Wendy Richard Battling Terminal Cancer
I'm sure there are a bunch of you out there scratching your heads and wondering just who Wendy Richard is. If you're a fan of Britcoms (like I am), you'll recognize the actress who played the ditzy but lovable Miss Brahms in the classic BBC comedy, Are You Being Served? It was revealed that she plans to marry for the fourth time after suffering a recurrence of the cancer that she's already beaten twice:
The star learned that the disease had returned in January during a regular check up. She has survived two bouts of breast cancer.Cancer cells were discovered in her left armpit and the drugs she was given to treat them only made her condition worse.
In recent months doctors discovered the cancer had spread to her right kidney and bones.
Initially, her oncologist told her she had 'several useful years ahead'. But since then, her condition has deteriorated and her future is now uncertain.
She said: 'Twice I've had breast cancer but this is different. It's more aggressive this time, unfortunately and has spread to the top of my spine and left ribs.
'It has come as a terrible shock and you just get so fed up. You think "oh crikey,' here we go again" but you just have to buck your ideas up and get on with things.'
Miss Richard, who was awarded the MBE in 2000, said: 'Some nights I just wanted to scream the place down. It didn't matter whether you lay down, stood up, sat down - the pain was just there all the time.
'At one point this year I was on 11 tablets a day but I'm up to 12 now and I have to have injections in my stomach every day.
'My message to anyone going through the cancer thing is to remain positive and have faith in your oncologist and doctors.'
Doctors have told her she has a hormonal imbalance which has made her condition worse.
But she admits her years of heavy smoking have not helped.
Allow me my indulgences...I know this is probably of no interest to anyone but me, but I can't help but feel a twinge of sadness that yet another cast member of this classic show might be leaving us. My thoughts and prayers are with Wendy and her family.
