Inside the Nolan sisters’ tragic health battles as | UK News

The Nolan sisters have skilled the harrowing influence of most cancers all through their lives, with the loss of each Bernie and Linda Nolan, alongside fellow sister Anne’s own battle with most cancers.

Express Online takes an inside look into the devastating illness that struck three sisters – whereas three others escaped it.

Their father, Tommy Nolan Sr, was the first to fall sufferer to the devastating illness, dropping his battle with most cancers in 1998. Sisters Bernie, Anne, 71, Linda and Coleen, 59, all obtained diagnoses, with Bernie sadly passing away in 2013 at simply 52 years previous.

Linda Nolan

Linda, who’s the third youngest of the six sisters, was first recognized with stage-three breast most cancers in 2005 earlier than getting the all-clear in 2006.

However, in 2017 she heartbreakingly disclosed her struggle towards a secondary type that had unfold to her hip and by 2020, progressed to her liver.

Compounding this tragedy, three years later, most cancers additionally unfold to her mind.

Linda tragically died at 65 after a bout of double pnuemonia however had been residing with secondary breast most cancers. Her death was introduced on January 15.

Anne Nolan

Anne was the first of the sisters to be recognized with breast most cancers in 2000. At the time she underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and “an operation”.

Her most cancers returned 20 years later. It was two separate cancers and she or he underwent more chemotherapy, radiotherapy and one other operation.

“After six months of chemo, I was fine, then 20 years later almost to the day, it came back again in a different breast,” she instructed Lorraine final yr.

She added: “I’m happy to say that, I’m clear. I’ve got another year before I’m actually discharged.

“But I’m clear of most cancers at the second thank goodness. I depend myself actually, actually fortunate.”

Bernie Nolan

Tragically, middle sister Bernie lost her life to cancer at the age of 52. Initially diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2010, she was celebrating remission by October that year after undergoing extensive treatments.

However, her triumph was short-lived; she ceased taking cancer medication in February 2012, and the cancer returned later that year. Despite fighting valiantly, Bernie succumbed to the disease at her Surrey home in July 2013.

Her funeral service was held at the Grand Theatre in her home town of Blackpool, where the Nolan Sisters performed in their early years.

Bernie was later cremated. Her final wish was to be reunited with her stillborn daughter, Kate, and she was laid to rest beside her.

Coleen Nolan

Coleen, 58, discovered in July 2023 that she had basal cell carcinoma on her shoulder and a pre-cancerous melanoma on her face.

The youngest Nolan sister was warned that if left untreated, it would grow into the deadliest type of skin cancer, melanoma — which can spread to other parts of the body.

“I acquired pores and skin most cancers final yr,” Coleen said. “I had carcinoma on my shoulder which has now gone and had chemo cream on my shoulder in order that burned that off.”

The Loose Women presenter admitted she frequently checks for signs of cancer because so many in the family have had it.

“We have had a lot heartache…” she said. “I’m all the time checking. I nonetheless have this factor once I suppose, what if I’ve missed it?”

The Nolan sisters have been tested for the BRCA 1 or 2 gene to determine whether they have a genetic predisposition to cancer, but the results were negative.

According to the NHS, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are examples of genes that raise your cancer risk if they become altered. Having a variant BRCA gene increases a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer as well as ovarian cancer.

Linda, speaking to the Mirror in 2020, provided insight into the family’s genetic struggles with the illness.

“Anne had breast most cancers first in 2000, then me in 2006, then Bernie in 2010. Then we examined for the BRCA gene mutation and we do not have it, however they did say we’ll have a rogue gene someplace it is only one they have not came upon about but. They took our blood so they might use it for testing.”

“It’s bizarre as a result of the physician stated it isn’t simply dangerous luck that three sisters have gotten breast most cancers. There’s one thing not proper there, so for the different women it’s totally scary. They’re doubly conscious of checking themselves as a result of they might have this gene that we do not learn about.”

However, the Nolan sisters later found they don’t carry the gene.