Lifestyle Health BBC Host Julia Bradbury Posts Topless Selfie Before Mastectomy A few weeks after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Julia Bradbury said she is ready to "say goodbye to my breast and to thank my body for all the sustenance, joy & life it has given me" By Tristan Balagtas Tristan Balagtas Digital News Writer, PEOPLE People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 11, 2021 04:42PM EDT Photo: Julia Bradbury/Instagram Julia Bradbury bravely said goodbye to her left breast with a shirtless selfie and a message of gratitude. The Irish-born BBC television presenter underwent an emergency mastectomy on Monday, sharing an inspiring Instagram post ahead of the procedure. Bradbury, 51, posted a photo of a topless mirror selfie, with the caption: "I'm going for my last walk in this body. I'm going for my last walk with these boobs. One of the the best bits of advice I've received in the weeks of my breast cancer diagnosis (thank you) .. is to say goodbye to my breast and to thank my body for all the sustenance, joy & life it has given me." The mom of three continued, "Goodbye left boob.. I've breastfed my children with you, I've jumped into the sea with you, I've walked thousands of miles with you. And you've given me (and some others 😅) pleasure along the way. Now it's time to make way for something new." Marathoner Learns She Has Breast Cancer After Delaying Mammogram Due to COVID: 'I Didn't Feel Sick' "Thank you ALL for your love & support. See you on the other side. Check yourselves! And take care of your bodies. #breastcancerawareness" RELATED VIDEO: Shannen Doherty Shares 'Truthful' Photos of Her Cancer Journey: 'I Hope We All Find Humor in the Impossible' According to The Daily Mail, Bradbury first felt a lump in her breast in 2020, but it wasn't until three mammograms later that doctors discovered she had a tumor in her left breast. After Monday's operation, Bradbury posted an update for her Instagram and Twitter followers from her hospital bed, with a brave smile on her face. "I'm out of surgery. These will be my new companions for the coming weeks & months. I need a drain to channel surplus blood from the surgery & I have to wear a special post- breast surgery/mastectomy designed bra for the next 6 weeks to protect my upper body post-op. (This one is by @theyahealthcare - made of bamboo fibres). The marks on my chest are markers for my surgeon to follow during the op," shared the Bradbury wrote. Julia Bradbury/Instagram "I feel relief that the operation is over. The anxiety leading up to it was overwhelming. I feel sad that such a brutal treatment is necessary in so many breast cancer cases, but I choose life," Bradbury continued. "I will do anything I can to live to see my children grow up & if this was happening to any other member of my family, or them, I would swap places in a heartbeat." What to Know About Breast Cancer at Every Stage of Your Life, According to Experts "To all you warrior women (& men) out there, I send my love. I'll hold a little of my strength to get through the next few weeks & months. Namaste. The sacred in me recognizes the sacred in you. đđ˝â¤ď¸#breastcancerawaress #mastectomy #cancer #walking #mentalhealth" Bradbury is mom to son Zephyrus, 10, and twin daughters Xanthe and Zena, 6, whom she shares with longtime partner Gerard Cunningham.