Brother’s cancer battle was the worst time of my life
The Coronation Street actress tells CAROL DAVIS how her family coped when her brother Jack was diagnosed with leukaemia
AS FEISTY lesbian waitress Kate Connor, Coronation Street star Faye Brookes has won legions of fans since she first appeared on the famous cobbles two years ago. Yet although she sparkles on screen, the bubbly 29-year-old actress, who picked up the award for Best Newcomer at the National Television Awards earlier this year, has been through more than her share of dark times.
Faye’s teenage years were dominated by cancer after her younger brother Jack was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was nine and she was 14.
Leukaemia is a cancer of the white blood cells that begins in the bone marrow. The most common type in children is acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which can affect young people of any age, although it is most common in children aged one to four. Provided it is diagnosed quickly, survival rates for this type of cancer are good. In those aged 14 or younger, nine out of 10 will beat the disease.
Suddenly Faye’s family life was turned upside down as Jack had to start intensive chemotherapy and steroid treatment. “We are a very close family and Jack’s diagnosis changed everything,” says Faye, who lives with her partner of five years, the singer and actor Gareth Gates.
“Our lives were taken over by hospitals and chemotherapy. My parents tried to protect me from it as much as possible but my mum was always at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital staying with Jack and my dad wanted to be there all the time too.
“It was caught quickly and he had a bone marrow transplant,” she adds. “But it was a terrible time, we thought at first he was going to die. We were all devastated. It was horrible to see him lose so much muscle and with his face puffy from the steroids and medication.”
EVERY year in the UK approximately 3,600 children and young people undergo treatment for cancer. Treatment usually starts at once, often many miles from home, and can last up to three years. On top of the emotional impact of caring for a child with the disease, the financial costs grow throughout treatment.
A recent Macmillan survey revealed that cancer costs families around £570 every month – far above the average £365 each month families have left after paying for essentials. Extra costs include travel to hospital, increased household bills when people are at home more and feeling the cold and paying for extra household support.
Working parents with young children are among those hit hardest by the financial impact of the disease. Many parents have to either cut down working hours or stop working altogether to care for a child going through treatment.
Faye says it was only the support of their Macmillan nurse that helped her family get their lives back on track after Jack’s illness. The charity offers grants, benefits advice and financial guidance for people affected by cancer. “Our Macmillan nurse helped us find the way forward, so my dad could go back to work on an oil rig. He put off going back for week after week,” Faye recalls.
“No one wanted to leave Jack but the Macmillan nurse reassured him she could look after my mum and he could go back to work and have a different purpose in life again.
“Once Jack was discharged, she came around every day and would have a cup of tea and talk to my mum. My mum is absolutely my hero – she went through so much and looked after Jack and the rest of us too. She reassured us that we could carry on with our own lives and that’s just what we did.”
That financial help is key, Faye believes. “It’s such a lot of money for families,” she says. “My parents had a mortgage to pay and we were thinking of emigrating to Australia when Jack got ill. Suddenly everything changed and having that support was invaluable.”
JACK’S treatment also affected his school life. “He was so tired that he had to come home early or have a nap in school,” Faye says. “And I remember him coming home in his school uniform one day and pulling a clump of hair from his head.
“He said to me, ‘That’s been happening all day’ and put it on my bed. I broke down because I didn’t realise he was dealing with that every day.”
Fortunately Jack’s treatment was successful and he has been in remission for seven years, since he was 18. We did everything together as children, playing with Lego, watching Nickelodeon and we still do now. We have the same circle of friends which is wonderful and since Jack works in a restaurant and now delivers food to the Coronation Street set, I see him every day.
“Jack’s illness changed us all,” says Faye who recently opened a performing arts school in Manchester, called Fates, with Gareth. “Life is too short not to make the most of it. We all know now how important it is to keep fit and healthy and to live life to the full.
“I love yoga and the gym and Gareth comes to the gym with me now. If we haven’t been for a day or so we get twitchy. Since my mum is a nutritionist we know that eating healthily is important too.” Faye hasn’t forgotten the support they received from Macmillan throughout Jack’s illness and is still a firm supporter. She is now training for the charity’s 5K this summer and plans to run the London Marathon in aid of the charity next year – with Jack, now 25.
“Macmillan helped us so much at the worst time in our lives, just as they go on helping so many families around Britain. I’ll always be so grateful for them for all their help and encouragement and for helping us through,” she says.