Willow Stefanovic has jetted back home from London to support her mother Cassandra Thorburn following her shock cancer announcement last month.

The ex-wife of Karl Stefanovic, who shares three children with the Today host, recently announced she is battling the rare triple-negative occult breast cancer.

Her oldest daughter, who has been studying fashion journalism at the London College of Fashion since 2023, has returned home for spring break and celebrated her 21st birthday with her sick mother, reported Woman’s Day on Wednesday.

According to sources, Willow, who originally planned a road-trip around the UK with her mother for the break, wished to be by Cassandra’s side in Australia as she undergoes gruelling chemotherapy treatment.

‘Cass and Willow were actually planning a driving holiday around the UK when Cass learned of her cancer diagnosis,’ an insider claimed.

‘With the help of both Karl and Cass, Willow made the decision that instead she would fly home and spend quality time with her mum.’

Karl Stefanovic’s, 51, daughter Willow, 21, has jetted back home from London to support her mother Cassandra Thorburn following her shock cancer announcement last month

However, the flight home very nearly didn’t happen, forcing Karl, 51, who split from Cassandra in 2016 after 21 years of marriage, to step in and help get his daughter back to Australia.

‘With the current conflict in the Middle East it was touch-and-go there for a while if she could even get a flight, but Karl apparently stepped in and made it all happen,’ the insider said.

Willow is also said to be getting in some quality time with her brothers Jackson, 26, and River, 19, with the budding fashion guru celebrating her birthday with a ‘very low key’ family dinner at a local restaurant.

Karl’s three oldest children are believed to be ‘rallying around their mum’ during her battle against cancer.

The former Dancing With The Stars contestant shared her devastating health news in a video posted to Instagram in late February.

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.

Join the debate

How important is family support when facing a devastating health diagnosis like cancer?

Comment now

Read More
(Premium Content – Watch Ad to Continue)

The ex-wife of Karl Stefanovic, who shares three children with the Today host, recently announced she is battling the rare triple-negative occult breast cancer

Her oldest daughter, who has been studying fashion journalism at the London College of Fashion since 2023, has returned home for spring break and celebrated her 21st birthday with her sick mother, reported Woman’s Day on Wednesday

Read More Cassandra Thorburn is seen for the first time after announcing cancer battle

‘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 oestrogen, 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.