Hollyoaks star Ali Bastian reveals breast cancer diagnosis
Ali Bastian has revealed that she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The former Hollyoaks actress, known for her role as Becca Dean in the hit soap, received her diagnosis with stage 2 breast cancer in June and is currently undergoing weekly chemotherapy treatments.
While opening up about her diagnosis, Ali has admitted she’s ‘still trying to process’ her ‘shock’ diagnosis.
In an interview with OK!, the 42-year-old explained, “It was a total shock. I have mornings when I wake up and I’ve forgotten… and then suddenly I remember. I’m still trying to process it”.
Reflecting back on finding a lump, Ali explained, “I hadn’t been breastfeeding Izzy at night but then David flew back to London for work and suddenly she was feeding like crazy. I was thinking, ‘Maybe she’s having a growth spurt or something’”.
“And because of that, my boobs felt sore. The next morning I woke up and thought, ‘Ouch, this really hurts.’ And that’s when I felt a lump”.
Ali, who lives in Cork, Ireland, with her husband David O’Mahony and their children Isla (4) and 19-month-old Isabella, went on to reveal, “It was a bank holiday in Ireland so I went straight to the emergency doctor. It really seemed like I had mastitis, especially as I had been night-weaning Izzy before that”.
“We thought I probably had a blocked duct. The doctor gave me antibiotics and said that if it didn’t clear up in a few days I should go to the breast clinic”.
“But it wasn’t clearing up and the more I felt it, the more it felt like this wasn’t just a blocked duct. I went to my GP and I said, ‘Actually, can I go to the clinic now?’ and she was very supportive of that”.
Bastian then shared that it took ‘a few days’ between having scans done and getting her diagnosis. “We agreed that I would text her and that she would then call me back. I could hear it in the tone of her voice but she told me in the kindest way possible. She was very reassuring. She said the words that I’m holding on to, that they have ‘intent to cure me’”.
Ali, who is due to undergo a mastectomy and radiotherapy treatment, then shared an insight into her treatment plan by stating, “The multidisciplinary team decided what order I should have my chemotherapy and operation”.
“I’ve asked if they would consider a double mastectomy as a preventative measure and they would, but it’s not been fully discussed yet”.
