Soap star Ali Bastian has revealed that she has been diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.
The former Hollyoaks and The Bill actress, 42, who was a semi-finalist on Strictly Come Dancing in 2009, is undergoing chemotherapy, and is set to have radiotherapy treatment and a mastectomy.
Bastian, told OK! magazine that “it was a total shock,” when she was told the news in June, after finding a lump while breastfeeding her daughter, Isabella.
She said: “I have mornings when I wake up and I’ve forgotten… and then suddenly I remember. I’m still trying to process it.”
Bastian, who according to the magazine moved to West Cork, Ireland, this year with her family including actor, writer and director husband David O’Mahony, explained how she became concerned when her daughter was feeding “like crazy” and she felt her breast hurting.
“It was a bank holiday in Ireland so I went straight to the emergency doctor,” she added,
“It really seemed like I had mastitis, especially as I had been night-weaning Izzy before that. We thought I probably had a blocked duct. The doctor gave me antibiotics and said that if it didn’t clear up in a few days I should go to the breast clinic.
“But it wasn’t clearing up and the more I felt it, the more it felt like this wasn’t just a blocked duct. I went to my GP and I said, ‘Actually, can I go to the clinic now?’ and she was very supportive of that.”
Bastian also said there is a “really tough time in which you have the diagnosis but you’re not sure what will happen next”.
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She added: “For me that’s where the difficult journey with trust came in. It’s not something that always comes naturally to me – so I have to remind myself daily to trust in my team, trust in the plan and trust it will all be OK.”
The actress says her fellow Hollyoaks stars Sarah Jayne Dunn, Carley Stenson and Jodi Albert have been supportive.
Bastian said: “After my diagnosis, I went on Instagram and saw a post by my friend Dominic Power, my former co-star in The Bill, and I could see he was on set in Hollyoaks. I suddenly had a real pang of, ‘I want to look into an actor’s eyes and do a scene’.. I really miss it.”
The actress, who says the breast cancer is hormone-driven, explains she does not want to “frighten new mums”, but the condition can be “trickier to diagnose” as the tissue “just feels different anyway”.
Bastian married West End actor O’Mahony in 2019, and they share daughter Isla Rose, and Isabella Charlotte together.
According to Cancer Research UK, stage 2 breast cancer is an early form of the condition, and can mean the disease is either in the breast or in the nearby lymph nodes, or both.
Louise Grimsdell, senior clinical nurse specialist at Breast Cancer Now, said Bastian’s “diagnosis highlights the importance of being breast aware throughout all stages of a woman’s life”.
She added: “It is important to be aware of any new or unusual changes to your breasts when you’re breastfeeding. Breast changes are common during and after pregnancy. If you notice any changes, it’s important to talk to your GP, midwife or health visitor.
“Breast cancer is uncommon in younger women.”
“Caring for a new baby while having treatment for breast cancer can be both physically and emotionally demanding,” she also said, and added that the charity has “tailored information and support for younger women with breast cancer”.
