Instagram following of 1.1 million and says she has found a way to deal with hate comments.
The influencer explained, “I’ve developed such a strong wall that when I see negative comments I actually have to laugh because I’ve heard it all. If they don’t know you personally, don’t take it personally.
She further openly admitted that she edits some of her photos on social media: “I edit my photos and any influencer who says they don’t is lying to you.
“But I’m not taking it to the point where it doesn’t look like me, it’s just a wrinkle or a smoother.”
‘I think it’s important that influencers are honest about that and just do what makes you happy, if that makes you feel good, then do it. Sometimes I have to remind myself that a lot of what you see on social media isn’t real.’
Demi said, “I went to the hospital about three weeks ago and they gave me everything clear. I feel very liberated this year and can be myself again!’
Confident: She’s built a massive Instagram following of 1.1 million and says she’s found a way to deal with hate comments
Positive: Award-winning self-tanning brand St. Moriz has launched its latest campaign, titled ‘Ready to Glow’, aimed at instilling confidence and boosting body positivity
Award-winning self-tanner brand, St Morris has launched its latest campaign, titled ‘Ready to Glow’, aimed at instilling confidence and boosting body positivity.
Alongside Demi, the campaign features popular characters Lauren-Nicole Coppin Campbell and Sophie Lee, who share their experiences with confidence and how they overcame moments of self-doubt to support and inspire others.
After battling cancer herself, Demi urges people to avoid using tanning beds and switch to self-tanner to take care of their health.
She said: ‘If there’s one piece of advice I can give, it’s to try self-tanner instead of tanning beds. It’s affordable, it makes you shine.
“You don’t have to go on the tanning bed and cause long-term skin damage to get those results, because at the end of the day it may be a natural tan, but you still have to continue to keep it up, just like you would.” put on self tanner.
“The long-term effect it causes, like melanoma cancer, which my stepfather I live with currently has melanoma cancer, so it’s so important to me.”
Demi found fame on Love Island’s first winter series in 2020 and was linked to hunk Luke Mabbott, but the pair went their separate ways three months after the show.
Speaking about her in-villa tanning routine, Demi said, “This was my biggest fear going into the villa, I thought how am I going to keep my fake tan for six weeks because I’m a redhead” not tan naturally.
“I took all my St. Moriz tanning products and they took it all off me, I was so stressed!” Luckily Jess had some I’m not sure why she let it in but yeah it was really hard to maintain because there’s not much time to get ready so I begged the producers to let me shower first .’
Adam Collard returned to the show last year after his stint in 2018, as did Jessie Wynter, who starred in the Australian series but appeared in the British winter season in February.
And Demi has said that if the opportunity presented itself to her again, she wouldn’t turn it down.
The influencer said: “If I was ever asked I think I would do it now, I was only 21 when I first moved in. I was so shy and wouldn’t stand up for myself and wouldn’t go for someone as much as I wanted to.
“So I think I’m more mature now and have a lot more confidence that I would really go for what I wanted, so if the opportunity came up I wouldn’t say no.”
The St. Moriz brand and their Tan Tribe are all about removing the stereotypes and barriers surrounding tanning, and overcoming the stigma surrounding beauty routines that are purely for vanity; repositioning self-tanner as an armor rather than a mask.
Throwback: Demi rose to fame during Love Island’s first winter series in 2020 and was paired with hunk Luke Mabbott, but the pair went their separate ways three months after the show
Of the women chosen for the campaign, Katy Clark, Head of Marketing at St. Moriz commented: ‘Our Ready to Glow models are ambassadors for resilience, determination and empowerment.
“It was wonderful to hear their incredibly inspiring stories of how they found confidence in themselves and learned to love themselves through their self-care practices. We are very proud to work with such positive, inspiring women for this campaign.
Demi then gave her top three tips for using self-tanner: “My first tip is when you apply the dye, because it will get rid of any harsh lines.” Also never apply color to your glove for hands and feet again, just use the excess so they don’t get too dark. And finally, moisturize because it keeps it long-lasting.”
She also recommends her go-to tan for fans to try: “My favorite tan is the medium shade color-correcting mouse. It neutralizes my red undertones.”
If you have any questions or concerns about cancer, the Macmillan support line is open every day from 8am to 8pm on 0808 808 00 00.
More information and support is available online at macmillan.org.uk, including peer-to-peer support on the Online Community.