Coronation Street actress Vicky Myers has spoken publicly for the first time about her battle with skin cancer and the breakdown of her marriage, revealing how the diagnosis helped her refocus her life. The 48-year-old, who plays DS Lisa Swain on the ITV soap, was diagnosed with cancer in the same year she went through a difficult divorce, forcing her to put her acting career on hold.
Myers, a single mother to teenage daughter Meghan, struggled to make ends meet during this period, even taking in ironing to help pay the bills. She took a two-year break from auditions to work in an office. However, she refused to give up, and has now secured a permanent role on Coronation Street, with her character at the centre of the Roy Cropper arrest storyline.
Reflecting on her journey, Myers said: 'When my husband and I split up, I was quite down, bitter and vengeful, and when I was told I had [cancer], I remember thinking, “If this is it for me, I’ve missed out on all this time with my daughter and I haven’t really been the best person that I wanted to be.” The diagnosis re-centred me and made me focus on what is really important.'
The cancer was discovered by chance in 2010 when a doctor noticed a suspicious mark on her leg while she was accompanying her nephew to a medical appointment. Within five days, she was in hospital for reconstructive surgery. Six months later, she returned to auditioning, but by 2013, worn down by rejections, she decided to give up acting temporarily. She eventually returned to the profession, landing roles in Harlan Coben's The Five, Ackley Bridge and The Long Shadow before joining Coronation Street.
Myers, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, said of her Corrie role: 'On my very first day, I walked down the cobbles and I thought, “I know you.” I’ve grown up watching the show, so it feels like home.' She added: 'I don’t know if it’s my previous medical history, but I am so proud to be here and just to be living each day to the full.'
