Zoe Tate (Leah Bracknell)
Her partner Jez Hughes has reached out to friends, family and fans of the 52-year-old actress and yoga teacher for financial help as she seeks experimental treatment in Germany, reports the Daily Mail.
Calling his partner a "radiant jewel", Hughes wrote to Facebook followers: "'It's been an incredibly tough month as my beloved partner and soul mate (sic), Ali/ Leah, was rushed to hospital 5 weeks ago. Luckily they were able to drain a litre of fluid from around her heart which saved her life.
"Unfortunately the diagnosis for the problem that caused the fluid build up was lung cancer, stage 4, what the doctors call 'terminal.' She's responded with incredible positivity and we're determined to fight this, knowing that the medical profession doesn't always know the whole story. We've already had Marakame's (Mexican shaman) in the hospital doing healings on her and incredible support from friends and loved ones.
"This is helping keeping us very positive and upbeat. And already there are positive signs. After a month of researching and getting advise from professionals, we've found there are incredible breakthroughs being made in clinics in Europe that combine the best of intregative (alternative) medicine with the most cutting edge modern treatments such as immunotherapy, which actually use DNA testing to attack the specific cancer cells in your body."
Leah Bracknell on set during filming of British television soap opera Emmerdale Farm in 1989
© Getty Images Tim Roney
(Leah Bracknell on set at Emmerdale Farm in 1989)
A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for Bracknell has so far surpassed over £2,500 of her £50,000 goal in just one day.
Bracknell became an Emmerdale favourite during her 16 years starring on the ITV series as Zoe Tate, and was a pioneer for a storyline in which Zoe came out as a lesbian.
Leah Bracknell poses at the photocall and launch for the new theatrical production of 'Strangers On A Train'
© Gareth Cattermole
Emmerdale also used the Zoe Tate character to dramatise mental health issues when she was diagnosed as schizophrenic.
Bracknell left Emmerdale in 2005 in what was initially billed as a temporary break to focus on teaching yoga. Throughout her esteemed TV career, Bracknell has appeared in Doctors, The Royal Today and A Touch of Frost.
To donate to Bracknell's GoFundMe campaign, click here.
Reply With Quote