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TV Reporter Thanks Viewer For 'Saving Career' By Spotting Neck Lump

TV Reporter Thanks Viewer For 'Saving Career' By Spotting Neck Lump

She said she initially 'scoffed' at the message, but was 'shocked' when she watched the footage back

Jake Massey

Jake Massey

A TV reported has thanked a viewer for saving her career after she urged her to seek medical advice about a lump in her neck.

Antoinette Lattouf, a reporter for Network Ten in Australia, said she initially scoffed at the message, claiming she was used to receiving criticism from strangers after making TV appearances.

However the message - which was sent on Facebook on Friday - was 'particularly peculiar'.

It read: "Has Antoinette Lattouf had her thyroid checked? I am not being smart or trolling just concerned with what I saw on TV today."

The show's editor then replied to the sender Wendy McCoy and asked if she had any medical qualifications, to which she replied: "No medical but reminded me of my friends. On her left side of neck.

"I felt concerned and thought I should say something."

Ms Lattouf initially dismissed the comment, however, she took the observation much more seriously after watching back footage from the show.

Writing for 10 Daily, she said: "I was left shocked. It looked like I had an Adam's Apple. Something was definitely protruding from my neck."

Given her family history of thyroid cancer and other thyroid-related illnesses, Ms Lattouf wasted no time in visiting a doctor - and it turned out Ms McCoy was right to raise the alarm.

Ms Lattouf said: "Three blood tests, an ultrasound and a CT scan later, it turns out Wendy was the real McCoy and I have a large cyst that needs surgery as well as an autoimmune disease."

Ms Lattouf has since appeared on TV to tell the story of how she discovered her cyst.
Studio 10

Following the diagnosis, Ms Lattouf reached out to Ms McCoy, who said she very nearly didn't mention it because she didn't want to be seen to be interfering. Thankfully though, Ms McCoy thought 'b****r it' - a decision which Ms Lattouf reckons might have saved her career.

She said: "Luckily my cyst is benign, but it lives on my thyroglossal duct (just above the voice box) and it's likely to start to interfere with my ability to breathe, speak and swallow. This condition most commonly begins when you're a child, and as the cyst grows and protrudes, it starts to put pressure on other vital structures in the neck.

"It's that good ole, 'if you see something, say something' message. It's not about playing a pseduo-surgeon, or becoming the human face of Dr Google - all you need to do is encourage the person to seek medical advice. Worst case they'll call you a rando, best case you'll save someone's life.

"So to Wendy, I say, thank you for caring enough to reach out to me, a complete stranger, and urging me to see a doctor.

"Your random act of kindness probably saved my career."

Featured Image Credit: 10 Daily

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, Australia