Ben Cohen’s ex-wife Abby gave an insight into her ‘much needed holiday’ with her twin daughters and new partner Dave on Tuesday.
The photographer, 44, has had a tough year after undergoing treatment for bowel cancer, she has now been given the all clear.
Sharing a series of photo to her Instagram, Abby slipped into a black bikini as she soaked up some sun in Spain.
Her twin daughters Harriette and Isabelle, 15, who she shares with ex-husband Ben, were seen as they posed for a group selfie at the beach.
Abby captioned the update: ‘Much needed holiday, half term fun in sunshine xx’
Feeling better: Ben Cohen’s ex-wife Abby, 44, gave an insight into her ‘much needed holiday’ with her twin daughters and new partner Dave on Tuesday
Celebrations: The photographer has had a tough year after undergoing treatment for bowel cancer, she has now been given the all clear
Abby revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer in an Instagram post in July.
The mother-of-two shared a moving video documenting her battle with the disease, describing it as ‘the toughest yet.’
Abby did not reveal the type of cancer she had, but said that she only had a single symptom before speaking to a doctor.
The video she shared featured Abby undergoing her cancer treatment in hospital, along with snaps while wearing a stoma bag.
It also featured clips of the photographer being visited by loved ones, and helped to walk while attached to her monitor following an operation.
She wrote: ‘This was and is the toughest yet. I’m unlucky, but lucky, to have been warned only once with a symptom of this terrible illness.
‘With huge thanks to the NHS for saving my life & taking good care of me when I felt so scared & most vulnerable.
‘I can’t express enough how lucky I am to have such amazing family and friends that have helped me through this incredibly tough journey.’
Beach day: Abby captioned the update: ‘Much needed holiday, half term fun in sunshine xx’ (Dave pictured)
Tough time: Abby revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer in an Instagram post in July, having been told by doctors in May
Update: At the time Abby did not reveal the type of cancer she had, but said that she only had a single symptom before speaking to a doctor
She continued: ‘Never ignore your body when it’s trying to warn you, I didn’t and it’s given me a chance to live my new life. In time and with the right treatment.
‘I’m hoping this WILL all be a distant memory for me. You never know how strong you are until it’s your only choice. #F**kcancer.’
In an interview with MailOnline, Abby explained she was diagnosed with cancer, a ‘monster within’ that left her more terrified than she’d ever been back in May.
‘It was a different level of fear, almost numbing to the bone,’ she recalled of the moment doctors found a ‘granulated mass of spiky, angry ulcerated nodules’ in her colon.
Initially determined to keep her diagnosis private, Abby finally revealed her news in the moving Instagram post in which she was pictured in hospital receiving treatment.
She did not specify what kind of cancer she had — but in an exclusive interview following surgery, she revealed that she was successfully treated for bowel cancer.
‘I had so many questions from people following my Instagram post that I want to share what happened,’ she said.
‘I’m aware I have this platform from my marriage breakdown and the way it was so public, so I want to share my experiences to help others.’
She went on: ‘I’m one of the lucky ones, an example of someone who acted on a symptom fairly quickly. The cancer was caught early and at the stage where it was curable. Fingers crossed it’s not going to come back. I want to show if you act quickly you can be all right.’
Her decision to go public took on renewed urgency in the wake of the sad news that BBC newsreader George Alagiah had died at the age of 67 from stage 4 bowel cancer.
‘George had the same cancer I had, but sadly it had spread,’ Abby says. ‘I felt very affected by the news as, in another world, that could have been me. Then, of course, Dame Deborah James has been on my mind. I followed her on social media and was a huge admirer of the way she campaigned so tirelessly to get people to be aware of symptoms. She certainly was the reason I acted so swiftly in seeing my GP.’
Abby and Ben share twin daughters Harriette and Isabelle, 15, while Ben welcomed a third child, Mila, in 2016.
Ben left wife of 11 years Abby for his Strictly Come Dancing partner Kristina Rihanoff, after being partnered up with the blonde bombshell during his 2013 stint on the show.
She has since found love with new partner Dave, and went public with their romance in 2020.
Moving: The mother-of-two took to Instagram to share a moving video documented her battle with the disease, describing her battle as ‘the toughest yet’
Family is everything! The reel showed Abby being visited by her twin daughters, who she shares with her ex-husband Ben
Ex: Abby was married to rugby star Ben for 11 years before he left her to be with his Strictly Come Dancing partner Kristina Rihanoff (pictured together in 2014)
Talking about her decision to go public with her romance, Abby told MailOnline: ‘I use Instagram as an advertising tool for my business.
‘When I downloaded the picture, I was struck by the lens flare — when the light hits the back of the lens. I hardly recognised myself, I looked so happy. I haven’t looked like that for a long time.
‘I put it on Instagram without really thinking. When I woke up the next day, loads of people had started to follow me. Then a publicist I use for my work called to say, ‘You’ve got a new boyfriend’.
‘I thought, ‘Everyone still labels me Ben’s ex’ but I’m not that Abby any more. I’m me. I’ve got my two girls. My life. I’ve finally met a really nice man. I want to be known as ‘Abby the good photographer’ or ‘Abby the great mum’. I’m very different. I’m stronger.’
