Emmerdale's Leah Bracknell left tearful as she says her cancer has had a ‘positive’ impact
FORMER Emmerdale actress Leah Bracknell opened up about being diagnosed with lung cancer, saying that it has in fact had a positive impact on her life.
Leah Bracknell opens up about her cancer on Loose Women
Leah Bracknell feels positive after terminal cancer diagnosis
During an emotional appearance on today’s edition of Loose Women, the 52-year-old soap star spoke candidly about her illness.
Leah, who played Zoe Tate on the ITV series for 16 years, said that she had gained a sense of empowerment after she decided not to ask doctors how long she had left to live.
“I didn’t want doctors to guestimate how long I have left,” she explained to panelists Andrea McLean, Nadia Sawalha, Jennie McAlpine and Kaye Adams.
She continued: “I don’t wake up every morning feeling fearful I wake up feeling grateful and excited about life.”
The London-born actress went on to say that she had approached her diagnosis in a positive way, explaining: “I did’t tell anyone, my partner for two or three day, just while aI [processed it], before I told my close family members.
“How can I tell them in a way that is not positive and not kind of blanking things out but that we’re all going to move together in a positive way and I’m going to choose to make my decisions with positive ones.”
Leah Bracknell opens up about her cancer on Loose Women
Emmerdale star Leah Bracknell is staying positive about her illness
I don’t wake up every morning feeling fearful I wake up feeling grateful and excited about life
She added: “I’m going to choose to embrace life, I’m going to choose to be thankful that I have lie. I might not have had life. Then suddenly all those things I used to worry about, all the rubbish, it just goes.”
Leah’s appearance on Loose Women comes after she raised enough money through her Go Fund Me page to undergo new treatment and medication that will hopefully improve her life expectancy.
She was diagnosed with cancer back in September last year and launched a fundraising page soon after to help her raise money for cutting-edge new treatment.
Leah Bracknell on speaks out on Loose Women
Leah Bracknell was emotional on Loose Women
While the treatment will give her lifeline but is not going to a cure.
Following her shock diagnosis last year, Leah said she was initially left terrified: “That was the scariest thing from one moment sitting feeling quite normal and strong."
Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV at 12.30pm.