Neighbours star Madeleine West opens up about 'scary' hospital trip

Former Neighbours star Madeleine West has opened about the 'scary' reason behind her trip to the hospital on Friday, taking to Instagram to share an update with her followers.

"So I’ve had to pop into hospital for a bit of an op. IM FINE!!! It was inconvenient, scary, but necessary, one of those ailments many women and some men will face, and with the right care will overcome," the Aussie TV star shared, alongside an image of her smiling from her hospital bed.

Though she didn't mention specifically what the operation was for - telling one of her followers initially she would share details "when I'm ready".

But she did take the chance to highlight the importance of both physical and mental health.

"A big part of that is taking better care of ourselves. Which we are all pretty bad at doing. Particularly safeguarding our mental health," she continued.

"Waiting in emergency I witnessed first hand the impact escalating mental health issues have on our flailing medical system, our economy, and average Aussies as I watched patient after patient plagued by psychological pressures and disorders seeking help from embattled triage nurses already under enormous strain from the pandemic and a hospital system under-staffed and Ill-equipped to help them."

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Madeleine tagged Beyond Blue and Carers Foundation in her post, and made sure to thank hospital staff for taking care of her.

"I just want to take a moment thank the incredible staff who care so tenderly despite impossible odds. To acknowledge how hard the last two years have been, how lucky we are to be emerging slowly on the other side, and remember to take care of each other, particularly our health !!! It’s all we’ve got!"

Her initial post on Friday was flooded with well wishes from fans and fellow Aussie celebrities, with Packed to the Rafters star Rebecca Gibney writing: "Hope you’re ok beauty? Feel better love."

"Sending love. Recover soon xxx." Offspring actress Kat Stewart commented, while many thanked her for raising awareness of mental health struggles and the difficulty faced by many in the medical field.

On Saturday, Madeleine shared another update with her followers, posting on her Instagram that she had received the "all clear" after getting a breast check.

"PRE-SURGERY CHIC: I wanna say I only did it for the fashion but seriously people CHECK YOUR BOOBS!!!" she captioned an image of herself in a hospital gown and mask.

She added the hashtags #allclear #oneoftheluckyones #regularbreastchecks and #nothingtoseehere.

Madeleine's hospital trip comes after she spoke candidly with Mia Freedman on her No Filter podcast, about the self-doubt she felt following the split from her husband of 13 years, MasterChef regular Shannon Bennett.

The Aussie actor and mum-of-six revealed she was 'terrified' to be intimate with a new partner following her separation from Shannon in 2018.

"I couldn't conceive that it would happen again because my immediate thought was, 'I'm never gonna be good enough,'" she said.

Madeleine also confirmed that she's happily dating environmentalist Maximo Bottaro who she met after getting involved in rainforest regeneration following her relocation from Melbourne to Byron Bay.

Madeleine said that Maximo is 'a couple of years younger' than her and that their relationship blossomed gradually over time after a chance meeting.

Mental health support for yourself or a loved one can be found by calling Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline on 1300 789 978, or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800. Online support is available via Beyond Blue.

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