Lucy Davis made her first public appearance since revealing her incurable breast cancer diagnosis, telling fans she was 'grateful' for their support during a convention appearance at ExCeL London on Saturday. The 53-year-old actress, best known for playing Dawn Tinsley in the BBC sitcom The Office, attended the For The Love of Fantasy & Sci Fi convention less than two weeks after sharing the news of her diagnosis on Instagram.
Onstage reunion with Shaun of the Dead co-stars
Davis took part in an onstage panel with Simon Pegg and director Edgar Wright, discussing her role in the 2004 film Shaun of the Dead. During the interview, she told the audience how much she had enjoyed interacting with fans at the event.
'It's like this whole second family you never knew you had, everyone is like a community, friendly, supportive of not only us but you guys and each other,' she said, according to BBC News. 'We need a bit more niceness in the world, so I'm grateful.'
Diagnosis details and public statement
Davis shared on social media on August 11 that she had been diagnosed with stage four breast cancer which has 'metastasised' to her spine, right hip and ribs, meaning it's 'too late' for chemotherapy. She explained that she had received the diagnosis 18 months ago after feeling a 'really tiny' lump that was more 'a kind of hard spot'.
'I almost didn't bother getting it checked. So I guess I'm saying don't ignore anything – get everything checked out,' she added in her statement. Davis, the daughter of comedian Jasper Carrott, continued: 'As of now, I'm trying to live out whatever might be left of my life in as fun a way as I possibly can.'
She also revealed that 'standing and walking for too long a time can be hard' and that she sometimes needs to use a wheelchair. However, she shared that humour has been one of the most important things helping her through the cancer.
'I asked my friends and family to make fun of me as much as possible (which they're really good at?), and most importantly of all to not treat me like a sick person,' she said. 'There's nothing that will make you feel more unwell than being treated as if you're unwell.' Davis also wrote that she is 'not scared of whatever comes next' and is 'at peace with it'.
Convention appearance and fan interactions
Ahead of the event, organisers confirmed that Davis would still be taking part, with the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina actress posting an update on Instagram. The post read: 'In light of the recent news, we would like to confirm that Lucy Davis is still attending the event and is very much looking forward to meeting her fans!'
'Can't wait to meet you at @ftlofantasyscifi this weekend!' Davis wrote in the caption. 'Looking forward to seeing my friends @simonpegg and @edgarwright and especially meeting the #terminator2 cast. Such a good film. See you there!'
At the convention, Davis signed autographs and posed for photos before the panel, where several fans told her 'I love you so much.' She was not asked directly about her health. Davis was part of a star-studded line-up that included John Cena, Lena Headey, Hayley Atwell, Billie Piper, John Cleese and Terminator actors Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, Edward Furlong and Michael Biehn.
