Nick Knowles’ brave estranged wife Jessica ‘thought of Jade Goody’ when she was diagnosed with cancer

WHEN TV presenter Nick Knowles's ex wife Jessica was told she suffered from potentially lethal cervical cancer her first thoughts turned to the tragic death of Big Brother star Jade Goody.

Mum-of-one Jessica was thrown into turmoil after her horror diagnosis earlier this year, which followed her split with the DIY SOS host.

She revealed to This Morning hosts Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes her first reaction was to think about ex reality TV star Jade who died from the illness in 2009, aged just 27.

When quizzed about her response to her medical diagnosis, Jessica said: "Probably Jade Goody.

"If you hear cervical cancer you think of Jade and that was terrible.

"I have a young child like Jade."

Jessica, 28, was dealt the devastating blow by medics who told her she had "severe pre cancerous cells" in June.

It came hot on the heels of her divorce from telly favourite Nick, when he called time on their marriage after they got hitched in 2012.

It was another burden for the mum of Eddie, 21 months, after she also suffered a miscarriage and was left feeling burned out.

After having her first smear test at 25, the abnormalities were found when she went for her second appointment aged 28.

It came after she had spent the past six weeks bleeding and feeling stressed, while at the same time not wanting to go to the doctors.

She told the ITV daytime show: "It didn't even occur to me it would appear with abnormal results.

"I don't smoke, drink and am really healthy.

"And abnormal results are quite common."

Meanwhile reality TV star Jade's shock death prompted a frenzy of media focus on the importance of smear tests.

She had abnormal cells removed from her cervix more than three times.

She had a hysterectomy and radiotherapy sessions to try to halt the cancer's spread but was then told she only had a 50 per cent chance of survival.

Talking of her own daily struggle, Jessica added she was left very weak and confessed: "It's the accumulation of everything and it's the lack of independence.

"I haven't been able to lift my son in six weeks. He's only two."

She first announced her diagnosis in a blog post.

She told Hello! magazine: "After a brief period of being unwell I was unfortunately diagnosed, this week, with cervical cancer.

"Following on from a difficult year it has forced me to put a lot of things into perspective and really brought to light what matters; my health and Eddie."

Now the single mum has her sights set on the future.

She said: "When you're faced with own mortality it can't help but help you focus on what you want to do.

"The little things are the big goals - getting strong enough to pick Eddie up - and it's not long, just a couple of weeks."

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