Beverley Callard Delivers Heartfelt Update Ahead of Cancer Surgery
Soap opera legend Beverley Callard has shared an emotional update regarding her breast cancer diagnosis, with a significant operation scheduled for this Friday. The former Coronation Street star received the devastating news just as she had relocated to Dublin to begin filming for the Irish soap Fair City.
Shocking Diagnosis During New Role
Beverley explained that she learned about her cancer diagnosis "literally 15 to 20 minutes before" filming her first scene for her new role. She was waiting in her dressing room at Fair City, preparing for her debut, when her consultant called with the life-changing news.
"I was in my dressing room at Fair City, getting ready to go on, and I was quite nervous and thinking, 'I hope everybody thinks I'm all right,'" she revealed to host Patrick Kielty on RTÉ's The Late Late Show. "And my consultant rang me and said, 'You've got to come back to the UK.' I said, 'Well I can't possibly, I've just taken a new job, I'm away for a month.'"
Treatment Plan and Positive Outlook
The actress will now return to the UK for surgery and radiotherapy, though fortunately doctors detected the cancer at an early stage. Beverley emphasized her positive mindset despite the challenging circumstances.
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer. But I'm fine. I'm absolutely fine. My head was a bit mashed for the first few days. It's very early stages, and I'm along with thousands of other women as well," she stated.
Her treatment plan involves traveling back to the UK for approximately two weeks. Medical professionals will test lymph nodes and lymph glands before proceeding with the operation and radiotherapy. Beverley plans to return to Fair City filming within a few weeks following her treatment.
Support from Fans and Colleagues
After her public announcement, The Late Late Show shared a message of support on Instagram, sending "lots of love and well wishes" to the actress. Fans and colleagues flooded social media with encouraging messages.
Fitness influencer Leigh Linton praised her: "I love you... amazing that you have put it out there on your terms! You've got this, like I said, one of the strongest women I know." Co-star Ali Fox added: "You're incredible Beverley ❤️ we'll be waiting for ya with open arms."
Many fans thanked Beverley for sharing her story on her own terms and for encouraging other women to undergo regular testing to catch breast cancer early.
Detailed Medical Update
Upon returning home to Norfolk, Beverley provided a more detailed update via Instagram. She expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support and shared specifics about her upcoming medical procedures.
"I really want to say thank you so much to everyone for your wonderful messages. Everybody's been truly fantastic," she said in a video. "And I also want to say, I'm feeling really positive and I'm very strong."
She continued: "I begin hospital stuff and everything now I'm home. Everything begins this week. On Wednesday, they're testing lymph nodes and glands, and I will keep everybody updated. I'm so appreciative of all the love that's come in. Thank you."
Pre-Surgery Preparations
In a subsequent Instagram update, Beverley revealed more details about her upcoming operation. "I went to the hospital this morning, they wanted to talk to me about the lymph nodes and lymph glands, they're pretty sure that it's not in the lymph nodes, but they're gonna take two out on Friday when I have the operation to make sure," she explained.
"It's quite a big operation I'm having, but I trust them completely. The Norfolk and Norwich hospital, all NHS, they are truly amazing," she added, expressing confidence in her medical team.
Beverley finds comfort in speaking with other patients facing similar situations, noting that "the world is full of really strong women, that's for sure." While admitting that the waiting period has been difficult, she reassured fans that she remains "strong and positive" ahead of the surgery.
New Role in Fair City
Beverley is joining Fair City as Lily, the long-lost mother of existing character Gwen Connolly. She and her husband plan to move to County Wicklow, with Beverley expressing her enthusiasm for the area: "we truly love it so much. It's blowing us away."
After her iconic run on Coronation Street from 1989 to 2020, Beverley was initially hesitant about joining another soap opera. "I got asked to do it almost a year ago now, and I said, 'Oh I don't know if I can do another soap, I don't know whether I should do that,'" she recalled.
However, after watching Fair City online, she became "addicted" to the show. "The editing is so good. The scripts are amazing. Got my husband to have a look at it. And I said, 'I can't say no to this,'" she explained. Her first appearance on the Irish soap opera aired on February 19.
