Danniella Westbrook has revealed she has been diagnosed with womb cancer.
The former ‘EastEnders’ actress is set to undergo a hysterectomy next month and is waiting to find out if the cancer has spread.
The 44-year-old told the Sunday Mirror she is determined to fight the disease for her two children, Kai, 21, and 16-year-old Jody.
She said: “I’ve always said I am not scared of dying. But when the doctor said, ‘You have cancer’, straight away my thoughts turned to Jade and that I don’t want to die.”
She added: “Getting this diagnosis has made me realise I don’t want to die. I want to live and sort out my health. I know I have to fight, I know I have to get up and battle it.”
The star’s family have a history of womb cancer, with her mum being diagnosed when Danniella was just 15-years-old.
The actress, who has battled a cocaine addiction, says she started getting symptoms over a year and a half ago and is urging women to go for regular smear tests, after admitting she had not had one in years.
Danniella added: “I’ve always said I’m not scared of dying but then when you get cancer you think ‘I don’t want to die’.
“It makes me think about my health and getting better. Using drugs isn’t my priority, getting to my appointments is.”
Earlier this year, the former soap star revealed her face was “rotting away” due to botched surgery.
Speaking to the Mirror, Danniella said: “I just don’t look like myself anymore. Obviously I’m going to age a lot faster anyway because of the drugs but I didn’t need this as well.”