Brookside's Dean Sullivan has shared the incredible news that he has been given the all clear following an 18-month battle with prostate cancer. The soap star, 64, is best known for playing Jimmy Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap and speaking to the Daily Mirror earlier in November revealed that he underwent HDR (high dosage rate) brachytherapy to treat the disease.
Dean explained: "It was such a relief, so wonderful to hear. I thanked the Lord for looking after me and for all the people who had said prayers for me. Even though my last PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level was so low, I still have to have a hormone injection every six months for three years, which gives me the best chance that the cancer won't come back.
Dean and his Brookside co-stars celebrating ten years of the soap
"There are side effects including hot flushes and night sweats, which my female friends refer to as the 'male menopause'. I've also lost body hair, which feels a bit emasculating, but it's a small price to pay for being cancer-free."
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Prostate Cancer UK tweeted Dean in support
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Amazingly, Dean is trying to make the best of his experience with cancer, and is encouraging people to trust their instincts if they feel that their health is in danger. It was only when Dean noticed that his urine stream wasn't as strong as it once was that he decided to seek help. He added: "I never imagined it was something to do with my prostate though because I didn’t have any of the other symptoms, such as going to the toilet several times in the night."
The actor is also an ambassador for Prostate Cancer UK, and after his interview was published, the charity tweeted its support, writing: "Thank you so much to our ambassador Dean Sullivan for sharing his prostate cancer story ahead of hosting our Liverpool Carols at St David’s concert. We're so proud to work with you."
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