Beverley Callard, best known for playing Liz McDonald on Coronation Street, has shared an update on her breast cancer treatment after completing radiotherapy. The 69-year-old actress was told that the "worst was yet to come" following the treatment, and she is now waiting to learn her prognosis.
Diagnosis and Early Reaction
Callard, who joined the RTE soap Fair City earlier this year, revealed her diagnosis around that time. Speaking on RTE Radio 1, she recalled the moment she was told: "They told me and they said it was cancer. It was just numb really, it took a little while for it to sink in. I just decided to keep going to work, mainly because, you just sit at home thinking about it. I worked all that day, and the next day and the next day because there was nothing I could do."
The actress, who relocated to Ireland with her husband Jon McEwan for her role as Lily Patterson in Fair City, continued to work through her treatment. She said: "I finished radiotherapy a couple of weeks ago. I don't have the results yet, I've got to wait, I don't know what the prognosis is and the next steps are but I coped with the radiotherapy well."
Side Effects and Coping
Callard admitted that while the diagnosis was frightening, the treatment itself was not, and she found a positive in the experience. She said: "The side effects come a bit later. Burnt skin, I was very nauseous, so tired, it wipes you and I didn't think I would be. [The treatment] isn't frightening, the thought of cancer is frightening, but I have met the most wonderful people through this."
She has been keeping fans updated on social media and recently described her struggles with sleep and skin irritation. "I'm trying to rest, it's still difficult to sleep. My skin is driving me insane, it's burning, it's itching. I want to [scratch] all the time. I'm not, but I want to. I'm still nauseous every now and again but maybe it's not quite as bad now. But it's just so difficult to sleep. I'll get there."
Return to Screen and Anxiety
Callard also expressed anxiety about her character Lily returning to Fair City on 6 August, as she was undergoing radiotherapy while filming those scenes. She said: "I keep thinking 'I hope I've not let anyone down, I hope I've not let myself down.' So I'm anxious about that, I'm a worrier. I always worry about work all the time but yeah, I'm quite anxious and nervous about that. Not that I'll be watching it, because I don't watch myself - ever! So there you go. We will see."
For those affected by similar issues, support is available through Breast Cancer Support.
