Coronation Street legend Beverley Callard has told fans she 'still can't sleep' as she opened up about her feelings and fears after finishing radiotherapy treatment.
Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Beverley, known for playing Liz McDonald on the ITV soap filmed in Salford, revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in February ahead of her first appearance in Irish soap Fair City. Following her diagnosis, she had lymph nodes removed as a precaution to prevent the cancer from spreading. She later explained that her consultant said the surgery 'went really well' and that they managed to 'cut the cancer out'.
She faced a wait for the next part of her treatment, even being told she should have started radiation therapy sooner. Beverley has since completed 10 rounds of radiotherapy, documenting the process on social media. After her final session, she announced on Instagram: 'I've done it, I've just finished my last radiotherapy session, fingers crossed...'
Side Effects and Recovery
Appearing on the Irish chat show The Six O'Clock Show, Beverley, 69, told hosts Darren Kennedy and Daniella Moyles that nausea has been affecting her since the treatment. She said: 'Nausea, really tired and just wiped out a little bit. And I'm quite badly burnt. But I'm coping really well, actually.'
In a recent video update from her home, Beverley shared how she and her husband Jon McEwan enjoyed a meal out with new friends, which ended with a visit to traditional Irish pubs. 'Honestly, we had a brilliant time. I loved it, really enjoyed the company,' she said.
But she added that it has taken its toll. 'I have been whacked for three days. I can't believe I'm so pathetic,' she exclaimed. 'I never get tired, and now, I'm completely worn out. I'm still burnt. I'm using all different creams. I'm quite sore on one side, but deep inside, which feels really weird, I've no idea what that is. Maybe it's like, you know, when it wakes you up in the middle of the night, and you think, 'Well, maybe it's healing pains or something like that!' So there's all that going on.'
Waiting for Answers
Beverley continues to wait for a follow-up appointment to see if the treatment worked as doctors hoped. She said: 'I still can't sleep through a whole night and I think, well, I see the oncologist in a couple of weeks, and I'll know a bit more, I hope. I feel like I'm in limbo, really. I think, 'Well, did they get the cancer out? Has it gone now? Is it somewhere else instead? What's going on?''
'Because you finished the radiotherapy, and even the... They're wonderful. You feel a bit abandoned and, like, in limbo, waiting to know what's going on. So, I'm off work this week as well and yeah, I've been cleaning and doing all that, my marquee, and painting and decorating. We are nearly finished with the kitchen, but I need to keep my mind busy and it's quite hard.'
'I keep ruminating all the time. So... that's it, really. I mean, obviously, I'm in a great place compared to hundreds of thousands of other people, I know that. But I just wondered if anybody else felt the same way. Let me know.'
