Aussie model and fashion designer Nadia Bartel has opened up about the “scary moment” she had lumps of cancer removed from her chest when she was a teenager.
The former WAG and her sister Michelle Ring both revealed, in a video posted to Instagram, that they had benign lumps removed.
Bartel said the experience was “scary” knowing the history of breast cancer in the sibling’s family.
“We’ve had a bit of a journey having lumps removed from both of our chests,” she said.
“We’re really lucky they were both benign, but it was a little bit scary in those moments where we didn’t know what was happening.”
The pair were raising awareness for breast cancer with a limited edition pink hair straightener when they made the revelation.
The fashion designer and upcoming Dancing with the Stars contestant also stressed the importance of check-ups.
“I know that when we found the lump in my chest, it was many years ago I think I was about 18, and that’s probably why you are checking more frequently because we do have a bit of history in our family so we’re very diligent with checking,” she said.
Her sister, who she is close with, discussed more in depth of her own experience.
“It’s kind of that scary moment where you don’t really want to get checked but you do want to get checked,” Ring said.
“I was very lucky that I did. It was a benign tumour in the end but a very fast-growing tumour. It was only a few years ago… it was amazing that I got myself checked and got it removed.”
Bartel is the owner of east-coast-based fashion label Henne.
She married AFL star Jimmy Bartel in 2014 but divorced in 2021.