ISSUE 735 JULY 27 2010
It’s been ten years since Sally Dynevor was given the life-altering news that she had breast cancer. Happily, she is now celebrating a decade in remission, and the Coronation Street legend is marking the occasion with an 18-day trek to Everest base camp to raise money for Prevent Breast Cancer, which she began last week.
Her go-getting attitude is partly inspired by a change in her perspective on life that she explained to OK! during an exclusive interview eight months after her diagnosis. ‘It’s made me think that we have to do everything that we possibly can and enjoy life.’ She continued: ‘Maybe I had to go through this so that I can live the next 30 years of my life better than the last 47.’ In a strange case of life imitating art, Sally’s soap character, who she shares the same name with, was also battling with the disease. ‘I couldn’t believe that it was happening to me at the same time as her. It was a very strange time,’ the now 56 year old explained. While she had the Webster family supporting on screen, she had her own tight network at home. This included husband Tim Dynevor, 57, and their children Phoebe, now 24, Samuel, 22, and Harriet, 16.
Sally’s tough time reminded her of what was central to her life, and she made a big decision about her surname as a result. ‘I’d kept Whittaker because everyone knew me as that but it suddenly didn’t seem very important... I want to be Mrs Dynevor and not Sally Whittaker. Tim was really pleased. I just wanted to have the same name as my family.’
Despite the hardship that she’d faced Sally was grateful for what she had, and positive about the future. ‘I’ve got three gorgeous children and I’m very happily married – how lucky am I to get to this stage in my life and be so fortunate?’
‘Coronation street’ star SALLY DYNEVOR talks to OK! eight months after being told she has Cancer