Countryfile's Adam Henson 'felt sick' as wife 'prepared to say goodbye' after diagnosis
BBC Countryfile presenter Adam Henson and his wife Charlie Gilbert were married in a tearful ceremony after Charlie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago.
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Countryfile star Adam Henson and his wife "cried a lot" after the 57-year-old was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The duo decided to get married weeks after Charlie's diagnosis and instead of going on a honeymoon, she was hours away from critical life-or-death surgery.
"We cried a lot," Adam admitted to the Daily Mirror before explaining the wedding "was a way of saying goodbye to everyone." Charlie went on to explain that she had always been in "good health" but in 2020, she started to suffer with some stomach problems.
Her tummy upsets worsened over Christmas 2020 and, in early 2021, she saw her GP and had stool samples analysed for a possible farm infection. However, despite the results coming back negative, by May Charlie was suffering crippling diarrhoea and had lost 10lb in weight.
She said: "I'd sneakily Googled my symptoms and found they could indicate pancreatic cancer. I mentioned it to the GP and she recommended a scan. Waiting for it at the hospital I was overcome with absolute dread. I knew something awful was wrong with me."
Charlie and Adam spent the next five weeks "getting on with their lives", however, when Adam was away filming in Scotland, his wife received some devastating news.
"It was both barrels," Charlie remembered as she explained the scan showed a four-and-a-half centimetre tumour on her pancreas.
"We knew people who'd died of pancreatic cancer and I absolutely felt this was going to be the end of my life."
Before flying home, Adam called Charlie and was left "totally lost" by news of the diagnosis. Days later, the couple received Charlie's diagnosis was confirmed at Gloucester Royal Hospital.
"I felt physically sick," the Countryfile presenter admitted as Charlie added: "Our darkest fears were confirmed. Adam had to practically carry me down the corridor. My legs were like jelly."
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Charlie explained getting married had never been important to her but after her diagnosis, it was the "most important thing in the world".
"I needed to bring us together before I died," she said as Adam confessed it took no time at all to say yes.
After tracking down one of the country's leading experts, Charlie was booked in for surgery and she "didn't know if she would be coming out".
Recalling that day, Adam said: "There were a lot of tears and a lot of emotion in the room."
The following day, the family drove to London for Charlie's op, and the TV star's wife was prepared to say goodbye, explaining she had written letters to Adam, their children, and her sisters.
Two years later, Charlie is now back to work part-time and living from one six-monthly scan to the next.