Nadine Coyle's terrifying health scare aged 17 that almost ended Girls Aloud dreams
by Katy Hallam, https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/authors/katy-hallam/ · Birmingham LiveAs Nadine Coyle was in the final stages of making it into Girls Aloud, the Irish star had a health scare that nearly ended the dream. She was in the final stages of the singing competition Popstars: The Rivals but had to take a break while doctors investigated after she found a lump in her breast in 2002.
She was just 17 at the time. The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here star had been feeling unwell, leading her to fear that it could be cancer despite her young age. "I found a lump in my breast. I was getting so ill and rundown I thought maybe it was all connected," she revealed in Girls Aloud's autobiography Dreams That Glitter.
"My sister had been through the same thing with a lump in the same place and had to have an operation to have it removed, so it was scary."
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"The doctor said there was definitely a lump and referred me to hospital for an ultrasound," she added.
"It was a case of wait and see. If nothing comes back cancerous it's maybe just lymph nodes and it might disappear in time. It did go through my mind it might be cancer."
Fortunately, she was given the all clear and returned to secure her place in the band, but was advised to report any changes immediately. "With these things it's better to know sooner rather than later," she added.
"And now I'll just keep an eye out and monitor myself." The Irish-born singer has faced more than her fair share of health struggles.
She revealed she has struggles with anxiety since the birth of her daughter Anaiya in 2015. Nadine explained: "Every single night I put her to bed I wished I'd hired one of those night nannies to sit and watch her breathe.
"Or that I could hook her up to some sort of system that would let me know if she was too hot or too cold, if her heart rate was OK, if her breathing was right. I'm a worrier anyway, and this was exhausting.
"I just know it was very, very stressful thinking that I was there purely to facilitate her survival. It's all so basic but you must do it."
She added: "I am scared of so many things. I used to be brave. In the past, I've opened a restaurant, had a record label, had my daughter and it was go, go, go with all of these. Now I have got so fearful even being in the car, flying or general things. I think it is since I became a parent that I am much more afraid."