Singer Linda Nolan has passed away from cancer aged 65, after a two-decade battle with the disease.
The Nolan Sisters star was surrounded by her family when she died peacefully on Wednesday morning (January 15).
Linda had been fighting the illness for several years and would often use her platform to raise awareness. We take a look back at Linda Nolan’s courageous journey, cancer diagnosis, treatment and updates she gave.
Linda Nolan was first diagnosed with cancer in 2005
The celebrity was told the news she had stage three breast cancer in 2005 and was given the all-clear six years later.
It came 12 months after her sister Anne had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and husband Brian cancer of the skin. Brian and Linda met in 1977 before marrying two years later, and she never really got over his death in 2007. The star was receiving treatment when her husband of 26 years died from liver failure due to the disease.
She revealed 11 years later that she missed ‘Brian every second of the day’ and she never imagined herself finding love again.
Then in early 2018, she admitted she became depressed from the grief and losing the “love of my life”.
After her health improved, she didn’t team up with her sisters Maureen, Bernie and Coleen again until 2009. The singers went on a reunion tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of I’m In The Mood For Dancing.
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Linda Nolan’s cancer returned in 2017
It was in 2017 when doctors again told her she had breast cancer (HER2-positive). The disease began to spread and the incurable form of secondary cancer reached her hip.
Then in 2020 the star was told it had spread to her liver, before telling the world it had reached her brain in 2023. It was her fourth diagnosis in under 20 years.
Initially, it was believed the tumours in her brain were stable, after regular treatment shrank the masses and stabilised them.
Linda and Anne underwent treatment together
Her sister Anne was also given the all-clear after her initial cancer diagnosis in 2000, but it returned in April 2020.
It would only be days later that Linda was told hers spread to the liver, and the sisters made the choice to have chemotherapy together.
The duo wrote the book Stronger Together afterwards, detailing their journey with cancer, treatments, side effects and living with the disease.
In the emotional read, they also touch upon sister Bernie’s death and Linda’s late husband Brian, who later became her tour manager. Anne later went into remission for the second time.
I had feared something was wrong
Signs revealed cancer had spread to her brain in 2023
Linda Nolan shared the initial signs that indicated the disease had spread in a cancer update 18 months ago.
After she noticed her balance and memory were declining, she sought medical advice. Some “quite nasty falls” had raised concern and she began using a wheelchair.
When she was called in to meet with her consultant in March 2023 she asked outright if the cancer had spread. The Celebrity Big Brother star was told the grave news and she asked what the next steps were.
She said: “I had feared something was wrong. My balance has been getting worse and my memory – my sisters have to prompt me when I get lost in the middle of a sentence.”
Linda also told Good Morning Britain: “I wasn’t getting headaches – so, really, it was a shock that the doctor said, ‘it’s in your brain’.”
“The hope is that [the drug she is using] will do wonders for me, please God.”
She continued: “Obviously that’s very frightening because there isn’t much help for brain cancer at the moment, apart from radiotherapy which I’m going to be having.”
Treatment stopped working in 2024
The star announced she was starting a new treatment, Enhertu, a drug that could control the progression of her cancer.
At the time, Linda declared: “I am ready to try anything. I have done this before and I can do it again.”
It took a toll on her health, and she lost a tooth, while also losing her hair once again after undergoing the new course of chemotherapy.
The Loose Women star was not concerned about her hair falling out if it meant the treatment was working.
“I’m not giving up, I’m positive,” she said, before one of her sisters joked she had some ‘nice wigs’ already.
However, it was in the summer of 2024 when it was reported a recent scan showed the two largest at the front and side had grown.
She told The Mirror: “I sobbed when my consultant first told me.
“I know so many people are suffering and going through things, but I thought, just for once, could cancer just leave me alone? My heart sank.”
Read more: Linda Nolan admits worry that ‘the next scan won’t bring good news’ amid cancer
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