Emmerdale’s Leah Bracknell posts butterfly wings photo

Emmerdale’s Leah Bracknell, who was diagnosed with with terminal lung cancer in 2014, has thrilled fans with a ‘beautiful’ image of herself posing with a wood-carved butterfly after writing a prayer in which she vows to ‘thrive with a capital T’.

In the most recent post on her blog, somethingbeginningwithc, Leah, 53, has penned a ‘prayer of gratitude’, telling followers she is ‘living well’ and that she has ‘the seed of hope’ in her soul. 

On her Facebook page, Leah, who is currently relying on ‘conventional and alternative’ medicine, delighted followers with her latest smiling image.

The latest image of former Emmerdale actress Leah Bracknell, who has documented her battle with Stage 4 lung cancer, sees her posing inside a giant wood-carved butterfly. The image prompted hundreds of positive comments on the 53-year-old’s Facebook page

In a blog post last month to mark a year since her diagnosis, Leah insisted she sees cancer as a teacher she can learn  from rather than an enemy

In a blog post last month to mark a year since her diagnosis, Leah insisted she sees cancer as a teacher she can learn from rather than an enemy

The shot was called ‘beautiful’ by followers, who heaped praise on the television actress calling her an ‘inspiration’. 

Last month, the star, who played Zoe Tate in Emmerdale from 1989-2005, admitted that she wasn’t sure she would still be here a year after diagnosis, especially after she was told NHS treatment to prolong her life had stopped working.

In her most recent ‘Morning Prayer’ blog, posted on November 4th, she said she had awoken with a ‘fire in her belly’, telling followers: ‘A life well lived is the best medicine.’ 

Referencing her struggle with the disease, she thanked her family and friends for their love and support, writing: ‘Thank you for my beautiful family, my husband, my mother, my children, my friends far and wide, I pray that you watch over them, keep them well, protect them, give them strength when they feel weak, inspiration when they are lost, and keep the flame of hope alive always in their hearts.’

The star revealed on Loose Women in August this year that her life-prolonging treatment on the NHS had stopped working 

Battle: The star revealed on Loose Women in August this year that her life-prolonging treatment on the NHS had stopped working 

Leah is best known for her role as Zoe Tate in Emmerdale 

Leah is best known for her role as Zoe Tate in Emmerdale 

The emotional post, brimming with positivity, clearly showed the actress’ spiritual side.

‘Thank you for teaching me that a life well lived is the best medicine, and that we can be the alchemists of our own healing, that we can chose to be extraordinary, that life is not about merely existing or surviving but about Thriving with a capitol T.’

The star was diagnosed with inoperable and incurable stage 4 lung cancer and started targeted biological therapy on the NHS to prolong her life. 

However in August this year, she revealed the treatment had stopped working and that she was relying on alternative treatments such as plant-based healing oils and sessions in an infrared sauna. 

Despite the setbacks, Leah is remaining incredibly positive and insists she sees cancer as a teacher she can learn positive lessons from rather than an enemy.

And while she admits to having difficult days, she also said that she’s experienced some of ‘the best times in my life’ in the past year. 

She wrote: ‘I ask myself, would I turn back the clocks to a time before cancer? Genuinely, I don’t know. I can’t answer that. I am certainly in no hurry to go anywhere. 

‘But the last twelve months have shown me not just the absolute worst of times, but some of the best times in my life. Little nuggets of gold that I would not have found otherwise. And I had to wake up to the fact that my life was in desperate need of an overhaul. 

‘Cancer was my call to action. It has taken a huge leap out of my comfort zone. And, yes, it’s work in progress. Constantly. But it is paying off. And for that I am grateful. Every day. 365 days of gratitude. My incredible year.’

Leah explained that she’s managed to stay positive by changing her attitude to cancer and seeing it as something she can learn from.  

‘Since the day my world changed irrevocably, I have tried to develop a relationship with my illness to ask it what it has to teach me, what it wants me to change or face up to, in order that I don’t merely react to it with fear, loathing or avoidance,’ she explained. 

‘I don’t see cancer as my enemy, but a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down for me to seize with both hands. 

‘And it has repaid me: I have learned to be so damn grateful for my life, every last bit of it, to forgive myself my “mistakes”, and to try to forgive those who I believe hurt me. And each and every day I love and thank my poor scrawny body, tumours and all, because its doing its very best. 

The star is a devoted yoga practitioner and has tried alternative treatments such as healing 

The star is a devoted yoga practitioner and has tried alternative treatments such as healing 

‘I decided that cancer was not going to be my gaoler, but my teacher. Not my darkness, but my light. 

MORE THAN MEDICINE 

YOGA: Leah has practiced yoga for 15 years and cites it as a way to keep her calm and positive.

SHAMANIC HEALING

Involves the healing of the soul. The practise believes that illness has a spiritual cause and results in a loss of energy or power.

INFRARED SAUNA: Heat is said to help detoxify body and kill cancer cells.

‘I’m not going to lie. It’s a tough road. It’s a lonely road, even when you are surrounded by love. No, not every day is wreathed in smiles. But when I smile, I smile, and when I laugh I laugh, and when it rains I put my umbrella up and wait for the storm to pass. 

Leah previously raised £60,000 for immunotherapy treatment, which is not available on the NHS.

The treatment ‘reprogrammes’ the body’s defence system to attack cancerous cells. Trials show it could stop cancer from spreading and reduce tumour size.

The experimental treatment, which she received in Germany, isn’t a permanent medication as it stops working when the cancer starts to resist it.

She also had Mexican shamans by her hospital bed in an attempt to heal her. Shamanic healers believe that illness has a spiritual cause and results in a loss of energy or power.

Leah has been practicing yoga for 15 years and also teaches it. She cites it as a way to keep her calm and positive in the face of her devastating diagnosis.

THE FORMER SOAP STAR’S FIGHT

Leah was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in October 2016 and faced a race against time to raise £50,000 to pay for pioneering treatment in Germany.

The award-winning actress, who played lesbian Zoe Tate in the ITV soap for 16 years, had been told by doctors that her cancer is not curable and not operable. 

An online appeal was launched to raise funds so Leah could visit the clinic that specialises in DNA-based immunotherapy and within 24 hours of her announcement fans had raised a staggering £40,000.

Donations poured in from more than 1,700 people, including a £5,000 pledge from one anonymous donor. 

Now that total is up to £62,355 and Leah has been receiving treatment she hopes will increase her life expectancy. 

Miss Bracknell, a 52-year-old mother-of-two to Lily, 25, and Maya, 21, who is believed to be a vegetarian and a non-smoker, said she felt fit and healthy just weeks before she was diagnosed.

She was about to start rehearsing for a comedy play alongside her work as a yoga teacher. 

But in a matter of days she had become breathless climbing stairs and her abdomen swelled so much that she looked heavily pregnant. 

When her heart rate rose to 180 beats per minute she was taken to hospital. There, a litre of fluid was drained from her heart and doctors diagnosed her with stage four lung cancer. 

In an emotional post online, Miss Bracknell said: ‘I was told later, without that [emergency procedure], I would have died. So I am beyond grateful. The bad news is that I have been diagnosed with lung cancer, stage 4. In their opinion, that means it’s terminal, not curable, not operable. 

‘A fairly brutal and bleak diagnosis but one I am determined to challenge and see from the perspective of “a glass half full”, going against a lifetime of pessimism, negativity and fear!’ 

Mr Hughes explained the £50,000 target would pay towards Miss Bracknell receiving potentially life-saving treatments at the Hallwang clinic.

He explained that the clinic uses ‘DNA testing to attack the specific cancer cells in your body’, and there are cases where ‘previously “incurable” cancers go into complete remission’.

In his fundraising appeal he said: ‘She has responded with incredible positivity and we’re determined to fight this. 

‘After a month of researching and getting advice from professionals, we’ve found there are incredible breakthroughs being made in clinics in Europe that combine the best of integrative (alternative) medicine with the most cutting edge modern treatments such as immunotherapy.’ 

As vet and landowner Zoe Tate in Emmerdale, Miss Bracknell portrayed the first lesbian in a British soap. Her farewell from the show in 2005 won her the ‘Best Exit’ at the 2006 British Soap Awards. 

She has also appeared on TV in Judge John Deed, A Touch Of Frost, DCI Banks and daytime soap The Royal Today. She has also toured the country on stage in productions ranging from Shakespeare to pantomime. 

Miss Bracknell lived in Yorkshire for 25 years before moving to Worthing, West Sussex.

 

 

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