THE LONG GOODBYE
Soap fans were left devastated when popular Hayley Cropper was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The character was a gentle resident of Weatherfield, known for her iconic red anorak and handbag.
Hayley was also Coronation Street’s first transgender resident and enjoyed a loving marriage to cafe owner Roy Cropper after overcoming the obstacles put in their way. “Even now, I can’t quite believe the power of it,” said actress Julie Hesmondhalgh in a recent interview. “Literally within weeks, people were saying to me in the street, ‘When are you and Roy getting married?’ I’d be like, ‘We’re not allowed to – it’s against the law,’ and they’d be like, ‘Oh, never mind that!’”
In 2013 the actress would be breaking new ground once more with a right to die storyline.
A CT scan revealed Hayley had stage two pancreatic cancer but her treatment didn’t go to plan and the factory worker was given just six months to live.
Courageous Hayley drew up a bucket list, including teaching Roy to drive. But when she saw close pal Jane rushed to a hospice at the end stage of her pancreatic cancer journey, she was horrified by how ill she looked and realised she didn’t want to die in the same way.
When Hayley told Roy she wanted to end her own life he was disbelieving and she moved out after a huge argument.
But they reconciled and the couple enjoyed one last Christmas together before Hayley decided it was time to say goodbye.
She drank a cocktail of drugs that would kill her, with her faithful husband by her side.
The storyline came at a time when the House of Lords was debating Lord Falconer’s assisted dying bill and the soap reflected both sides of the argument, with Roy coming round to Hayley’s way of thinking while close pal Fiz struggled to support her.
Hayley, who had lived in Weatherfield for 16 years, was buried in a cardboard flower-printed coffin with mourners holding daffodils in her honour.