SAD NEWS: EastEnders’ Cheryl Fergison shares health update after suffering devastating stroke
The 60-year-old was struck by the medical emergency in May which left her unable to walk
Cheryl Fergison, best known for her role as Heather Trott in EastEnders, has shared an update on her health following a severe stroke in May.
The 60 year old actress, who lives in Cleveleys, took to Instagram to share her progress, revealing she can now walk a ‘certain amount before’ becoming ‘puffed out’. She also told a sweet story about an encounter with a lady at her local shop.
She said: “Well I just had to come on and tell you something that has planted a seed in my little brain. And hopefully it plants the seed in somebody in our industry – producers, tv people etc.
“So the story goes this, I can walk with a stick now from the stroke which is brilliant, I can walk a certain amount before I get puffed out.”
Cheryl Fergison, who lives in Cleveleys(Image: Photo by Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
During a trip to her local Premier shop for some exercise, Cheryl encountered a woman who had read her book. She recounted: “This lady was in there.
“Probably about my age, I dunno, maybe 50’s to 60’s, something like that. Anyways, she said Oh My Gosh I’ve just read your book.
“And I went ‘oh have you? How did you find it?’ She said you’ve had a life haven’t you? And I said yeah a little bit.”
The woman suggested that the soap star should turn her life story into a series or a film, to which Cheryl responded: “Let’s make this happen, it would be absolutely fantastic. Anyway, it was just a thought from a lovely lady in my local shop.”
It comes after she suffered from a stroke earlier this year after she was experiencing a headache. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror ahead of the release of her explosive new memoir, Behind The Scenes last month, the mum-of-one explained how she was at home watching TV when she first realised something was wrong.
She said: “I started to feel funny, with a really bad headache at the back of my head. I went to bed but couldn’t settle. When I got up in the night to go to the bathroom, my balance completely went and I had to stop myself from falling over. My whole right side felt numb, heavy and tingly.”
Cheryl Fergison walks ‘with a stick now’ following a stroke in May which started with a headache
Fearing the worst, Cheryl called her son Alex. “He worked with elderly people and recognised the symptoms. He phoned an ambulance straight away.”
Cheryl, who had surgery for cancer of the womb in 2015, was rushed to hospital in Blackpool where doctors confirmed she had suffered a stroke. The illness left her unable to walk and she still uses a stick.
“I have had to retrain my brain. I couldn’t even pick up a penny at first,” Cheryl said.
“You lose the ability to coordinate your hands, to walk properly, your balance is gone. It’s frustrating and makes you angry. But I’ve started to recover; I am coming on in leaps and bounds now.”