Fair City's Beverley Callard opens up on working in Ireland during cancer treatment
Beverley Callard plays Lily in Fair City, the long-lost mother of Gwen (Emily Lamey). Picture: RTE.
Actor Beverley Callard has opened up about her decision to continue showing up to work following her cancer diagnosis.
Earlier this year, the and actress announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Callard underwent surgery to remove a lump, during which three lymph nodes were also removed. She completed radiotherapy in recent weeks and said she is now waiting on results, saying she’s not sure what the prognosis is now or what the next steps are.
Having played the iconic Liz McDonald on the cobbles for over three decades, Callard made her Fair City debut back in February, telling RTÉ Radio 1’s Oliver Callan that she felt “safe” in Ireland at a time when tabloids in the UK “wanted to know everything” after part of her story had leaked.
“I felt very safe here for that first month I was here. I thought, I’ll just say it on the and then nobody can twist my words; I’ll just be honest. And that’s what I did, and then I got such a response that I started to talk about it on Instagram and on social media, and the response has been amazing,” she told Callan.
She said she coped with the radiotherapy well and was happy that she was able to continue to work and not let anyone down during her treatment.
Despite the positive news of completing her radiotherapy sessions, she told Callan that she was reminded by medical staff that “the worst was yet to come.”
“The side effects come out of it later. Burnt skin, I was very nauseous, I still am occasionally… so tired, it wipes you, and I didn’t think I would be,” she said.
“[The treatment] isn’t frightening; the thought of cancer is very frightening, but I have met the most strong men and women through this, believe me. Sitting and having a cup of tea with them at St Luke’s and everything,” she continued.
Last month, the actress revealed that she was “thrilled” that her radiotherapy session has finished for now.
“So hopefully, I don’t know for sure, but hopefully, I won’t need any more,” she said.
“To be honest, I feel a bit numb because yesterday I really struggled, but today I’ve been fine,” she admitted, before going on to share what’s next for her.
“I’ve got to see the professor again in two months, and then I’ll know a lot more, and mammograms and oncologists and all that but radiotherapy is finished for now, so I’m really thrilled.”
- Beverley Callard plays Lily in Fair City, the long-lost mother of Gwen (Emily Lamey).
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