This Morning's Trevor Sorbie has opened up about ignoring two crucial signs of cancer before his devastating diagnosis. The 76-year-old hairdresser revealed that he could have just "weeks to live" after his terminal bowel cancer spread to his liver.
He told The Times that he had declined chemotherapy because he "can't face any more of that poison". Trevor was diagnosed with the condition in 2019 after his third wife Carole called an ambulance when he started bleeding heavily.
Despite his belief that he showed no signs of cancer, his wife pointed out two symptoms he had been overlooking "for months". She said the star had been experiencing diarrhoea and constipation but chose to ignore these warning signs for a heartbreaking reason. He admitted: "I'm a man. Men are scared."
The NHS states that changes in your stool, such as "having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you", can indicate bowel cancer. It advises seeing a doctor if these changes persist for three weeks or more.
Other symptoms of bowel cancer include rectal bleeding, feeling the need to defecate shortly after doing so, abdominal pain, bloating, sudden weight loss, and fatigue. While some of these symptoms may resemble those of other common conditions, the NHS emphasises that early detection of cancer can make it easier to treat.
Celebrity hairstylist Trevor, who's had the privilege of styling icons from the Queen to Helen Mirren, candidly opened up about his battle with cancer and the moment he faced mortality head-on. Recalling a conversation with a nurse, he share: "When I asked a nurse if I'd still be here at Christmas, she said, 'We don't know, Trevor'."
Unphased by the unsettling response, he added with determination: "And that annoyed me. I've got cancer in my body, but not in here. My brain is my engine and I'll go when I'm ready."
Trevor went through an operation to get rid of a vicious bowel tumour and despite doctors giving him a slim 5% prediction of its return, the dreaded disease made an unwelcome comeback.
In a career where his scissors could demand a £300 fee for a snip, Sorbie has spun tragedy into hope, founding 'My New Hair' after creating a unique wig look for his sister-in-law Jackie during her bone cancer fight in 2009. This charity became his passion, teaching legions of hairstylists not just in shearing wigs to perfection, but also in understanding the delicate art of conversing with folks on life's final chapter.
Though chemo put a stop to his own hair-cutting days by 2020 after enduring 24 cycles, Sorbie's spirit remains unyielding. He now finds immense joy in life's simpler gifts – a movie, pizza shared with his beloved wife, moments that gleam with newfound significance.
With an irrepressible sense of humour, he quipped to The Times, "I never knew dying could be this much fun," laying out wishes for his final days – a peaceful goodbye at home, no grand send-offs, just his wife and pup by his side when they lay his ashes to rest.
English (US) ·