Emmerdale actress Leah Bracknell opens up about how she’s dealing terminal lung cancer as she starts new medication

CANCER-STRICKEN Leah Bracknell has revealed why she is mindful to stay positive as she continues battle lung cancer.

The former Emmerdale actress, 52, revealed last year that she had terminal lung cancer and she has since raised over £50,000 to try a new life-saving treatment.

4

And during her appearance on Friday's Loose Women, the brave star opened up about her experiences over the past six months as she admitted she tries to stay as positive about life as possible.

Speaking to Andrea McLean, Nadia Sawalha, Kaye Adams and Jenny McAlpine, Leah explained: "It's a plus and a minus having to speak about my journey with the public.

"Ideally I'd like to shut the down and get on with my healing but people do sometimes need something to identify with when they are in the same place."

When Jenny commented about the positive tone of Leah's blog, the star admitted: "I do feel really positive, which might sound weird. I feel positive about life."

4

4

She explained: "They are telling you, 'We can't do this, we can't do that, we can't give you radiation but we can give you six rounds of palliative chemo and I just think I can’t change the diagnosis but I what I can do is choose how I respond."

"Of course, it wasn't the case when I first found out. But we are going to move on with this in a positive way

She continued: "I'm going to choose to embrace life and to going to choose to make positive decisions. I haven't got the energy to react to negative stuff."

4

"I reacted with anger at first and it's why I don't want doctors to guesstimate how long I have left. I don’t wake up every morning feeling fearful I wake up feeling grateful and excited about life."

Leah revealed: "I want to be an 'exceptional patient', where you defy what they have set for you based on the statistics.

“I didn’t want doctors to guestimate how long I have left,” she told the panel on Loose Women. “I don’t wake up every morning feeling fearful I wake up feeling grateful and excited about life.”

Leah was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in Septmeber after first showing symptoms at the end of August.

She was told that her condition wasn’t curable, but the actress refuses to give up and thanks to the public generously donating thousands of pounds she is now able to travel to Germany for treatment.

The 52-year-old is mum to Lily, 25, and Maya, 21.

Got a story? email [email protected] or call us direct on 02077824220