Tonight on EastEnders, Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ) has received the devastating news that he has male breast cancer after visiting a doctor about a rash on his chest.
Male breast cancer is rare with just 370 new cases in the UK each year, compared to around 55,000 new cases in women. Also, around just 1 percent of breast cancer cases in the UK are in males.
After Stuart visited the doctor about his rash, they noticed a lump and referred him for a biopsy where he was officially diagnosed with male breast cancer. Over the next few months, Stuart will face challenges as he battles with his diagnosis and struggles to open up to his wife, Rainie (Tanya Franks).
EastEnders has been working closely with Macmillan Cancer Support on this storyline to ensure that Stuart’s cancer ordeal is as realistic as possible.
Following tonight's revelation on screen, Ricky Champ has opened up about his character’s shocking cancer diagnosis, saying that he appreciates being given such a powerful storyline.
He said: “I feel honoured to be trusted with such an important storyline. We will see Stuart really struggle with the fact he has cancer, and to learn that it’s breast cancer is really difficult for him to understand.
"I hope by shedding a light on male breast cancer, more men will be aware of it and seek out a doctor if they notice anything wrong.”
Dany Bell, Strategic Advisor for Treatment, Medicines, and Genomics at Macmillan Cancer Support said: “It’s brilliant to see EastEnders release this very important and poignant storyline. We hope it encourages people to become more aware of the signs of breast cancer, regularly check their own chests and reach out for help if needed.
"Macmillan is here to offer advice and support to anyone impacted by the storyline and we encourage anyone experiencing signs or symptoms of cancer to visit their GP.”
EastEnders continues tomorrow at 7:30pm on BBC1- see our TV Guide for full listings.
