Home and Away star Cornelia Frances celebrated her 77th birthday from her hospital bed just weeks before she died from cancer, it has been reported.
Woman’s Day magazine reports the actress ‘was fabulous even in the final weeks of her life’ and threw a birthday party last month, surrounded by her family and friends.
The publication reports Cornelia was joined by the likes of stars Paula Duncan, Judy Nunn, Axle Whitehead and Andrew McFarlane, as well as her son, Lawrence, marking her birthday.
‘Fabulous even in the final weeks’: Home and Away star Cornelia Frances celebrated her 77th birthday from her hospital bed just weeks before she died from cancer
The magazine reports that the group toasted Cornelia’s life.
According to Australia’s The Daily Telegraph, Cornelia died ‘overnight’ in Sydney.
Cornelia’s son Lawrence Eastland shared a heartbreaking photo of his mother in her last days, writing: ‘A very personal photo of my mum during one of her resting moments.’
Final moments: The magazine reports that the group toasted Cornelia’s life
Heartbreaking: Cornelia’s son Lawrence Eastland shared a heartbreaking photo of his mother in her last days
Friends: Pictured is Paula Duncan, who attended the birthday party
‘She is so peaceful, soft and serene. I truly love this woman,’ he added, alongside the hashtags: ‘Strong’, ‘inspiring’ and ‘I love you, mum’.
Cornelia was diagnosed with bladder cancer over a year ago and, later, doctors told her the disease had spread to her hip and spine.
During an interview with A Current Affair earlier this year, it was revealed that the showbusiness veteran was being treated at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital.
Saying goodbye: Another guest was Axle Whitehead, who has appeared on Home and Away
Coincidentally, this was the same hospital where she filmed the iconic Channel Nine series The Young Doctors in the 1970s.
In January, the Liverpool-born television legend revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer 12 months earlier.
‘I discovered I had bladder cancer. This then spread to my hip bone which fractured, and then I almost died from loss of blood due to an ulcer in my throat,’ she told The Daily Telegraph.
‘Despite all this, I am still here, as the old song goes.’