Emmerdale actress Malandra Burrows was diagnosed with cancer in February 2022 and recently shared that it was her dog that alerted her to her ill health.
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Speaking about her border terrier Teddy, Malandra told The Mirror: "She just kept looking up at me, staring in a very strange way, then without any warning, she thumped me with her head on my left breast so hard it brought tears to my eyes.
© Photo: RexMalandra Burrows in I'm A Celebrity in 2006
"It hurt so much that before I went to bed I checked to see if there was any bruising, which was the moment I felt something that had never been there before. It felt like a swollen gland, which I put down to Teddy's blow," she continued.
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A few days afterwards, Malandra went to see her doctor, which led to her cancer diagnosis.
“If it were not for Teddy I would never have known about this and I honestly believe she saved my life," Malandra said.
© Photo: RexMalandra Burrows played Kathy Glover in Emmerdale
The 62-year-old, who starred in Emmerdale from 1985 to 2005, is currently undergoing six months of chemotherapy.
Malandra said she was due her routine mammogram in 2020, but it was cancelled due to the pandemic, with doctors saying that the cancer may have been sparked by the menopause.
We're sending the actress our well wishes during treatment.
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