EastEnders star Heather Peace has shared an update following her cancer diagnosis.
Last month, the Eve Unwin star revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024. In a post on Instagram sharing the development, Heather confirmed she was given her health news in October, and had surgery over the Christmas period.
In the caption, she said: ‘I’ve been on quite a road for many months now. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the beginning of October. Since then I’ve undergone surgery and recovery over the Christmas period and today my chemotherapy journey ended.’
‘I woke up this morning and it was like the end of the London Marathon; I’d turned onto The Mall and could see the giant clock & the finish line. To conclude – I’ve just picked up my medal.’
She continued: ‘But I’m forever changed. During this time I’ve narrowed my world. I’ve had the most precious time with my wife Ellie and our 3 girls; Annie, Jessie & Lola.
‘Just trying to appreciate every moment of them. I’ve stayed still. I’ve found joy in the simplest of things. Interactions with others have felt honest and real because I’ve had no capacity for small talk. It has felt like such a personal shift. There have been so many positives.’
Now, Heather has opened up about incorporating fitness into her recovery journey, dedicated to keeping her mind and body healthy.
‘I think coming through what I’ve come through, I think [fitness] will be instrumental for the rest of my life. It’s now that I need to absolutely focus in on that otherwise I’m just accepting deterioration. I won’t accept it at all. I want to be fit and I want to be strong. It’s such a good feeling when you’re at your top’, she said in an episode of The 94% Podcast.
‘I needed work as well. I needed that for my mental health. I have a fantastic cast of friends who just absolutely enveloped me and made me feel safe. A day at work just absolutely lifted my spirits and made me laugh and made me feel loved. I felt very vulnerable. I felt I lost a bit of my confidence, but it’s coming back now.’
Heather has played Eve in the BBC One soap since 2021. The beloved character is in a relationship with Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal), but their journey to finding their happiness was not easy.
As Suki began to accept her sexuality, her controlling ex-husband Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) continued to try and stop her from being with Eve.
The characters got married at the start of this year, but the venue was also the location for Nish to attempt his final revenge.
His plan never worked, as Nish died after falling from a balcony.
