The former Home and Away actress sat down with the Channel Seven show for a candid one-on-one interview, unveiling some of the darkest moments during her health struggle.
“I had a panic attack and I remember calling my dad and just saying that I want to die,” Tessa recalled.
“I don’t want to do this I can’t do it, I’m not strong enough this isn’t worth it,” she added of her battle as she held back tears.
Tessa James was only 23-years-old when she found a suspicious lump above her collarbone, which prompted further testing. Soon after, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a blood cancer that affects the lymphatic system.
Each year in Australia, around 550 people are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.
Tessa James’ dad, Steve was undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when his daughter was diagnosed. He was a beacon of support for Tessa and the pair now share a very special bond.
Throughout the interview, Tessa’s husband, Nate Myles couldn’t hide how proud he was of his wife – revealing they were stronger than ever because of what they’ve been through.
In tragic circumstances, her father Steve James was also undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when his daughter was diagnosed.
For the father-of-two, it was incredibly difficult to watch his eldest child suffering.
“That’s a difficult thing to hear… because you know how it makes you feel,” he admitted on the show.
While Tessa has been given the all clear, Steve is still uncertain of his future.
“I’ve got one more treatment to go in August and then I go for scans in September. So you know hopefully, hopefully all good,” he explained.
But the enormous obstacle only brought the pair closer together. In fact, it brought the entire family closer together.
During the six-months of gruelling chemotherapy, Tessa was supported to every chemo session by her husband and NRL player Nate Myles plus her loving mother Charis.
“It was a bit of ritual we had going the three of us,” the star told Sunday Night.
Meanwhile 30-year-old Nate spoke in admiration of his wife’s inspiring courage and strength.
“Football players are very tough humans – but I think she might take the cake,” he said with pride.
“I don’t wish it on anyone, but we are stronger because of what has happened,” Nate added.
Watching her daughter fight the fatal disease was incredibly hard for Charis James.
In a candid moment, Nate explained what thousands of Aussies battle daily – the intense hardship faced when undergoing chemo.
“She goes in as Tessa, but she doesn’t go out Tessa,” the Gold Coast Titans player confessed of watching his wife fall ill.
“You can’t describe the feeling because it’s beyond feeling sick or nauseous,” Tessa explained of the rough rounds of chemo.
“She was amazing, she just took it on,” Nate said proudly.
Sadly Tessa’s had to undergo a six-month course of chemotherapy straight after receiving her diagnosis – leaving her no time to freeze her eggs.
However the happy couple hope to become parents in the not too distant future, with Tessa telling The Sunday Telegraph, “I guess if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
“There are high stats of people my age having had treatment who have children, so I hope that is in the future for us.”
Tessa admitted that there were times where chemo got the better of her. But her loved-ones helped her through the hardship.
The resilient actress admitted that she struggled with cancer, explaining that some days were very dark.
“I was a clean eating, healthy person, I’d never experienced that amount of drugs in my body… the drugs were making me depressed and anxious,” she said.
Tessa now feels like she needs to share her story.
“You’d see actresses and they seemed to always go through hardships. I always thought, ‘Well I don’t have a story. My life is great’. Yeah, I have a story now,” she said wiping away tears.
Along with the rest of Australia, Tessa’s Home and Away family couldn’t contain their pride for the actress’ strength and continued resilience.
Most notably, former Summer Bay hunk turned Hollywood hero, Chris Hemsworth, citing the pint-sized beauty as a “huge inspiration” with “far too much talent to go unnoticed.”
“There’s plenty of success coming your way soon,” he assured his former-co-star.
Now on the road to recovery, she is not letting anything hold her back and hopes to conquer Hollywood and the silver screen.
“I have huge dreams. Probably too big. Just to work, a working actress, would be amazing.”
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