As they celebrated Mother's Day, Victoria Ekanoye and her mother Candy have been through more than most together. In November former Corrie actress Victoria revealed that she was battling breast cancer.
The star was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ - when cancer cells have developed within the milk ducts in the breast - just months after giving birth to her first child Theo with her partner Jonny Lomas.
Ahead of her double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery she was the belle of the ball at a 'Bye Bye Boobies' party at BLVD in Spinningfields to raise funds for Prevent Breast Cancer and Sickle Cell Care Manchester.
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"It was tough with the diagnosis. It's a lot to process as a family," said Victoria as she reflected over the past year.
"But we've got through it and I'm fighting. It's Mother's Day and I've got my beautiful son. My mum is incredible. She has been my rock."
Candy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, when she was 41, and is now cancer free. Victoria, 40, was diagnosed after finding a lump while feeding her baby boy who she welcomed last January.
Victoria, who played Angie Appleton in Coronation Street before leaving the cobbles in 2019, will take the hormone therapy tablet Tamoxifen every day for the next five years as an alternative to chemotherapy. Tamoxifen can cause menopause-like symptoms, but Victoria says its side effects are more tolerable than chemo.
"I'm very grateful it's not chemotherapy. And I'm grateful it was caught so early," said the TV actress and West End star, who also has the red blood cell disorder sickle cell anaemia.
On Friday family and friends gathered at Rossendale Rugby Club for a masquerade ball to celebrate Candy's 60th birthday.
The glam event had a candy floss machine in honour of Candy and a photo booth for guests to capture treasured snaps from the occasion. Mother and daughter looked stunning in fairytale gowns from Cinders Party Dress UK and Theo looked adorable in a mini tuxedo. Guests made donations to Prevent Breast Cancer, for which Victoria and Candy are charity patrons.
"Everybody thinks she's my sister. She has a sunny disposition and she's so optimistic," said Victoria proudly about her youthful mum.
"She been through more than most people and has such tenacity in life to push and push for the best. She is an incredible human being."
Victoria, who also starred in The Royals with Liz Hurley and was a contestant on the X Factor: Celebrity, has been told that she has helped others by speaking out about her diagnosis. "I've been determined to talk about it to help others," she said.
"I've been told that people have checked themselves after I've been open. Someone told me a lump they'd been worried about turned out to be benign and they said 'I've checked it out because of you.'
"And it helps me to talk about it. It's cathartic." She added: "I feel I'm one of the lucky ones and I feel like I've got an army behind me."
