Street star Sally backs cancer charity cabaret

The mother-of-three said she found the support she received from Wythenshawe based cancer charity, The Genesis Appeal crucial in her battle against the illness.

She is now a patron and said the organisation's founder, Dr Lester Barr, played a key role in her recovery process.

She said her on-screen character was diagnosed with breast cancer and then Sally discovered she was suffering from the illness herself.

She said: “Lester helped me a lot when I was suffering with cancer. He did everything for me really.

"The Genesis Appeal became a very important charity to me and I really admire the work they are doing.

“I was so interested in being involved in the charity when I found out what they were doing here in Manchester.

"It’s a breast cancer prevention charity and is the only one in Europe so I got very excited about what they were doing.”

A star-studded ‘Cabaret for Cancer' show is due to take place at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre on Sunday to raise cash for The Genesis Appeal and the Beechwood Cancer Centre, based in Stockport.

Sally will introduce other soap stars and help with the auction at the sell-out event.

Cobbles favourite Antony Cotton will be hosting the event alongside Full Monty film star Mark Addy.

Julie Hesmondalgh, the Street's Hayley Cropper and Dean Andrews from Ashes to Ashes will sing for the crowd.

The glitzy event will also see screen stars from Emmerdale, Waterloo Road and Casualty performing and handing out free wine and raffle tickets to the audience before the show begins.

Organiser of the show,  actress Morag Siller, is also a breast cancer survivor and has appeared in Casualty, Emmerdale and Monarch of the Glen.

Morag hopes thousands of pounds will be raised for the charities, both of which have helped her.

Sally praised Morag for the effort she has put into the event while suffering from the disease, but remained tight-lipped as to whether her Corrie character had been involved in this week's murder of Street villain Frank Foster.

Judie Hibbert, fundraiser from the Genesis Appeal Charity, based at Wythenshawe Hospital, said: “It’s wonderful for Genesis to experience such support.

"The actress Morag Siller who has organised the event has been affected by breast cancer and like many others wants to help us create a future without breast cancer”.