Teen Mom 2 star Leah Messer had a scary realization when she discovered a lump on her breast.
Leah recalled the moment on the newest episode of Teen Mom 2 and also took the opportunity to teach her girls about the importance of doing a self breast check.
Leah called her gynecologist who suggested she have an ultrasound done to determine whether the lump was cancerous.
Thankfully, the lump ended up being benign and doctors recommended keeping an eye on it, but Leah felt it was important to share her scare on camera to bring awareness to her fans.
Leah opened up to In Touch about how hard it was for her to share this experience while filming.
Leah says sharing her experience was ‘difficult’
Leah admitted that it was “difficult” to film her health scare as part of the new season of Teen Mom 2.
She said, “Honestly, I didn’t want to film and I was afraid that they would make that my entire season. And it just was something that I felt like I wanted to handle in privacy, alone,”
Leah shared that her daughter Addie’s paternal grandmother was a breast cancer survivor and a major inspiration for her decision to be so open about her experience.
Addie’s grandmother offered advice to Leah and said that she felt she should talk about everything on camera.
Leah admitted, “It was difficult. And it was concerning. And it was a lot of emotions that [were] coming up for me around that time. So I just, I don’t know. I think it’s important to talk about [it] when it revolves around women’s health. And it’s something that I’m very passionate about having three daughters, so.”
Leah has brought awareness to addiction
Leah is no stranger to sharing her personal struggles with fans. After her own battle with addiction, Leah has advocated for those who may be struggling by sharing her story and trying to break the stigma.
Last season, she opened up about her addiction to opioids. Leah developed a dependency on prescription medication after she left the hospital after giving birth to her daughter Addie.
Leah had a botched epidural and was put on morphine and sent home with prescription drugs. She received little guidance on the risks associated with the medications, and later developed a dependency on them.
After a stint in rehab, Leah was able to overcome her struggle with addiction and opened up about her recovery journey in her memoir Hope, Grace & Faith.
Leah has been brave in sharing her struggles with her fans but has helped to bring awareness to important topics.
Fans can stay up to date on Leah’s journey as the new season of Teen Mom 2 continues.
Teen Mom 2 airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on MTV.