Linda and Anne Nolan have both been diagnosed with cancer – but the sisters insist they’re living with the illness, not dying from it.
The Nolans stars gave an exclusive interview with The Sun in which they revealed their diagnoses, with the pair insisting that, after facing cancer previously, they’re not giving up without a fight.
Linda has been diagnosed with incurable cancer in her liver, following breast cancer in 2006, cellulitis and lymphoedema in her arm in 2007, and secondary cancer on her pelvis in 2017.
“I’ve had it since 2006 and I’m still here and I was able to go back out and do shows with the girls and live a practically normal life.
“I have arthritis in all of my joints now so that can be a bit of hard work.
“But I’m still here and part of a great family that I love very much and I’m going to fight as much as I can to stay around and be with them.”
Meanwhile, for Anne, the diagnosis came as she marked 20 years since she first discovered she had breast cancer.
“My first cancer was diagnosed in April 2000,” she shared. “I found my lump in April, so it was exactly 20 years on.”
The I’m In The Mood For Dancing stars were diagnosed with their illnesses after returning home from two cruising holidays with sisters Coleen and Maureen for their Quest Red show, The Nolans Go Cruising, which sees them reunite to perform their biggest hit.
After receiving the news, Maureen moved in with Anne to help her through her treatment, while Linda relocated to sister Denise’s house.
Explaining how the cancer has taken its toll on her, Anne admitted being diagnosed amid the coronavirus pandemic has led to her suffering “anxiety attacks”, with the gruelling chemotherapy and the threat of Covid keeping her away from her children too.
“This has broken me down a bit, to be honest,” she reflected. “And I think part of it is because I’ve not been able to see my daughters and grandchildren.
“I’ve not touched them, I’ve not been able to hug them or kiss them… And I think that’s what makes me more sad than anything.”
Despite the tough times, Anne has a defiant mantra – “take chemo, or face the consequences” – with Linda too keeping optimistic that her illness is just another battle that she’ll triumph over.
“As long as the treatment is there and I can have it and I respond well to it I might be around for another 15, 20 years, hopefully,” she smiled.
“By that time I’ll be an old woman. I’ll be 75 in 15 years, and I would’ve had a great life. So that’s why I’m again, for the third time, going to give it everything I’ve got.”
