Celebrity hairdresser Trevor Sorbie, 75, reveals terminal bowel cancer saying he ‘might not make it to Christmas’
CELEBRITY hairdresser Trevor Sorbie MBE has bravely announced he has terminal bowel cancer and that he ‘might not make it to Christmas’.
The 75-year-old shared his heartbreaking news on This Morning today, joined by his wife Carole in the studio.
Trevor, who found out about his devastating diagnosis in June, revealed to hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard that he had been given six months to live.
The businessman said: “I lost a lot of blood one night and I was unusually disturbed about that. I went to the hospital and they told me I had bowel cancer.
“I had a little panic attack and Carole and I looked at eachother and we were just both speechless walking down the road… I didn’t know what to say. I went and had a big gin and tonic and that helped!
“But then it spread to my liver, I had a six hour operation, but it came back to my liver, had another operation, and now the major [growth] they won’t cut it out because it’s too close to a major blood vessel.”
He added, “But the thing is with me, I never wake up thinking, ‘Oh poor me, I’ve got cancer’ or feel sorry for myself, I know I’ve got it here [points to stomach] but I haven’t got it here [points to head] and I’ve been going to work two days a week, up until two weeks ago.
“I go there because that’s my medicine, that is my life. Sixty years I’ve worked passionately to achieve beyond my wildest dreams and when I go in, it’s my staff. I’ve had them for up to 30 years, they are like family, I’m just one of the team.
“I had a nurse access me and I said, ‘Will I make Christmas?’ and she said, ‘I don’t know Trevor’ and I said ‘I damn well will!”
Speaking of how she’s feeling, Carole said, “It’s totally overwhelming most days, but I get my strength through this man – he’s guiding me through a good death – living a good life and dying a good death – and up until then I hadn’t through about that, but what we do every day now is show thanks for every day that we have and wake up together and it’s all the simple things.
“Our little dog is pure medicine, we have a wonderful family, and we are supported by the whole Trevor Sorbie family… and we are all being guided by Trevor.”
She added, “I did struggle and was crying a lot but Trevor and my son encourage me to go to counselling and I’ve actually started bereavement counselling which I didn’t know you could do before and they are going to guide me through and hold my hand and up until two years, or however long it takes after the event, so I do feel very supported and feel lucky I have that support… but more so from Trevor than anyone because he’s incredible.”
Looking back on his incredible career, Trevor smiled and revealed how he didn’t plan to be a hairdresser originally.
He said, “I wanted to be an artist! But I got bullied at school and my dad was a barber, and he said come into the salon… and I found hairdressing easy! I was cutting people’s hair within three months, so I was still quite creative.”
Of his statement styles from the 70s and 80s, Trevor admitted, “At the time you have no idea you are creating anything groundbreaking! You’re just doing what you feel comes natural. I mean I invented scrunch drying as a bit of an accident – to speed up the process a little bit!”
As a final piece of advice for viewers watching, Trevor said, “The brain rules the body – the heart play a big part as well – but that [the brain] is the engine room and because I’ve got a charity and have helped many women through cancer by cutting wigs for them and doing that, people handle it in different ways, there is no right or wrong way.
What are the red flag warning signs of bowel cancer?
IT'S the fourth most common cancer in the UK, the second deadliest - yet bowel cancer can be cured, if you catch it early enough.
While screening is one way of ensuring early diagnosis, there are things everyone can do to reduce their risk of the deadly disease.
Being aware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, spotting any changes and checking with your GP can prove a life-saver.
If you notice any of the signs, don’t be embarrassed and don’t ignore them. Doctors are used to seeing lots of patients with bowel problems.
The five red-flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:
- Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in your poo
- A change in your normal toilet habits – going more frequently for example
- Pain or a lump in your tummy
- Extreme tiredness
- Losing weight
Tumours in the bowel typically bleed, which can cause a shortage of red blood cells, known as anaemia. It can cause tiredness and sometimes breathlessness.
In some cases bowel cancer can block the bowel, this is known as a bowel obstruction.
Other signs include:
- Gripping pains in the abdomen
- Feeling bloated
- Constipation and being unable to pass wind
- Being sick
- Feeling like you need to strain – like doing a number two – but after you’ve been to the loo
While these are all signs to watch out for, experts warn the most serious is noticing blood in your stools.
But, they warn it can prove tricky for doctors to diagnose the disease, because in most cases these symptoms will be a sign of a less serious disease.
“I believe the mind is stronger than any other function… doctors have even said, ‘Trevor, you’re breaking medical science, you shouldn’t be here right now.'”
Trevor is a renowned hairdresser, known for creating the iconic wedge haircut.
After starting his career as an apprentice to his father, he rose to prominence working for Vidal Sassoon.
He opened his first salon in 1977 and later launched a successful line of hair products.
Trevor is also the founder of the charity, My New Hair, which provides support to cancer patients with medical hair loss by training hairdressers to create custom wigs.
He was awarded an MBE in 2004.