Benedetta Rossi: "I had surgery, and I'm fine now. Get regular checkups!"

"Let's all get regular health checkups." This is the appeal of Italy's most famous food influencer, a chef with over 18 million followers on social media. Benedetta Rossi, chef and host of "Fatto in casa da Benedetta," launched the appeal on her Instagram profile, informing her over 5 million followers that she had undergone thyroid surgery.

Posting a photo of herself in a hospital bed with a large bandage on her neck, Rossi wanted to reassure her fans, explaining that she's fine and has already returned home, emphasizing the importance of prevention: "Hi everyone! Here I am," she wrote, "a little bruised and with a large bandage on my neck, but I'm fine. I always tell you everything, although this time I'm a little late, simply because I didn't want to worry you. Last Monday I underwent surgery. A few weeks ago I discovered I had a nasty nodule on my thyroid, which is why I had to have surgery. The operation was successful without complications, I'm fine and I'm already home," she added. "First of all," she continued, "I want to thank the medical and hospital staff for their extraordinary work and their great professionalism and humanity. What I had was a rather delicate procedure, which also partially affected my vocal cords, so I was struggling to speak these past few days, but now my voice is coming back. Now I'll have to keep this patch on for a while, rest and regain my energy. Luckily, I'm surrounded by the love of my family and all the people who love me, and that helps me a lot."

"After this experience," he concluded, "let me give you some advice: always try to find time for regular checkups; it's very important. A big hug, and see you soon."