Model Jennifer Hawkins hasn’t had the easiest month so far, after she received news last week that her mother, Gail, was diagnosed with kidney cancer.
Jennifer’s manager confirmed the news to The Daily Telegraph (via Daily Mail Australia), saying, “Jen and her family are shocked at the news but know that Gail is in the best of hands.”
Gail is set to have surgery to remove one of her kidneys in Newcastle tomorrow, on the same date that Jennifer is due to walk the Myer Spring 2015 catwalk as the department store’s ambassador.
Jennifer is believed to be heading back to Newcastle with her husband, Jake Wall, this evening, and will return to Sydney tomorrow afternoon for the fashion parade, after her mother’s procedure.
It is said that Myer’s executives have significantly adjusted Jennifer’s schedule in order for her to spend time with her family during this difficult and unfathomable time.
We’re sending all our love to Jennifer and her family this week.
UPDATE 12/08/15: Jennifer has since opened up about the battle.
“It’s probably been the weirdest week, the most emotional week of my life I guess,” Jennifer told The Daily Telegraph this morning.
Jennifer is feeling positive and hopeful about her 63-year-old mum pulling through, and revealed that the Myer fashion parade has been a distraction for the terrible news.
“It’s the same with my brothers, they have to go to work and you have to do that but Myer has been so lovely, I can’t even explain how nice and understanding they’ve been,” she said.
Jennifer also mentioned that she was reluctant to tell her mum the date of the Myer Spring 2015 Fashion Launch, which happened to fall on the earliest day the doctors could schedule the surgery.
“And it’s just strange how mum’s operation fell on the day,” she said. “Mum rang me and I didn’t want to say anything, but she already knew the dates (of the parade) but then she found out it was in the a.m., so I’ll be with her in the before and after.”
[Daily Mail Australia, The Daily Telegraph]
