‘Feeling loved and grateful’: Samatha Womack reveals she’s recovering from breast cancer surgery days after shock diagnosis was confirmed
Samantha Womack has confirmed she is recovering from breast cancer surgery just days after announcing her diagnosis.
The former EastEnders actress revealed she was undergoing treatment for the condition while paying tribute to Olivia Newton-John, who lost her own battle with breast cancer on August 8.
Samantha, 49, took to Instagram Thursday night to confirm she was back home after surgery and being cared for by boyfriend Oliver Farnworth.
Good news: Samantha Womack has confirmed that she is recovering from breast cancer surgery just days after announcing her diagnosis
She shared a photo of her healthy dinner – a bowl of homemade soup – and wrote: “Recovering from breast cancer surgery. My love makes me turmeric and ginger in the morning and homemade butternut squash soup at night……. feel loved and grateful.’
The comforting post prompted a wave of responses from friends and followers, with former EastEnders co-star Tamzin Outhwaite writing: “Sending lots of love and positive energy.”
Close friend Denise Van Outen added: “Sending you massive love,” while Gaby Roslin wrote: “Sending you so much love.”
Samantha is currently starring as the White Witch in The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, which opened to rave reviews at the West End’s Gillian Lynne Theater last month and runs until January.
In a recent tribute to the late actress Olivia, she tweeted a picture of the couple with Olivia’s daughter Chloe, taken when Samantha had played Sandy in the 1993 West End production of Grease.
She captioned the picture: “That was the most magical of all evenings. Olivia and Chloe had come to see Grease in London and we had dinner together afterwards.
“I was so excited and in awe, she was my childhood. I am now starting my own fight against this disease and I am deeply moved. #OliviaNewtonJohn.”
Samantha, who played Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders from 2007 to 2017, was immediately inundated with messages of support from her celebrity friends.