She’s starred in some of Australia’s most iconic and TV shows including Home And Away, The Young Doctors and Sons and Daughters. So when Cornelia Frances was diagnosed with bladder cancer last year, hearts across the nation broke.
Now 12 months on and the 76-year-old veteran actress has opened up about taking on her biggest challenge yet – her fight to survive.
“It’s a hard road but we’ll get there,” a hopeful Cornelia told A Current Affair during a recent interview.
Cornelia prolific career has spanned nearly 50 years.
While her spirits remain high, Cornelia went on to reveal that the disease, which affected an estimated 2,995 people in Australia in 2017 according to the Australian Cancer Research Foundation, has in fact spread to her thighs.
She admits the pain can at times be excruciating, but she won’t let it beat her.
“I’m feeling fine, albeit what’s inside me,” she says. “The pain comes and goes but that’s par for the course. We’re going to fight this, by God, I am.”
Cornelia as Morag in Home And Away
Frances first shot to fame back in the 1970’s when she took on the role of Sister Scott in Aussie soap, Young Doctors.
She then went on to grace our screens again in Sons and Daughters where she played Barbara Hamilton before stepping on to the sands of Summer Bay as Morag Bellingham, aka Alf Stewart’s (Ray Meagher) sister. Frances also hosted quiz show The Weakest Link for a number of years.
“I’ve loved every minute,” the English born actress says of her career which spans over five decades.
There’s no doubt Frances still has a long road ahead, and while our thoughts and prayers are with her, it’s wonderful to see that the red-haired performer hasn’t lost her sense of humour.
“I’d like to thank the producers who hired me because it ain’t easy to put a b***h on television,” she laughs.
