Former Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has said her 'mental health is suffering' as she waits to find out the results of her recent cancer treatment. The 69-year-old, who played Liz McDonald in the ITV soap, has been sharing updates on her journey with breast cancer on social media.
Diagnosis and radiotherapy
Beverley revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in February, ahead of her first appearance in Irish soap Fair City, and underwent radiotherapy treatment last month. She completed 10 rounds of treatment, announcing on Instagram at the time: "I've done it, I've just finished my last radiotherapy session, fingers crossed..."
She is now waiting for a follow-up appointment to see if the treatment worked as doctors had hoped, but has continued to document how the treatment has affected her body.
Weekend energy plummet
In a new video posted to Instagram on Monday (August 24), the soap star told how over the weekend her energy plummeted and she had to cancel plans with her husband, Jon McEwan. She said: "I've had a good day today. I'm feeling good. I've been working on Zoom... But boy, what a weekend! I really plummeted. I've no idea why.
"On Saturday, we'd organised an amazing night out. We were going to see Riverdance, I was taking Jon because he'd never seen it before and we were taking some friends as our guests. We were going to meet the cast and everything. I was really excited for it. Saturday morning, I pressed my trousers, the whole lot. Honestly, by 12 o'clock I was wiped completely, and I just thought 'I can't go.'"
She added: "I had to let my friends down, I had to let the cast down. They'd organised everything. I just plummeted. I've got no energy, I've got aches in my ribs and in my back. I don't know what's going on."
Mental health struggles
After spending the weekend "being lazy", Beverley said things had turned around at the start of the week. "I've had loads of energy, I've cleaned windows, I've done all sorts. God knows what's going on with me," she admitted.
She continued: "My mental health is suffering a bit, I can't sleep. I can't switch my mind off at all. Thank you so much for all your messages, you have let me know that I'm not alone in feeling like this. So that's it, I think, for today."
Beverley captioned her post: "A bit of a somber one today. Have been feeling ever so flat and not myself over the weekend. It really is a journey of ups and downs and you do just have to take each day as it comes," to which she was flooded with messages of support.
@gypsy_lis said: "Take all the rest you need, do what you feel you need to do even if if to cancel, dont worry about letting people down. You matter! They will understand." @marciaalldis commented: "Be kind to yourself you are doing so well. Just keep believing you can conquer this." @mary.beardsley added: "Give yourself a break Beverly. I was exactly the same. When your treatment finishes it's very scary. Sending you lots of love. Listen to your body."
