Ex-Emmerdale star, Leah Bracknell, has revealed that she's been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Leah is best known for playing Zoe Tate on the show for 16 years and left in 2005 to persue other interests. She has since gone on to appear in other TV shows and works as a yoga teacher.
Last month she was rushed to hospital for an emergency operation and later was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
Her husband has set up a
GoFundMe page to try and get enough money for a potentially life saving treatment in the Hallwang clinic in Germany.
Leah has written a statement, under her real name Ali, which features on the GoFundMe page. It reads:
"Just over 5 weeks ago. I was feeling perfectly well, fit and healthy. Teaching yoga classes and workshops, it was a time of new beginnings : preparing to move house, youngest child fleeing the nest, and excited to be starting rehearsals for a comedy play, being back onstage, going on tour.
But, it turns out that the universe had other plans. Life was about to be unexpectedly turned on its head.
I began to feel breathless climbing stairs. Really breathless. I just put it down to a bit of stress. My abdomen suddenly ballooned- and within a matter of a few days I looked heavily pregnant. I could barely walk or breathe. Then, one Saturday night at the beginning of September I ended up in A & E.
Following a difficult and terrifying night (my heartbeat rose to 180 beats a minute!) I was subsequently given an emergency procedure to remove a large amount of fluid from around my heart, by a very handsome cardiologist from Slovakia. ( Jez really can't see it!)
I was told later, without that, I would have died. So I am beyond grateful. Without it, I would not be here, enjoying the Autumn sunshine, watching the leaves change colour, settling into our new home. I would not know either quite what brilliant, generous and loving friends and family I have.
However, the bad news is that I have been diagnosed with lung cancer, stage 4. In their opinion, that means it's terminal, not curable, not operable . A fairly brutal and bleak diagnosis but one I am determined to challenge and see from the perspective of "a glass half full", going against a lifetime of pessimism, negativity and fear!!!!
By the way, please imagine me writing this and speaking in quite an upbeat and cheerful voice. Do NOT imagine me sitting here writing through a veil of tears. I am not. Or feeling sorry for myself. I am not (yet).
My priority is getting well and strong, so that I can continue to endeavour to be a good, mother, daughter, wife, or at least the best I can be.
My priority is to defy expectation.
My priority is to love, to laugh, and, as Bob said, to "keep on keepin' on".
With all my heart and armfuls of blessings. I thank you for reading this."
So far they've received £20,000 of the £50,000 they need.
