TV star Nick Knowles and Katie Dadzie tied-the-knot in a ceremony in Essex on 7 June – and now Katie has revealed she has undergone major surgery just weeks after their happy day
Nick Knowles’s wife, Katie Dadzie, has revealed she underwent a hysterectomy, just weeks after they tied the knot, as she confronted her personal health battles. Katie, 35, and TV star Nick, 62, married last month in an intimate ceremony in Essex after dating for four years.
But just weeks later, Katie underwent major surgery after suffering with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis and adenomyosis. The Boa Boa lingerie founder, who has two children from a previous relationship, has now shared details of her health journey, bringing attention to the conditions she battled.
The NHS says PCOS is “a common condition that affects how a woman’s ovaries work”, while they describe endometriosis as a condition where “cells similar to those in the lining of the womb (uterus) grow in other parts of the body. It can have a big impact on your life, but there are treatments that can help”.
The NHS states adenomyosis is “a condition where the lining of the womb (uterus) starts growing into the muscle in the wall of the womb. There are treatments that can help with any symptoms.”
Taking to Instagram on Friday, Katie shared video clips showing herself in hospital, wearing a hospital gown, and laying in a hospital bed. The footage showed various bandages on her abdomen, where surgeon entered her body to remove her uterus.
In a candid and personal statement alongside the video clips, Katie shared her story, writing: “I’m 35 and I’ve just had a hysterectomy.”
Giving more detail, she continued: “I’ve lived with pcos, endometriosis and adenomyosis since Moses wore short pants.
“And no, it wasn’t ‘just a bad period.’ It was constant hospital trips. Multiple laparoscopies. Bleeding through clothes. Vomiting from the pain. Being curled up in bed, missing out on life.”
Sharing more painful symptoms of her condition, she wrote: “It was extreme bloating that made me look pregnant. It was migraines, stabbing pains in my legs, butt and stomach. It was chronic fatigue. It was hiding in loos, crying over another ruined day. It was my daughters terrified of getting their periods in case they end up like mummy. Years of misdiagnosis & being fobbed off. Told to take painkillers. That it was ‘normal.’ It wasn’t.”
Katie went on to explain the emotional toll her condition took on her, sharing: “I’ve cried on bathroom floors. I’ve bled through clothes in public. I’ve had 3 surgeries. I’ve tried every pill, every patch, every hormone tweak. I’ve been put on a medical menopause just to get through uni. And still… the pain came.”
She added: “Today I looked through my phone and realised I hardly have any photos of myself like this. Because I don’t recognise the woman I am when I’m in pain. Because I don’t want to remember the days where I was too sore, too tired, too bloated.”
Katie, who has two daughters from a previous relationship, then addressed the fact her decision to undergo surgery would mean she could not carry any more children, and explained: “I didn’t want more children, my girls are everything. But that doesn’t mean this is easy. Because the choice has been taken from me. And that grief is real. It feels like something in me has changed, apart form being sans uterus.”
Her searingly honest account continued: “Right now, I’m in lots of pain. Im bloated. I’m exhausted. I’m hot. I’m forgetful. I’m hot (see how that works on multiple levels). I feel raw and less like myself. Less like a woman, if I’m being really honest.
“But this was a decision I made to take my life back. To stop surviving and start living again, & have days that aren’t defined by pain. This is hopefully the beginning of healing. The beginning of self-love, scars, stitches and all.”
She concluded by writing: “And please, if you’ve made it this far, I ask gently: This is something deeply personal. If you’re tempted to leave a judgmental or flippant comment, I’m asking you to just scroll on. There is a real person behind this post.”
Katie’s post was met with a wall of support – with many congratulating her for speaking up and sharing details of an important issue. EastEnders star Rita Simons was among those to comment on the post – and shared details of her own experience.
The TV star wrote: “Been there, done it and got the scars! And it’s hands down the best thing I ever did!!! If you need anything tell the hubby to give you my number..it’s a journey but it’s so good the other side of it.”
Katie has a nine-year-old daughter named Savannah, and a six-year-old girl called Alex. While DIY SOS presenter Nick has four children from three different relationships – sharing daughter Tuesday and eldest son Charlie with ex-wife, Gillian Knowles, son TJ with dancer Paula Beckett, and another son named Eddie.
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