Coronation Street actress Beverly Callard has provided a raw and emotional update on her ongoing battle with breast cancer, revealing she broke down in tears "like a baby" following a recent hospital appointment. The 68-year-old star, best known for playing Liz McDonald on the long-running ITV soap, has been documenting her health journey with remarkable candor on social media.
Diagnosis Amid New Beginnings
The actress received her devastating diagnosis earlier this year under particularly challenging circumstances. Callard had just relocated to Dublin to begin filming for Irish soap Fair City when she received the life-altering news. "I was in my dressing room at Fair City, getting ready to go on, and I was quite nervous," she recalled during an appearance on RTÉ's The Late Late Show. "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.'"
She learned she had breast cancer literally 15 to 20 minutes before filming her first scene for her new role. Despite the shocking timing, Callard maintained a positive outlook, stating: "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."
Surgical Complications and Recovery
The actress promptly returned to the United Kingdom for surgery and radiation treatment. Her recovery hit a minor setback when she had to remain in hospital overnight due to complications with the lymph node removal procedure. From Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, where she praised the "truly amazing" NHS staff, Callard shared her initial post-surgery experience.
"I'm home. I was supposed to come home yesterday, but they decided to keep me in overnight. Minor complications," she explained in an Instagram video. "I'm feeling okay. I had a bit of a cry as you do, but I am okay. Emotions are all over the place."
The Emotional Breaking Point
In her most recent update posted on Wednesday, February 25, Callard described a particularly vulnerable moment following a hospital appointment to have her dressings changed. The consultant revealed she had developed "quite a big hematoma" under her arm, potentially requiring additional surgery the following week.
During the dressing change, Callard looked down at herself for the first time since the operation and thought, "I can't do this." When a nurse named Jo asked if she wanted to look in a mirror, the actress declined, explaining she didn't feel ready to face her reflection.
The emotional toll became overwhelming after she left the hospital. "John was there waiting for me and I got in the car and cried my heart out like a baby," she confessed. "I wasn't strong at all then – I'd lost the whole lot. But I'm sure we all go through that."
Finding Strength Through Vulnerability
Despite the emotional breakdown, Callard demonstrated remarkable resilience. "But then I did come home and I did look at myself and I did show John, so I did get through it in the end," she shared. Addressing others facing similar challenges, she added: "If anyone else is going through that part right now then god love you, we can do this."
The actress has been transparent about both the physical and emotional aspects of her recovery. Following her surgery, she experienced significant pain that kept her awake the first night, but later managed to sleep for an unprecedented 12 hours. She has avoided morphine due to adverse reactions, instead managing with the soreness that followed the procedure.
"I'm black and blue and purple, which is not attractive, but I'm doing really well," Callard reported in an earlier update. "I have emotional moments but honestly I'm doing well I think mentally and physically."
Through her candid social media posts, Beverly Callard continues to provide an honest portrayal of the cancer journey, balancing moments of profound vulnerability with messages of hope and solidarity for others facing similar battles.
