Meet Trevor Sorbie’s wife Carole: Spouse supporting Scottish celebrity hairstylist during terminal cancer battle
CELEBRITY hairdresser Trevor Sorbie has bravely announced he has terminal cancer.
By the Scottish star’s side as he battle’s the disease is his beloved wife, Carole.
Trevor Sorbie – who is an world famous celebrity hair stylist with salon’s around the world – meet Carole in 2007.
The couple split their time between their home in Gosport, Portsmouth and their London flat.
They both run a charity together called My New Hair, which helps supply wigs for people with cancer.
Trevor set it up in memory of his sister-in-law.
Cancer diagnosis
Sadly, on October 9, 2024, Trevor shocked fans when he revealed he has terminal bowel cancer, and said that he “might not make it to Christmas”.
He shared his heartbreaking diagnosis – which he found out in June 2024 – on This Morning.
With Carole sat next to him in the studio for support him, Trevor 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 each other 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.
“II 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.
I did struggle and was crying a lot but Trevor and my son encourage me to go to counselling.
Carole on Trevor's diagnosis
“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!”
Carole opens up
Carole also talked about her husband’s diagnosis, and 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.
“I’ve actually started bereavement counselling which I didn’t know you could do before.
“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.”
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.