Cassandra Thorburn Radiates Positivity Amid Cancer Battle

's ex Cassandra Thorburn has been seen for the first time since confirming she is battling a rare form of breast .

The 54-year-old ex-journalist was spotted in 's Mosman on Thursday doing a spot of shopping.

Wearing a singlet top, black skirt, and sandals, Cassandra appeared in good spirits as she carried a plastic bag branded with the Chemist Warehouse logo.

The former  contestant, sporting a tightly cropped haircut, carried a woven leather cross bag over one shoulder for her outing.

She accessorised with tinted glasses, delicate drop earrings and a multi-layer bracelet.

Cassandra shared her devastating health news in a video posted to Instagram on Wednesday.

She began the clip by referring to a post she had uploaded a day prior, in which she showed her recently shaved head.

'I'm going to have to read this because on my walk this morning, I thought about all the reasons why I made that post yesterday,' said Cassandra.

'Most of it is controlling the only part of my treatment and diagnosis that I can. That's the part about when the hair comes off and when you tell people. 

'For my adult children and for myself, I'm not interested in hiding, and that's because I'm not alone. 

'I'm not walking a path that is not well travelled by many women before me, and I will not be the last.

'Breast cancer affects one in seven women in New South Wales, which is where I live. I read that sitting for my mammogram not long ago, and I was the one in seven that day.'

The mother-of-three then praised the Australian health system for all the care she has received so far.

'My shout-out today is for BreastScreen NSW, who picked up my triple-negative occult breast cancer, which is no small feat if you know what occult breast cancer is. I didn't until now.

'I thank them from the bottom of my heart. And when your mammogram reminder arrives in the mail, don't dilly dally. Do as I did, book it straight away.'

She ended her video with optimism, saying: 'It may have flipped my world in days, but there's no "why me?" There's no "poor me" here. Just a desire to stop this in its tracks.'

In the caption, Cassandra simply wrote: 'Shout out to BreastScreen NSW. #tnbc.'

Triple-negative occult breast cancer is a rare form of breast cancer where no tumour can be found in the breast, but cancer cells - usually discovered in the lymph nodes - are identified as originating from the breast.

The cancer is 'triple-negative,' meaning it lacks estrogen, progesterone and HER2 receptors, so it cannot be treated with hormone or HER2-targeted therapies and is typically managed with chemotherapy and other systemic treatments.

'Life really is like a box of chocolates, and this chapter is giving me praline or truffle vibes,' Cassandra wrote in her post on Tuesday.

She went on to thank her hairdressers at Mosman's Toni&Guy for their clipper treatment, adding: 'It will grow back. Super grateful. #pinkscissors #toniandguyau.'

Toni&Guy's Pink Scissor Program is a complimentary hair-cutting service offered to cancer patients.